Dominion
by DuckiePray
Summary: Ten months after "Crossroads", when an old enemy "teams" up with a new one, havoc ensues. Once hope is lost and faith fails, it seems nothing can ever be the same. The family's darkest hour reveals what they're really made of, and the things which are designed to endure.
1. Inhibited

***Well, here we are, getting ready to start another journey. I've been working on Dominion for over a year (a long time for one of my fics), but it still isn't technically finished. Due to the nature of me not actually being ready to post and the impending move my family has to make, I'm going to stick to a schedule of posting every other day for the time being. With the exception of today, where it makes sense to post the first two.**

 **If you aren't familiar with my stuff, there is a lot of history invested in my series, and many original characters. I don't provide a lot of opportunity to catch up this time around. If you check Legacy of Loyalty on Facebook, you can be introduced to several people if you're interested.**

 **Dominion is the most complicated thing that's ever come out of my head, and also the most personal. I vented through this fic more honestly than I expected to, though it won't be apparent until later. I've been in a dark place for a while. You could say this story was written because of trying to find my own way out. But you're not here to listen to me ramble. :)**

 **I own nothing related to the Ninja Turtles. I hope you're ready, because the original tagline stands: It's going to be _so_ much worse than you think it is.**

* * *

The blue-masked turtle was neither restrained nor unconscious, yet Doctor Yasmin Ribiero felt no fear as she leaned over him. The lazy brown eyes which met her gaze were heavy, but she knew better than to allow anyone else near him yet.

 _It is much easier to maintain control apart from outside distractions._

She finally broke eye contact with her subject to glance down at the tablet in her hand. The current reading on the screen made Yasmin shake her head with a frown. _His blood pressure continues to drop. This isn't the outcome I expected, not after my preliminary testing on the young one's blood. I incorrectly assumed that one would be no different than the others, but_ their _DNA is proving more unstable._

The brunette looked up from the tablet with a sigh. _I can still glean plenty of information from these four, but I'd hoped for more time. As to how this one's vitals currently stand, there is no telling how detrimental the inhibitor will be for their immune systems._

The legendary took a deep breath and released it slowly before speaking. "It's so quiet here."

"You like the quiet, don't you, Leonardo?" She carefully kept her voice at the same level as his.

He nodded dreamily. "There's never enough."

Yasmin pulled over a desk chair to sit at his side. "I know. But that is life, yes? Never enough rest. You are feeling quite peaceful now."

"Yes."

She smiled encouragingly. "Good."

"Have I been asleep?"

"No, but close to it. You can rest your eyes if you prefer, Leonardo. You don't have to stay up talking to me."

"...Voice is nice," he murmured.

"I think _you_ have a nice voice, Leonardo, and you are so pleasant to converse wi-"

The jarring sound of a cell phone going off made the Doctor twist her head and purse her lips in annoyance toward the nearest lab tech harboring the device.

" _What have I said about cellular phones in the labs?_ " Despite anger, her voice remained intentionally light. The turtle's delicate mental state could be influenced by any change in her inflection.

" _Begging your pardon, Doctor, but it isn't mine. The phone came in with that one."_ The apologetic man indicated the turtle beside her.

Yasmin crossed her arms as she clicked quietly across the floor to retrieve the offending device. The phone rang two more times, and then went silent. Within seconds, however, the same number flashed across the screen once more as the call repeated. She considered turning the cell off, but then another thought occurred to her.

 _It would be interesting to test the true measure of my control._

Returning to the turtle, she patted his shoulder to gain attention. "Leonardo, do you think you could sit up for a minute?"

The creature blinked as he shifted weight on his elbows with difficulty.

Ribiero noted the unnatural strain his muscles experienced from the effort. "Are you calm?"

"Yes." He sounded more alert than before. "What do you need?"

"I think someone is calling you. Would you like to let them know you are all right?" She extended the device toward him, and he accepted it with trembling fingers.

"Hello?" Leonardo answered without emotion. "Calley? Oh...no. I'm okay...it's fine. I wasn't asleep yet, just...unwinding. No, don't feel bad." He raised a hand to muffle a yawn. "Maybe we can talk about it later – I _am_ really tired. Yeah. I love you too. Tomorrow...bye." He clicked off the phone and handed it back to the Doctor. "She worries."

"Who is Calley?"

Her subject settled back on the table, eyes half-way closing. "My wife."

"Is she waiting for you?"

"They're not home. Most of the family went to Washington with Caleb."

"Caleb?"

"One of our doctors. He's getting an award from the President. It's a big deal."

"That sounds amazing," she said casually. "You have a very supportive family, don't you?"

"They're the best, and Calley..."

Yasmin squeezed his muscular arm to coax him to continue. "Yes?"

"There's no one like her."

"Have you been together long, Leonardo?"

"A few years."

"And what of children?"

"We have a son, Tim."

"I'm sure he is a fine boy."

"Uh huh." The turtle's voice was fainter, though he smiled.

"Doctor Ribiero!"

A tense voice over her shoulder made Leonardo flinch, and she immediately patted his hand reassuringly. "Shh. You're all right, my friend. Relax."

The creature's brow smoothed over. When his eyes closed, she took the opportunity to direct a death glare at the intruder. " _I asked not to be disturbed, Edmundo."_ Her even voice belied the serious expression.

" _Yes, Doctor, but the red one needs attention_."

Yasmin huffed softly under her breath. " _Very well_." She led the way across the room, giving the resident lab tech a reproachful look. " _The legendary is at peace. Make sure he_ remains _that way_."

The young man saluted smartly while they continued their calm retreat. The moment the pair hit the hallway, Yasmin's pace quickened.

" _I don't understand why this is so difficult_ ," she clipped. " _If you behave calmly,_ they _will behave calmly. Such is the effect of the inhibitor._ "

Morais swallowed. " _Doctor, we really should hurry_."

Brown eyes narrowed at her second-in-command. " _He was supposed to be left alone. If the red one is anywhere other than I put him-_ "

 _"No one bothered him, Doctor. They were merely observing! But when his cell phone rang and he couldn't find it, he became combative."_

Yasmin resisted the urge to chuckle, lest Edmundo doubt the gravity of the situation. _It seems they are just as tied to their devices as any other American._

 _"The other techs wanted to drug him further, but I stopped them bef-"_

 _"You did well in that, at least."_ Yasmin kept incredible poise in her heels now, despite the fact that they were nearly running. " _As it is, two out of four were drugged multiple times upon capture, regardless of my strict instructions. They already suffer for it. We are not trying to_ kill _them, Edmundo!"_

" _Yes, I know, Doctor!_ "

She raised her eyebrows at the sharpness of his tone, and he ducked his head slightly.

" _We thought we were prepared, but_ -"

" _But they can honestly be contained without this much fuss_ ," she corrected. _"I suppose there are some things I can't trust to anyone else."_

Yasmin inwardly groaned at the bellowing yell which greeted them before they'd reached the next lab. She lightly pushed Edmundo aside to get through the door, and then laid eyes on the wildly thrashing red-masked turtle. The metal restraints were keeping the creature pinned for the moment, but the manner in which the table creaked loudly beneath him suggested the real danger.

The Doctor wanted to berate every man in the room, but dared not risk it. " _I want all of you out of here – immediately."_

" _Doctor, he cannot be reasoned with-_ -" An unwise tech interjected, to which she instantly crossed into his personal space. The seven inches the man had on her frame disappeared as he shrank before the wrath in her glare.

" _Get out of this room_." She enunciated each word meaningfully. " _Where is the phone_?"

" _On the desk there, but he_ -"

" _I don't want to hear it. Go, and don't return without my express clearance_." She turned away from the retreating techs before her temper was lost completely and strode to the manacled turtle's side.

Edmundo stood a couple of feet behind her, apparently unwilling to take another step. " _It may be a little late to fix this._ "

Ribiero didn't look back. " _No. I told you – all of you. The mind inhibitor only works under the correct conditions. It alters their perception – makes them more open to suggestion. Watch, and learn."_

She squared her shoulders, determined not to display outward fear. Yasmin leaned over the creature so he would be forced to look into her eyes. "Raphael. It is all right now. The bad men are gone."

His returning growl wasn't encouraging, but she wasn't dissuaded.

"Shh. I know they upset you, but I made them leave. Once you are at peace, I will set you free."

The anger and suspicion in his golden gaze was faltering already. "I'm...they're gone?" His voice was so ragged, Yasmin wondered how long he'd been yelling before she'd arrived.

"Yes. I will not let them bother you again. You don't mind me being here, do you?"

He cocked his head while considering the question, and the tension in his frame eased against the steel manacles. "No...but I wanna get up."

"I encourage you to rest, Raphael, because you are clearly exhausted. But I'm happy to set you free, if you promise not to hurt me."

"I won't."

The Doctor maintained eye contact with him for several seconds, before being convinced by the glazed indifference washing over his features. She heard Edmundo gasp behind her when she removed the first of the restraints lashing his wrist to the table, but chose to ignore the man.

The act of turning the turtle loose had a pleasantly soothing affect on her muscle-bound subject, and she smiled to see his eyes growing heavy. Before they closed completely, he raised his head a couple inches.

"Wait...where's my phone?"

She stepped away from the table to retrieve the device, tracing the screen to reveal a missed call and a couple of text messages. "I have your phone here, Raphael. It appears someone was trying to reach you. Who is Olivia?" Yasmin knew the answer the question already, but maintaining polite conversation was an effective tool for earning trust.

"My oldest daughter. I ought to call her."

"You might try answering her messages first," she suggested evasively.

"Hate texting," he grumbled. "Darn buttons are too small."

"Why don't you let me help?" Her hand stroked the side of his head lightly.

"What'd she say?"

Yasmin recalled the text field. "She offered to take Isabella to bed with her. Said she's been a little restless."

Raphael's forehead furrowed, troubled. "Makes sense, her mama being gone...I shoulda been home already."

"It sounds like Olivia has it under control, Raphael. How old is Isabella?"

"She's...almost 10 months. Kari's never left her before. What'd Liv say about her?"

"Just that she was going to take her up with...Jake?"

"Oh...yeah. He's good with Belle." There was begrudging respect in his voice.

"Would you like me to thank her for you?"

"Yeah. Tell 'er I'll see them in the morning, I guess."

"I would be happy to." Yasmin tapped out the reply, and set the device back down. "You appear to be feeling better now."

He nodded vaguely. "Is it late?"

"It's getting there, Raphael. You can rest now, if you like."

"Sounds good."

Yasmin reached to pat his shoulder, but was startled by Edmundo's sudden proximity to her side.

" _Doctor, you have a call_ ," he whispered.

She swore all of the color had drained from his face, but that wasn't a good enough reason for another interruption. " _They can leave a message_."

" _No, Doctor. It's_ him."

Ribiero's heart skipped a beat. " _Oh...well_..."

" _The com-link is cued up already. He waits for you on-screen._ "

Yasmin worked hard to control her breathing as they hurried into the hall. " _The timing is very odd,"_ she said to herself.

" _Doctor, I think he knows._ "

She shook her head. " _He couldn't, not unless._.." Yasmin paused with a wince. " _Men cannot be trusted, can they, Edmundo_?"

He shrugged. " _There are other options_."

" _And we are going to have to take advantage of them. Edmundo, I want you to collect a head count. I need the specific whereabouts of everyone on the premises, and those who are not currently present. I will expect the information within the hour_."

She took a deep breath of preparation before going into the next room, and walking up the the desk which harbored the large screen. " _Good evening, Ambassador."_

" _It took long enough,_ " the familiar figure returned flatly. " _I gather you were not expecting me._ "

" _My apologies. I was caught up in a project, but now I am all yours._ "

" _I'm well aware of your 'projects', Doctor, and the tremendous risk you have been so bold to take."_

 _"I don't know what you mean."_

The following silence across the video was deafening.

" _You think I don't know you've taken them?_ " he accused finally.

Ribiero cursed inwardly. _Someone_ did _talk. It cannot be helped now – we will have to start at square one._ " _Ambassador, we had an opportunity – a rare one-_ "

" _An opportunity to destroy the very premise upon which our partnership was built!_ "

" _Nothing is destroyed!_ " she protested. " _We used the inhibitor. No one knows they are here-"_

 _"_ I _know they are there, and this betrayal runs deep, Ribiero."_

 _"Don't call it betrayal, Ambassador. We meant no harm. We were only trying to-"_

 _"You've interfered too soon, thus putting our entire plan in jeopardy!"_

 _"W-we can fix this. Their minds are pliable in this state. They don't know where they are or who has them-"_

 _"So you will put them back,"_ the Ambassador ordered curtly.

 _"Yes. Yes, Ambassador, we will return them."_

 _"At once. And if your mission this evening has in any way compromised what_ we _have worked so hard for, you can consider our partnership concluded. You don't want to be found unfriendly when my people arrive, do you?"_

 _"No, Ambassador."_

 _"Then pray the damage you have done is not as great as I fear."_

There was a flicker and then the screen went dark, leaving Yasmin alone with shaky breath.

"Doctor?" Edmundo's voice startled her upright in the chair.

She regained composure in a flash. " _I gave you a job_."

" _And I will do it, but_..."

" _He knows, Edmundo_ ," Yasmin confirmed. " _We must turn them loose_."

" _Turn them loose?_ " He was incredulous. " _Doctor, in their condition, how far will they_ get?"

" _They are groggy because I_ wanted _them to be_. _The inhibitor makes them respond to suggestion, but apart from my instructions, they are still free to act by instinct. If we take them back where they were found, they ought to be able to get home on their own."_

 _"And they won't remember-"_

 _"Edmundo, why are you making me explain this? We have too much to get done in a short amount of time!"_

 _"But what of their physical conditions? You are aware of the complications they're experiencing, especially the two that-"_

 _"Yes, I am aware, but there is nothing I can do about it. I told the Ambassador we would put them back, so we must."_

 _"Do you believe we were betrayed, Doctor?"_

 _"I can think of no other way for him to have knowledge of tonight's events. Edmundo, I need all of the men accounted for. We are going back to level one."_

He sighed. _"I will take care of it."_

Ribiero rose. _"I'm going to oversee a sample and the injections – it is the only thing left for which we have time. We can't afford to be unfriendly with the Ambassador, Edmundo. Not in days such as these."_

The man was visibly agitated _. "This is beginning to seem like a greater risk than it's worth."_

 _"They are coming,"_ she said bluntly. " _Whether we are friends or not, that can't be prevented. I would rather maintain some control, but...in this, there's no alternative. The best we can hope for is a small role to play in the new regime. Now go – do your part, and I will do mine."_

* * *

The woman stared pensively into the darkness outside the room where she was being held prisoner, waiting for her eyes to adjust. The sight of her friend being hauled off by a dreaded enemy was a bad sign in itself, even if it weren't for the true mission of his captors. _It's now or never. I have to make this work._

She fiddled with the shackles linking her wrists together, and worked up every ounce of nerve she possessed. _If I push them too hard, they'll simply kill me. I have to strike a balance between arrogance and fear. But if I don't get myself outside soon, the team will be gone, and so will my opportunity to join them. I can't put this off any longer. What is the phrase some are fond of? Do or die? It's time for one or the other._

She took a few deep breaths and felt her senses automatically sharpening, instinctively improving as adrenaline surged. The woman walked to the door locking her in, and slammed her lithe body against it. Once, twice, and then a third time for good measure.

When it didn't seem to garner the attention she needed, the woman chose another tactic. She backed up to give herself space for a running start, and collided with the reinforced glass pane which stretched from floor to ceiling. It was supposed to appear as an act of desperation, though she intentionally didn't hit as hard as she could. The point wasn't to literally escape. She had to do something much riskier.

The woman rolled upright off the floor and backed against the adjacent wall with a growl as an over-sized thug entered the room.

"I fail to see how giving yourself a concussion will help matters, idiot. If you have any brain cells left, you will sit down _now_ , and wait patiently for _Kumne_ Muhsin to arrive. Or you can refuse, and try to run away again. Then I have the option of killing you myself. _"_

She resisted the urge to laugh scornfully. Her earlier move which had resulted in containment wasn't a true attempt to get away. _If I wanted to escape, I have more tools at my disposal than they're aware of. But I need to stay close to them if I want any chance of stopping this._

The threatening figure strode her direction, towering over her "slight" frame with a deep scowl. She continued standing in one spot, and held his gaze without flinching or speaking.

 _"_ Sit down _,"_ he commanded a second time.

 _"_ It bothers you that I'm not afraid, doesn't it? _"_

A firm hand crashed into her chest and batted the woman against the wall. Her muscles tensed to recoil and keep her on her feet, but she recalled the necessity of committing to her image. Therefore, she crumbled as though the injury were a grievous hurt, before slowly sitting back up.

 _"_ If you value life at all, you will heed what I say, stupid girl. _"_ He lowered his voice as he hovered inches from her face.

" _Vagari_ scum! _"_ She spat the term like it was a curse. "I've been here my entire life, and was subjected to more evil than most people realize exists! If you want to scare me, you'll have to try harder."

 _"_ You've lived here your whole life? _"_ A second voice cut in from the door. _"_ What a baseless form of existence. _"_

The woman gathered her courage to stand and face the newcomer head on. Though she had never met him in person, the figure's short, stark blond hair gave him away for his uniqueness. Muhsin was the exact one she'd been waiting for. _"_ I could care less what a murdering scavenger such as yourself thinks of me."

"Those are mighty words to come from an insignificant insect, _"_ he returned dangerously.

She folded her arms with the most unconcerned expression she could muster. "Yet you can't handle an insect who isn't intimidated by you."

"I think perhaps you haven't experienced enough to understand fear properly," he answered calmly. _"_ Regardless, the Vaga has heard some interesting things concerning your history, and desires to meet you. I'm eager to see how long your bravado will hold up under _his_ scrutiny."

The woman didn't move when the large adversary came her direction. She doggedly refused to break eye contact as he stared her down, but her legs felt so weak, she didn't know how they continued to support her. "He won't scare me either."

The Kumne chuckled. "You have no idea. I'm supposed to bring you to him myself, but there is a side trip to take first. It will provide an opportunity for you to learn some humility _before_ facing the Vaga."

The woman displayed the appropriate sense of terror while being forcefully propelled from the room, and then marched rapidly to the exit of the building. Under the cover of the shadows outside, she finally beamed. _It couldn't have worked out better than if I'd planned it. Which I did._

The enormity of what she was attempting didn't catch up with her for a few more seconds. _I've no idea if I can_ do _any of this. But it won't stop me from trying._


	2. Home

The hand swatting his side was simple for Jayden to ignore. Burrowing under the covers cushioned his sister's blows more. However, the slight whine her tone had taken penetrated his barricade and made the muscular turtle want to cover his ears. "Gimme five more minutes," he murmured pleadingly.

"That's what you said fifteen minutes ago," Charlotte challenged, tugging on his comforter. "It's past time to get up, and we're losing out on our training window!"

He yanked the blanket back from his twin's clenched fists easily. "And the dojo will still be there later."

The purple-masked-female huffed angrily. "We were given the early slot this week. We're supposed to be down there already!"

"What are you worried for? Jonin hasn't even called us yet. He's probably enjoying his private time."

"Jonin shouldn't have to call us. It's our responsibility to be there, now get up!" She punctuated the statement by jerking the tails of his mask.

Jayden glared as he sat up. "Not everyone has as much energy as you first thing in the morning."

"That's why you should go to bed earlier. Are you coming, or not?"

"Chill, twin. Gimme a second to-" Before he could come up with another excuse to buy time, her knowing fingers located his collarbone with a sharp jab. The intensity of the brief pain took his breath away and caused him to gasp even as his sister let go. "Shell, Charlie! What's wrong with you?"

"Come on, you big lug! You're wasting my time."

Jayden eyed her warily as he rose from the single bed, prepared to backpedal if she attempted anything else.

"I should go back to partnering with Tim," she complained. "He never made me drag him out of bed."

"That's 'cause he's as perfect as you."

"Wanting to do the work doesn't make me perfect, Jay. Let's go." Charlotte spun on heel to exit the room, and the purple-masked male knew better than not to follow.

Jayden stifled a yawn as he trailed his sister down the stairs and stretched his arms behind his shell to loosen up shoulder blades with a soft crack. "Will you let me get some water first, at the very least?"

"If you'd gotten up when I told you, you could have eaten something too. As it is, water is all you have time for. I don't wanna be late."

"You said we _were_ late."

Charlotte gave him a dirty look. "Like I'd let you make me look bad? We've got two minutes."

He shook his head after her as his sister stalked into the kitchen. _I would say this is the reason Tim wanted to trade off with me this week, but he's an early-riser-go-getter too. Can't imagine why he wanted me to take Charlie._ The blue-masked turtle had sworn him to secrecy with the promise of taking on some of Jayden's chores in exchange, so he hadn't been tempted to ask a lot of questions at the time.

Jayden shrugged lightly as he came into the kitchen, and almost ran into his twin when she suddenly stopped in the middle of the room.

"Dad?" the female queried, gaze fixed on the figure hunched over the kitchen table as though sleeping.

The older turtle stirred, but it took nearly five seconds for him to roll his head upright to meet them. Brown eyes squinted back at them, but his expression was dull and lifeless. "Hey," Don greeted after a few moments.

Charlotte took another step toward him. "What are you doing?"

Donatello dropped his chin in one hand, as though his head were too heavy for his neck to support. "Waiting on the coffee…"

Jayden glanced at the machine on the counter, but the coffeemaker didn't appear to be doing anything. He went over to investigate, and discovered the appliance unplugged. "It'd work better with electricity," he announced tongue-in-cheek, shooting his father a sympathetic look. "Rough night?"

"Yeah, I guess," Donny mumbled, allowing his forehead to sink to the table.

When Jayden and his cousins had returned from their own patrol the night before there was no sign of their father or uncles. It wasn't unusual for their older counterparts to stay out later than them, especially when their wives weren't home to keep track. None of them had been concerned at the time, but now he couldn't miss the agitation in Charlotte's posture.

His sister came up behind their father's chair. "Dad, are you okay?" Donatello's response was too muffled to hear, but it didn't stop the girl from reaching for his shoulder, which was partially engulfed in a stained wrap..

"...Just leave it…" Don told her, but the protest was slightly slurred.

She insistently probed the gauze-covered arm. "You got hurt?"

"'s fine," he answered softly. The older turtle tried to pull his arm away, but Charlotte hung on. Her following gasp sent a chill down Jayden's spine.

"Daddy, this hasn't even been treated properly!"

Jayden swallowed. Reverting to the childish title was something his sister only did when she was exceptionally concerned. He looked over Charlotte's shoulder to see what appeared to be a two inch deep chunk carved from their dad's forearm.

"It's not that bad," Donatello defended weakly.

"It's still bleeding!" Charlotte declared. "Why didn't you get help with this?"

Their father couldn't reclaim his arm from her, but the rest of his upper body swayed and slumped against the table. "Let me sleep."

"No! No, Dad, you're not going to sleep. Tell me what happened!"

His shoulders shook but didn't quite rise. "Don't know. I'm just tired."

Charlotte's head whipped toward Jayden. "Get Jonin. Now."

"Shouldn't we get Marc?" Jay suggested. The dark-haired doctor was the only member of their medical team currently at home, having remained behind from the trip to Washington to which the others had accompanied Caleb.

"I'll call him in a minute, but first I want Jonin."

It was hardly the time to argue, so the purple-masked male hurried from the room and ran down the hall to the dojo, where he expected to find Leonardo impatiently waiting for them. He was surprised to discover the room dark, but pushed the ajar door open.

"Jonin, are you in here?" Light spilled into the space from the hall, illuminating first the mats, then the familiar form of his leader curled face-down on the floor. It wasn't a position he'd ever seen his Jonin in, and the young turtle's eye ridges rose while he walked into the room. " _Ojisan*_?" (uncle)

Leaning over him, he squeezed the older turtle's arm and was surprised by the temperature of his skin. It was cold; far too cold for the middle of summer, even residing underground. "Ojisan!"

He rolled Leonardo over with careful hands, heart beating faster as he desperately prodded the blue-masked turtle. "Jonin, wake up!" The lack of response made panic seize in his chest, but Jayden leaped to his feet. He was out of breath by the time he'd dashed back to the kitchen. "Charlie!"

His twin spun around. "Jayden, what are you doing? Where-"

"Jonin is down!" he blurted out. "He won't wake up!"

"Are you sure-"

"Charlotte, he _won't_ wake up! In the dojo - go see for yourself!"

She cast a backward glance at Donny draped over the table, then looked to Jayden. "I'm calling Marcus. Go find Raph and Mike!"

Jayden didn't want to leave his father alone, but reassured himself that he'd be right back. He reached the Great room in time to see his sister disappearing down the hall, and took the stairs three at once to get to the second level. The young turtle didn't bother knocking on the first door he reached, which belonged to his uncle Michelangelo. He simply burst into the room and jumped on the end of the bed. "Ojisan, get up!"

The lack of an immediate response prompted another wave of anxiety in his gut, but a harder bounce on the mattress had the orange-masked turtle sitting up in slow motion, gripping his forehead.

"Aw, what the shell, _Kaiju*_?" Mike demanded. (beast)

"Ojisan, get up, quick! Something's wrong with Jonin and my dad!"

Mike didn't react nearly as fast as the young turtle thought he would, and when the adult gained his feet, he instantly faltered. "Whoa. Can you stop the room for me first?"

Jayden snatched his uncle's arm and guided him back to the edge of the mattress. "Second thought. You stay, and I'm gonna grab Raph." Michelangelo stared at him with confusion, but he had no time to deal with it. When he ran back to the hall, he nearly crashed into the _other_ orange-masked turtle.

Nate darted sideways to avoid him. "Easy, Jay! I take it you're late, but-"

" _Chokkan!_ " the sixteen-year-old cried. "Something's wrong - something big! Jonin, my dad, _your_ dad, they're sick or hurt, or...I don't know!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Just go make sure your dad stays awake! I don't know anything, but Charlotte is already calling Marc."

The eighteen-year-old brushed past him to get into his parents' bedroom, and Jayden kept moving on to the next. The covers from his last uncle's bed were lying in a heap on the floor, but there was no sign of Raphael in the room. He stared at the empty bed for a few seconds, before the sound of running water registered in his ears.

Jayden dashed down the hall and tried the bathroom doorknob. It turned, and he slowly poked his head inside. "Anyone in here?"

There was no answer, but the curtain around the bathtub stirred. "Ojisan?"

"Busy," a gruff voice grunted.

Jayden strode across the bathroom and tore open the curtain to find his red-masked uncle trembling on the bottom of the tub and fiddling with the hot water faucet.

"C-can't a turtle get some space around here?" Raphael was clearly irritated, but the normal strength wasn't behind his voice, and amber eyes were glassy.

The young turtle knelt by him with a deep breath. "Ojisan, I need you to look at me. Something is wrong with all of you. This is really important. Where did you go last night? What happened to you?"

Raphael stared down at pooling water as though hypnotized. "I...I don't know."

"Think, Ojisan. Jonin is completely out, and my dad's not far behind him. What happened?"

The red-masked turtle shook his head violently. " _I don't know!_ I can't...I don't remember anything. I woke up...cold. That's all, there was nothing…"

Jayden stood and grabbed a towel from the cabinet. "C'mon. I'm sure Marc is on his way down, and he'll need to see all of you."

Raphael braced his hands on the side of the tub, but struggled to lift his weight. Without a word Jayden wrapped both arms around his uncle's shell to help him out, and draped the over-sized towel across him.

"Where's...Leo?" Raphael stumbled, nearly pitching forward.

"Downstairs, where the rest of you need to be." Jayden kept a steady arm around the older turtle's shell. "Let's just take this nice and easy."

The bathroom door was flung open with sudden force. Olivia stared at the two of them with furrowed brow and crossed arms. "Nate said something weird is going on? Dad, what's the matter?"

"Nothin', _Kouen_ , I'm just...uh…" The red-masked turtle apparently lacked the energy to finish the sentence.

"Whatever this is, it's affecting all of them," Jay rapidly filled in.

The twenty-year-old came on Raphael's other side to support him. "Dad, what's happening?"

"Wish I knew," he mumbled.

Jayden was more than strong enough to simply throw his uncle over his shoulder, but only an idiot would try pushing Liv away. Between the two of them they helped Raphael down the steps, only to find Tim already kneeling by the couch in the Great room. A closer look revealed the older blue-masked turtle lying senseless across the furniture.

The purple-masked turtle glanced back when he heard more footsteps on the stairs, and saw Nate attending to Mikey, who was also leaning heavily on the banister.

"Jayden!" Charlotte's voice called his attention to the kitchen door. The change in her coloring since he'd seen her last was so dramatic that it startled him. "I need you to get dad."

With a sinking feeling the muscular turtle retreated to the adjoining kitchen. Donatello was lying in the same state as when he left, but when he touched his father, the older turtle didn't awaken. Without hesitation he pulled out his dad's chair while gripping one arm around his plastron to keep him from falling, and boosted Don into his arms. Carrying his father was a surreal sensation that made the sixteen-year-old feel like he was dreaming. Returning to the Great room, he took Donny to the other empty sofa and settled him down to wait for help to arrive.

It was then that he realized how gray his dad's countenance had turned, along with a definite lag in the time it took his chest to rise between breaths. _I want this to be a dream, but it's not. Dad, you're supposed to fix these things. What_ happened _to all of you last night?_


	3. Testing

"...so sorry for the short notice." Marcus paused for a long moment, exaggerating a wheezing breath. "My throat was sore when I went to sleep, but then I woke up to an elephant sitting on my chest."

"People don't typically plan to get sick, Doctor."

The playful tone of his colleague was still tinged with concern that made Marcus instantly feel more confident, but he needed to get _off_ the phone. "Please let the Campbell's know how sorry I am. If they want to reschedule Jack's procedure for next week, I believe my calender is open." _At least, I hope it will be._

"You're not the first surgeon in history to call off sick, Sloan. Get some rest and keep on your meds. Asthma is nothing to play around with."

"Don't I know it. Will you e-mail me if they come to a decision?"

"As long as you're not hanging around on your phone all day waiting for it. Take it easy, Doctor."

"I'll try. Thank you." The dark-haired man felt someone gazing at him while he clicked off the phone. He turned to face Charlotte innocently. "What? Was I supposed to go in to work and leave your dads in this condition?"

The sixteen-year-old shook her head. "No. You're just really convincing."

"I've had a lot of practice. Did you have time to finish hooking up the other heart monitors?"

"Uncle Raph thinks it's overkill, and he didn't want to be separated from Leo and my dad."

"He doesn't have a say in the matter," Marc returned briskly. "Thanks for your help, Charlotte."

"What's next? I'm sure there are tests to run-"

Marcus cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Actually, I prefer to handle that on my own."

"Are you joking? Marc, I'm not going to get under your feet! I've trained for years under you guys, and I'm an extra set of hands. Why would you send me away?"

"We don't have a clue what's causing these symptoms, Charlotte. It could be environmental, something that they came in contact with last night, but it could also be related to a contagion-"

"Marcus, Jayden and I have never once been sick! This isn't fair. You wouldn't have sent my dad away."

"You've got no idea how many times I wish I could have."

"So you're going to take it out on me? You need help, Marc."

"I _need_ you to do what I say."

Chocolate brown eyes widened in disbelief, but the purple-masked turtle knew better than to continue arguing with him. She stalked out of the room without another word, and Marcus released a deep breath while he headed for the desk.

He couldn't see the turtles from the work station, but he was about to take his first detailed look of their vitals since the initial scans had been recorded. Marcus swallowed as he hit the uplink to share the readings to the network of their medical scanners. He hadn't dared to upload the information until he'd finished calling off work, knowing full well Luke wouldn't patiently wait around for him to call back.

Marcus barely had a few seconds to digest stats before his phone rang. He picked it up without taking his eyes off the computer screen. "I'm here."

"What the heck _took_ you so long?!"

"Luke, I had to call off, and then talk Charlotte out of the room. I told you it'd take longer than thirty seconds."

"And I told you to just upload it!"

"The monitors weren't completely set up yet. Luke, you've got to take a deep breath and calm down."

"How in the world did their hemoglobin levels plummet this far overnight? There's got to be a traumatic factor involved here, Marc. They didn't all come down with something this rapidly."

"I think it's possible that-"

His friend cut him off with an uncharacteristic curse. "These numbers don't make any sense! Raph and Mike can't tell you anything helpful?"

"They don't remember what happened, Luke." Marc's brow furrowed at the blond doctor's repeated use of language in the background.

"I can't believe we're stuck in this! Greg, isn't there another way around?"

"Around what?" Marcus spoke up louder to get his attention.

"The blasted highway that's doubling as a parking lot! We've been doing nothing but sitting for almost forty minutes. You think the traffic in New York is bad, Marc? It's got nothing on this!"

"Luke, getting this worked up won't help anyone. Can we have a rational discussion for a couple of minutes?"

His friend released a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. When we get home, I have a new rule for the code. _No one_ patrols when the majority of the family is out of town."

Marcus chuckled in spite of himself. "And how would you enforce said rule without being here exactly?"

"It's called instilling fear, Marcus; I've been doing it for years."

"That's true, but being here last night wouldn't have made a difference. No one knew they were in any trouble."

"It'd make a difference if I was there now."

"You can't blame yourself for that, Luke." There was a strangely long pause on the other end of the phone, during which Marcus assumed his counterpart was absorbing information from the scans.

"I don't like this, Marc. I don't like it at all. Are you keeping a close eye on Leo and Donny?"

"I started them on supplemental oxygen and blood transfusions. I hope it's a simple matter of replacing the red blood cells they've lost."

"It's never that simple with them."

"When I get off the phone with you, I'll start the others on transfusions. I already took blood samples off Leo and Don so I could start a tox-screen, but you know it'll be a while before anything comes back. I'll take some blood off Raph and Mike too."

"I also need you to do a couple more tests." Luke's tone took on the calm demeanor Marcus was accustomed to. "Do a biliruben and follow up with a reticuloycte count for starters."

Marc understood the direction his colleague was going. "I'll watch how their livers are functioning too."

"Stay on the results for the tox-screen, okay? If we're dealing with a foreign substance in their blood stream, we need to know about it sooner than later."

"I figured I might apply the Niacin compound, just in case."

Luke was silent a few more seconds. "Go ahead, and couple it with Noraphim. I'd rather ward off the possibility of shock, even though we don't know what we're dealing with. There's no history of negative reactions from Niacin, so the likelihood of it causing further complications is slim. Besides the obvious symptoms they're displaying, how do the turtles look physically?"

"With the exception of the chunk taken out of Don's arm? Damage is extremely minimal. I haven't been over them with a fine tooth comb yet, but..."

"But what, Marc? You're there and I'm not. You've got to tell me what you're seeing."

He glanced over his shoulder at the door, as if someone else was listening. "I don't think this was environmental, Luke. I'm fairly certain that someone had their hands on the turtles last night." Marcus hesitated. "Donny's wound, it doesn't look like something that could have happened in the course of a fight, or by accident. The edges are too clean. The cuts appear surgical."

Luke's breathing quickened. "If there's no other evidence of physical wounds, there _had_ to be some kind of drug in play. It's not good news, but the 'overdose' situation is nothing we haven't dealt with before. Don't be afraid to go a little heavy on the Niacin, even with Raph and Mikey. Keep in touch, and if you need help...don't hesitate to use Charlotte. We're still fighting our way to get to the Gulfstream at the National Airport, but the flight from DC won't take too long."

"I prefer to keep Charlotte on the other side of the door unless I have no choice, but I'm not ruling her out. I'll get a handle on this, all right? Hopefully by the time you get back, the worst of it might already be past."

* * *

Charlotte resisted the urge to slam the door to the Lab, barely. When she reentered the Great room, the image of her cousins, brother and Jake huddled around a laptop on the coffee table stopped the purple-masked turtle in her tracks. Whatever they were viewing on the computer proved so engaging that no one immediately noticed her.

"Hello?" Hands rested on her hips as annoyance flared at their unified distraction. "Anyone care to know what's going on?" she demanded sarcastically

Nate's head was the first to jerk up from where he was hovering over Jayden's shoulder. "Hey! Sorry, Charlotte. We all wanna know what's happening. How are our dads?"

She flounced across the room and dropped into a vacant chair. "Beats me. Maybe you could try talking to Marc, since he kicked _me_ out."

Jayden bolted upright from his slouched position over the laptop. "Why'd he do that? Charlie, you have to know something!"

Charlotte shook her head. "I know he went straight for blood transfusions and oxygen for our dad and Jonin. I set up some equipment for Raph and Mike as a precaution, but their symptoms aren't nearly as severe as..." she trailed off slowly, surveying the others' faces.

The tension in her cousin Olivia's frame was the most tangible. The red-masked turtle was rigidly holding her little sister in her lap, regardless of Isabella's squirming and occasional squawk of protest.

A hand landed on Olivia's shoulder, and brushed over the braided end of her mask tails. "Liv, let me have her, okay?" Jake offered. "She's acting like she's still hungry. You guys finish what you were working on."

Olivia made a face, but surrendered the baby to the young man without complaint.

"What were you doing?" Charlotte continued, before anyone else could press her for information she didn't have.

"We're checking the history on their implants," Nate explained, and indicated Jayden beside him. "Hoping to find some clue about the timing of when things went down, and figure out where they were when it happened. If it was environmental like Marcus suggested, it would help to find the source behind it."

Charlotte bit her lip nervously, glancing at the floor. She'd intentionally avoided meeting Tim's gaze before, but now she was drawn to her blue-masked cousin. The fifteen-year-old's face was passive and emotionless. He was outwardly in control, but she could see his defense mechanism kicking in her before her eyes. _I can't let him retreat. He deserves the truth – they all do._

"You guys...this wasn't environmental," she admitted. "It's not some weird contagion they randomly came down with. They were held captive by someone last night – I would bet money on it."

Olivia stiffened. "What makes you so sure? How do you know?"

Charlotte's gaze slowly tracked over the other four turtles again. "Liv, when I was hooking up your dad's monitor, I saw ligature marks on his wrists. He was restrained by something; probably metal, based on the imprints."

"Then..." Nate slowly got to his feet. "We _have_ to find out where they were. We need to know not only who did this, but what they used on them. Does the software give any indication of when trauma occurred, Jay?"

Charlotte moved toward her kneeling brother, and he grimaced as she joined him on the floor.

"There's nothing obvious," he answered. "There were small spikes throughout the night, followed by a gradual drop in blood pressure, temperature, and oxygen. Dad would probably read this a lot better than me. Actually, you would too." Jayden turned the screen her direction with a helpless look.

 _Typical Jayden. Always wants to act like he's out of his element if it doesn't involve something mechanical._

One glance at the screen revealed time stamps her brother had already highlighted as points of interest. _Jay's right...There's nothing jumping out at first glance. The activity looks normal for a night of patrolling._

"There was...uh...one place that was interesting," her twin mentioned. "Right there at 12:37. There was a reaction out of all four of them at once. Y' see what I mean?"

Charlotte perused the line in question and nodded. "Seems like it could be significant."

"It doesn't fit the time line though," Olivia objected. "I called my dad around 2, and then texted when he didn't answer. He wrote me back about twenty minutes later."

Nathaniel cocked his head. "That doesn't seem odd to you? If he was in a fight, he obviously wouldn't pick up. But most battles wouldn't take twenty minutes, not with a regular street thug."

" _And_ you texted him about Belle," Tim pointed out quietly. "He told you he'd see you in the morning? You've known your dad your whole life, Liv, and he's nothing if not super protective. If he thought something was wrong with the baby-"

"He would have come home," Olivia filled in with a sigh. "I...I can't believe I didn't see it last night. I should have known."

"It's not your fault," Nate said firmly. "No one looked for them when we came in either. We just assumed they were all right."

"Actually, my mom did check on them," Tim countered. "She called my dad a little _after_ 2am. Said it took a couple tries, but he eventually answered."

"Doesn't that blow a hole in the captivity theory?" Jayden wondered. "Unless they're the kinda bad guys who give ya the one phone call."

The blue-masked crossed his arms. "Let me finish. My mom said he sounded dazed, like he wasn't completely awake. She thought he was settling in for the night."

"Right, but they weren't home," Olivia reiterated.

The orange-masked turtle paced behind the couch. "We could spend hours trying to figure out how, when, and where things went wrong. Let's go straight to their location at the time. What were their coordinates as of 2am, Jay?"

Jayden nudged Charlotte's shell, and she was tempted to roll her eyes. Instead, she took over the laptop and performed a search for the recorded location in conjunction with the time. Capturing their coordinates only took a few seconds, and she copied the numbers to plug into the virtual imaging map.

"They were close to one another, but not exactly together. Let me see what this address returns as."

The room fell silent while she waited for results with baited breath. She felt Jayden peering over her shoulder, and scooted to the left to give him a better view of the screen.

"Okay, I've got something. The address registers in midtown Manhattan. Um...let me see if I can find any more information on this place." She lined down the map and opened another window to do an internet search. The results left her slightly mystified.

"Well, that's...interesting."

"What?" Liv demanded.

"The listed address is part of the redevelopment program of the Hudson Yards. There are several units, consisting of upscale apartment buildings, restaurants, and some zoned for businesses. It doesn't make a lot of sense for our dads to be there." Charlotte looked back, and saw her two oldest cousins sharing a meaningful glance.

"Jake could drive us," Liv said quietly. "With our dads down, it's up to you, _Chokkan_. What do you wanna do?"

Nate didn't answer right away, first making apologetic eye contact with Charlotte, who'd continued staring him down. "We're going. Just the two of us with Jake."

" _Seriously?_ " Jayden exploded from the floor.

"We're not doing anything but a drive by, not in the daylight," Nathaniel clarified. "There's no reason for all of us to be out there, though. Let me touch base with Marc real quick."

Olivia grunted her disapproval. "You'd better not be asking permission!"

"I'm not – but we aren't going to simply disappear either." Nathaniel eyed the rest of the cousins a little guiltily. "You guys can hold down the fort and the baby?"

Tim shrugged with irritation. "Don't seem to be good for much else."

"We won't be long," the orange-masked turtle promised. "Sit tight. There will be plenty to do after we find out what this place is."

Charlotte backed away from the laptop while their older cousins headed into the Lab. The mounting frustration was enough to drive her to tears, but she wouldn't shed them. Not yet.

"This is how it's always gonna be, isn't it?" Tim muttered. "Like being stuck in a perpetual waiting room."

Jayden smiled suddenly. "Nope. One day we'll have to save _their_ shells. Turtle luck demands it."

Charlotte swatted his shoulder. "Don't say that, not with our dads in there like..."

Her twin grasped her wrist, engulfing her much smaller arm in his massive fist. "You really don't know anything?"

"I never touched _our_ dads, Jay, but I'm still scared."

He gave her a hand a milder squeeze. "Everything's gonna be okay. Let's go grab the baby from Jake. Kid's a good distraction."

She smiled faintly at her twin, but couldn't bring herself to agree with him. _I won't feel better about this, not until we have some idea what happened...and I know everyone really_ will _be all right._


	4. Share

Olivia slumped forward in the back seat of Jake's Corolla, fighting the constant urge to look out the window. She cast a glance to the orange-masked turtle to her left, trying to decipher his state of mind. The task was made more difficult than usual by the over-sized clothes that provided no hint of his body language, and the hood that obscured his face.

"Nate."

He twisted toward her, flicking the end of his hood so she could see his eyes. "Yeah?"

"You think they're gonna be okay?"

"Our docs have a really good track record."

"True, but I don't get it, Chokkan. None of this makes sense. If an enemy had our dads, if they were drugged to the point of not being able to remember anything that happened, how'd they get away?"

"I can't answer that, Liv. It's part of the reason we couldn't wait for everyone else to get home before taking off."

Olivia snorted. "If they _were_ home, we'd have had a harder time getting out, even with our handy get away driver." She smirked toward the curly-haired young man in the front seat.

"Any time you wanna give me that title, I'm up for the challenge," Jake called over his shoulder. "I've been waiting _years_ for this _."_

"It's not like you haven't tasted any action," Nate pointed out.

"One night, out of how many hundreds?" Jacob scoffed. "What is it your medical people say? You guys don't like to share. I'm starting to agree with them."  
"You're confusing us with our fathers," Liv corrected. "And regardless, a brawl is no place for a civilian, no matter how good his three-point shot might be."

"But driving the car doesn't require any fighting skills. I think you ought to consider the advantages of riding in luxury, instead of hopping rooftops in every weather condition known to mankind."

Nate chuckled. "Driving the car can be hazardous too, Jake. Do you even remember that 'one night'?"

"I'm surprised _you_ do, with all of your death-defying feats of awesomeness."

Olivia covered her mouth, but didn't quite muffle a snicker. "He was going for the record number of concussions in one evening."

Her cousin flashed a half grin. "That's probably true – you tried to give me one on the elevator too."

"There's such a thing as faking it too well, _itoko*_." (cousin)

"We'll have to continue to disagree on that point, Liv."

"But we can _all_ agree that I'll pound you harder if you ever scare me like that again."

The orange-masked turtle ducked his head with a laugh. "Oh, I don't think so. Then you'd have to deal with your best friend."

"Best friend?" she repeated. "I don't think I have one of those anymore. She's too stuck on some other turtle." Olivia punctuated the statement by punching him in the shoulder, hard.

The softest of yelps indicated that her cousin hadn't seen it coming from underneath his hood. "I'm surprised you have time to notice Reina or me, what with your _husband_ at your every beck and call."

"And proud of it!" Jake crowed. "So are we agreed? You guys need a driver, and I get bored sitting around waiting for you to come home. You could write me up a contract and everything. With a team as big as the 'Watchmen', there's gotta be room for one more to-" The young man's jovial announcement was cut short by a gasp.

"What's wrong, Jake?" Olivia ducked closer to the floor, ignoring the desperate need to look around. "What's happening out there?"

"Oh...wow, um...There's something serious up ahead, guys; I didn't see it until I turned the corner! I don't think we're getting anywhere near West 37th."

"Jake, what do you see?" Nate pressed.

"Cops, firemen, and a ton of flashing lights. Traffic isn't going anywhere in that direction. I'm uh...I'm not comfortable with this, guys. As your official get away driver for the day, I vote for turning back."

Olivia popped up from the seat with a scowl. "Jake, no! We have to find out what's going on!"

Nate yanked her back down by the excess fabric of her sweatshirt. "He's right, Liv. We can't risk driving into that."

"We can't give up either, Chokkan! We have to know what happened."

"That doesn't need to come at the expense of exposing ourselves. Jake, go ahead and turn around when you can. We missed something. This many cops and firemen would definitely make the news."

Nate was a little _too_ rational for her liking. Olivia silently fumed while her cousin pulled out his phone. She was generally comfortable with who she was, but in times like this all she wanted was the freedom to run down the street and raise hell if someone didn't give her answers.

"There was a big fire," her cousin mentioned. "Details are vague. They mention Hudson Yards, but there's nothing about an address or a cause. It does list multiple casualties."

Olivia growled in frustration. "That's not good enough and you know it, Nate."

"It's also not the end of the road. The internet isn't our only source for information."

She started to ask about his next move, but he'd already punched a button and was pressing the phone to his ear. Nate held up a hand to stall her and cleared his throat.

"Director? Yeah, it's Nate. I'm sorry to bother you on a Saturday, but we need some help, or information, I should say...No, it's nothing like that. Well...I don't know enough to answer that properly. We need to get all of the specifics concerning the big fire at Hudson Yards. It could be really important."

He paused for a long beat. "No, you can't talk to them. That's the root of this problem. Our dads got into trouble at some point last night. They made it home, but...our Jonin and Donny are experiencing a severe medical reaction, and Raph and my dad have weird symptoms too. They can't remember anything that happened, but there's evidence that they were held captive by someone. We followed up the history on their implants, and it pointed us to a building in Hudson Yards.

"Yes. It's 550 West 37th street. We got Jake to help us out with a drive by, but now we can't get anywhere near it." Nathaniel winced suddenly. "No one's seen us, Director! We know better than that...Because we didn't have time to waste! We need to find out what happened so...Yes, we turned around. Okay. I don't want to rush you, but the sooner the better. They're on their way back from Washington, but I don't know that this can wait. We're going, Director. Okay. Okay! Bye."

Nate lowered the phone. "Director Kelley is going to make some calls."

Olivia folded her arms. "I hope you didn't let him bully you too badly."

"Didn't like us taking matters into our own hands. Story of our lives."

"Tell me about it. Do you think there will ever be a day when the others consider us something closer to equals?"

"The shell if I know, Liv, but I wasn't about to apologize. Kelley said he would get whatever information is available, and then meet us back at Yousai."

She frowned. "Sounded more like he _sent_ you home."

Nate shrugged. "We were already on our way. Better not to make a big fuss, and save the battles for when they matter."

The simultaneous buzz from both the red-masked turtle's phone and her cousin's almost made Olivia jump. She looked down at the screen to find a mass text. "The family is a little over an hour out," she read aloud for Jake's benefit.

The young man shot her a glance in the rear view mirror. "This mission was a complete bust. Just for that, you have to take me out with you next time too."

She shook her head. "You won't be satisfied until someone's trying to kill us again, will you?"

"Getting killed isn't the goal. I wanna be the guy to get you out of trouble for once."

Olivia relaxed into a smile. "You don't have to save me to be my hero, Jake."

He looked back in the mirror once more. "Really? 'Cause I was thinking-"

" _Jake!_ " Nate barked suddenly, bringing the stopped traffic to the attention of the distracted young man who wasn't braking. "Would you either drive or let me behind the wheel?"

After recovering from slamming on the brakes, Jake laughed. "See? You don't like to share."

"I don't like to crash. Just watch the road, huh?"

From the way the young man's shoulders shook, Olivia could tell he was holding in a witty reply. He flashed a rapid wink into the rear view mirror, and she had to hide her face in her hands. _The sky could be falling down around us, and he would still be making me laugh. How did I end up with this punk?_

* * *

Olivia was stunned to see a familiar sedan pulling up across from Yousai as they were arriving. The driver nodded at them to keep going as they passed his car, and Jake pulled around the side of the building so the turtles could access the safe entrance.

"I thought Kelley was checking into things first, Nate."

Her cousin seemed just as bewildered. "He said he'd meet us later. But if Kelley's already got information, we're not turning him away."

"Go on inside, guys," Jake told them. "I'll park and meet you downstairs."

The two turtles seamlessly slipped through the three levels of their Uncle's security on the side street door of their mini fortress. Rather than getting on the first elevator, Nate hurried around the corner of the hall, heading to the front entrance. His apparent eagerness to catch Director Kelley was so great, Olivia had to run to keep up with him.

The man was visibly startled when both young turtles whipped through the connecting hall into the foyer. "How on God's green Earth do you make it through Donatello's security so fast? I swear it takes me five minutes to get a dang door open."

"Practice," Nate said simply. "What's going on? That was quick."

Director Kelley nodded calmly, but his swallow didn't escape Olivia.

"You know something," she accused. "What did you find out?"

Matthew shifted uncomfortably. "I was able to confirm the address pretty quickly. The building in question is the one that was destroyed."

Nathaniel exhaled. "A lot of people died?"

"They're not releasing names or a head count, but...the loss of life sounds significant. I haven't had a chance to follow up on everything yet, but I didn't feel like I could wait to come over here."

"Why?" Nate persisted. "Something's _really_ bothering you."

"It's just that, the place where the fire probably originated from...it was classified as a lab."

Olivia's heart skipped a beat at the statement.

"When I heard that, everything else flew out the window," Kelley admitted. "I had to get over here. You were extremely vague about their conditions, Nate."

The orange-masked turtle nodded. "Let's get below, and we'll try to explain."

Not another word was spoken among the three until they'd stepped onto an elevator.

"I was vague because we don't know much," Nathaniel continued. "We woke up to them behaving strangely. Donatello spoke with the twins a little, but they said he was disoriented and groggy. He collapsed not long after. Jonin was already down when they found him. As for my dad and Raph, they're extremely weak, confused, and displaying symptoms to a lesser degree. But they also don't know what happened, or how they got home."

Matthew leaned against the elevator wall and pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is insane. Would it even be possible for them to orchestrate some great escape if they weren't in their right minds to begin with?"

"You see why we wanted a look at this place?" Olivia challenged.

Kelley shot her a stern look. "Being legal adults doesn't mean you have to do everything on your own, especially with your family out of the picture. Why didn't you bother calling me first thing?"

Nate's eye ridges rose curiously. "When have we _ever_ called you first thing?"

"Never. But the rest of your people are MIA, and you still couldn't bring yourselves to clue me in? I'm an 'unofficial' member of the Watchmen – at least, the last I checked."

Nathaniel led the way off the elevator as it opened its doors on the subterranean level. "Of course you are, Director. It's just...we're not used to coming to you like that."

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you gave me some hints before you go hunting for your next crime scene in broad daylight."

Olivia groaned inwardly. _Shell, how many parents do we_ have _?_

"The rest of the family will be here soon, by the way," Nate smoothly changed the subject. "Or most of them, I ought to say. They talked Caleb into staying for the ceremony, and not all of our people could fit on the Gulfstream. The others will probably be on the first commercial flight."

"I trust your Doctor Barrows will be fighting his way here among the first arrivals. He must be going crazy."

"It's probably a toss-up between him and our moms," Liv mumbled. "But speaking of fighting, how did _you_ get here so fast?"

"What good is a badge and a light if you never get to take advantage of it?"

The red-masked turtle stopped short to gaze at the imposing figure of the Director of the FBI. "You were really worried."

"Am worried," he clarified. "I wish you would have called me."

"I'm sorry, Director." Nate faced the man squarely. "It's hard to gauge your position. I know you're not against us, but none of us really understand how far you want to go."

"I think it's been established that I'll do or say almost anything for your family, regardless of how it blurs the lines of the law. And if something's seriously wrong, I want to know about it!"

Nathaniel nodded. "Okay. In the future, I'll personally speak to you sooner. Let's go see if Marc has anything else to tell us."

As they circled the last bend of the hallway leading to the Great Room, Olivia detected a familiar cry. She immediately shouldered past her cousin to jog to the massive purple-masked turtle bouncing her sister on his hip.

Jayden met her with a sheepish smile. "Sorry. Been trying to settle her down."

The ten-month-old held out her arms to Olivia, and she gathered her close to her plastron. "You're all right, Jay. Everything is off today. I think Isabella needs her mama."

"Fortunately, they'll be here soon." Charlotte crossed behind the couch to meet them, and noted Director Kelley's presence with surprise. "I didn't realize we already had company."

"I'd have come sooner, if someone had called me," he repeated.

"I said I was sorry," Nate inserted.

"Do we know anything?" Tim spoke up. "Did you get to see the place?"

"No." Olivia flicked her bandanna tails over her shoulder with annoyance. "Boys didn't want to risk fighting traffic."

"Your family wouldn't have wanted you to risk it either," Kelley said reproachfully, and glanced at his phone. "I'm waiting for more information. A couple people are supposed to be calling me back. In the meantime, I can confirm that the building their implants tracked them to was the source of the massive fire last night. Did there appear to be any evidence of charring, burns, or smoke inhalation on their part?"

Charlotte looked shocked. "No, nothing like that, Sir. I wouldn't have guessed they were anywhere near a fire."

Matthew sighed. "Doesn't surprise me. I wouldn't expect them to have anything to do with an inferno that claimed several lives, but...It's got me really thinking now. My first contact couldn't give me any ideas about an ignition point, but the second was suspicious."

"Suspicious of what?" Timothy piped up before anyone else could.

"From what he said, it sounded like he hadn't spoken with any survivors. A fire in a building that size, it doesn't make any sense. Seems like _someone_ should have escaped. Way he talked made it feel like he was considering it a cover up."

"You mean...like someone set it on purpose?" Charlotte wavered.

The man nodded. "Like I said, I wouldn't expect your dads to have a part in it. But whatever happened there last night, it seems as if someone else didn't want anyone to know about it."


	5. Worrying

***Slowly climbing. You know we're going places. So MANY places, after the foundation is set.**

* * *

Raphael growled under his breath as he unsuccessfully tried to sit up for the tenth time. The effort usually required for the task was so insanely simple that his inability to perform it only made him angrier. The red-masked turtle was half temped to yell for Marcus until the man returned to talk to him, but the mild-mannered doctor held all the cards where drugs were concerned.

He glared at the IV line feeding into his arm, but resisted the urge to rip it out. _I know it's not the reason for everything I'm feelin', but it's not helping my case. Why won't Marc just talk to me?_

He shot a glance at the bed across from him, studying his orange-masked brother judiciously. The lack of Michelangelo's trademark snore was a testament to how far out of it his youngest brother was. _It'd be nice to at least have someone to commiserate with if I'm gonna be held prisoner._

His body shuddered involuntarily at the thought of real captivity. Raphael absentmindedly rubbed his right forearm. His muscles bore a familiar soreness that told him something his mind couldn't. He knew what the pain probably meant, but he hadn't so much as breathed a word to Marcus about the possibility of being restrained.

 _Probably didn't have to, the way Charlotte was looking me over. Kid's got a sharp eye. She didn't say nothing about the marks, but I think she knew. Wonder where she disappeared to. Not gonna find out lying here like a vegetable._

"Marc?" he called tentatively, glancing Mike's direction before slightly raising his voice. "Marcus!"

When Raphael saw the curtained partition rustle, he put on the fiercest face he could manage, mentally prepared to battle for information. He wasn't expecting to be met by worried green eyes and his wife's curved silhouette. The anger and frustration he'd been harboring melted in a flash as the woman strode to his side.

He attempted to sit up again, but her fingertips grazing his plastron halted whatever progress he'd hoped to make.

"Don't. Marcus said you shouldn't exert yourself."

"Y' mean he's _talking_ to you?" he demanded bitterly. "He say anything about Leo and Donny?"

Karina sent a concerned look toward the orange-masked turtle, and Raphael reached for her wrist to put her at ease.

"We ain't gonna bother him, Kari. Mike's down for the count."

"Maybe you ought to take a cue from him."

"Is it _my_ fault I ain't a lightweight like the pipsqueak?"

Her mouth curled into a half smile. "Well, it kind of is." She was serious again in a flash. "What happened, Tortuga?"

Raph shook his head, and felt residual dizziness stirred up by the motion. "Shell if I know, Kari, and that's the truth. If I knew _anything_ , I wouldn't hold it back. Especially seeing Fearless and Genius like that. Can't you work some magic and find out what's up with them?"

Her hand traced his jaw softly. "If you agree to rest, I'll do everything I can to get information. But you have to stop fighting in the meantime."

"I don't wanna sleep," he mumbled.

"Hey. It's gonna be all right. We're here, Doc's here...They'll figure this out. They always do, so there's no reason not to relax."

He blinked heavy eyes, absolutely refusing to give in easily. "Kari. I can't relax. I don't know what happened – no one does. This is a big deal. It ain't natural." Another tremor shook the red-masked turtle as he rubbed his raw wrist, before being drawn to scratch an irritated spot further up his forearm.

"Straining for answers doesn't make them appear, Tortuga."

"Neither does giving up without a fight! Please, Kari. Just get one of 'em to talk to me, and I'll chill for a while."

She arched an eyebrow. "If the docs have it their way, you'll 'chill' longer than that."

He employed a rarely used pitiful expression, hoping to appeal to the woman's compassionate side.

"You _are_ desperate, aren't you?" Karina sighed softly. "Okay. Sit tight, and I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Staying awake required an act of sheer willpower that Raphael wasn't aware he had left. He'd finally relented to lying down; mostly because the slightest elevation of his head was leaving him with the sensation of swimming.

He couldn't muster a glare when he heard someone coming this time, so he had to settle for the same pathetic face which had broken his wife.

"Hey, Raph," the blond doctor greeted him evenly. True to typical form, Luke was giving nothing away with his demeanor. "I'm hearing things I don't like. You can't keep fighting our efforts. You know it's pointless, so why waste the energy?"

"'Cause Marc wouldn't talk," he answered sullenly.

Luke bent down so he would be eye level with the turtle. "He didn't know anything, Raph. We're still catching up, okay? We've never been known for spouting all of our theories in advance. We prefer not to scare the daylights out of family members, for matters that will likely be resolved in a similar manner as they have in the past."

"Would it be so hard to tell me _that_?"

"It wouldn't have been, if you were satisfied with the answer. But you're not."

He found the energy to scowl that time.

"That look won't work on me, Raph."

"You wanna shut me up without more drugs? Tell me something worthwhile."

The man hesitated, but then unexpectedly nodded. "The tox-screen Marcus ran came back positive for a foreign agent in your blood streams. No surprise there. He wasn't able to locate the drug in its original form within the national databases yet."

"That explains a lot – but not why Leo and Don are doing worse than us. Have they come around at all?"

"No, not yet. But they're also receiving heavy doses of the Niacin compound your brother created t-"

"Yeah, for cleansing blood; I know all about it, Doc." Weariness made him want to get to the point faster. "Why are they worse?"

"They have a much higher concentration of the drug in their systems. Whereas it's been hindering and slowing down production of your red blood cells...it's annihilating theirs faster than the body can produce them."

"How do you know that when you just got here?"

"What do you think I've been doing, sitting on my hands? Marc's been running labs for the last couple hours, and I followed up on every scrap of data as it became available."

"Why is it...'annihilating' their red blood cells?"

"The symptoms the four of you are experiencing appear to be a form of drug induced Hemolytic Anemia. Certain drugs carry the risk for a negative reaction, which causes them to bind to the surface of red blood cells. If that happens, antibodies can develop. The immune system sometimes mistakes the red blood cells for dangerous pathogens, thereby cuing the body to destroy them.

"And that means..."

"Red blood cells are important, Raph. That's why we're taking this seriously, even with you and Mike. Don't worry; we've got your brothers' backs. The antidote has to run a course. These things take time, but Marcus did the right things for them. Now I'm here to help."

"And Caleb's back in Washington." Raphael looked down guiltily. "It couldn't be about him for a couple days, could it?"

"Raph..." Luke paused a couple of seconds. "He'd rather be here with you than in the press wings in the White House. It was extremely difficult to get him to stay for the ceremony."

The turtle grunted his disapproval. "God forbid you guys have your own life."

"This family _is_ our life, Raph. I fail to see why that's a bad thing."

"Because we make things harder than they should be!"

"You could always retire." Luke gave him a small smirk.

Raphael raised his head again, and marveled at the way his vision suddenly blurred. "Doc, y'know I can't do that. If I don't vent on those dumb street punks, I'll probably kill someone down here."

"I have a feeling you won't be killing anyone for a while, Raph. Get some rest, and stop worrying. We've got this."

* * *

Greg was irresistibly drawn to check his watch, even though he'd looked at it only thirty seconds before. The idea of simply _sitting_ when they were under such a tight time window made the man want to scream. They were waiting for an update on their friends, but beginning an investigation of the company connected to the lab was currently trumping the desire to do anything else.

His gaze shifted to Katherine curiously. The bronze-haired woman was staring transfixed at the floor. Her utter refusal to make eye contact wasn't a good sign. _Why are we waiting here? We have to get a move on. I want news as much as everyone else, but we're wasting time. Whatever opportunity we have to track whoever's behind this is probably shrinking by the hour._

Greg glanced around the circle of his friends, those who were most equipped to take action, and wondered if they were feeling as desperate as he was. _Screw it. I'm done sitting._ He leaped suddenly to his feet, gaining the attention of everyone around him. "I don't know about anyone else, but it doesn't feel like we're accomplishing anything."

Kelley shook his head. "I put my calls out hours ago, Heffernan. There's very little that can happen on the scene of Hudson Yards until the firemen have finished clearing the property."

"You know better than to wait for information to come to you, Director," he replied with as much respect as he could project. "We don't need into the building itself. If there _was_ evidence, it's probably destroyed. That was the point of the fire, right?"

"With the kind of casualties they're alluding to? It's a toss-up," Kelley admitted. "Where do you want to start, if not with the building?"

"Don't we need to know about the people who used it?" Katherine spoke up. "That was prime real estate in Hudson Yards. It didn't come cheap. Who are the investors for this 'Venturis'? What does the company do exactly? It's all important now – especially with the obvious cover up."

Matthew huffed angrily. "Give me a little credit. My people are researching Venturis through every possible means."

" _Every_ possible means?" Greg echoed. "I think Jazz might have a couple more options, though you won't want to hear about it."

Kelley massaged his forehead. "This is the part where I should leave the room, isn't it?"

Brandon snorted despite the Director's anxiety. "You could always cover your ears and hum."

When Kelley looked over his shoulder at the door, Greg thought he was considering bolting. "I shouldn't have any role of this."

"You won't see anything," Jazz said innocently. "The FBI's name won't be anywhere near this...investigation. I could definitely do some digging. Are you guys giving me the green light?"

Matthew glared at Greg first, then turned to Jazz. "You don't have to sound so excited."

She tossed the lavender tips of her blond hair without an ounce of concern. "Thought you wanted to bust the bad guys."

" _Some_ of us have to obey the letter of the law," he complained.

"You haven't followed the 'letter of the law' in about eighteen years, Director," Greg pointed out. "Why change now?"

Kelley rose with a frustrated cry. "That doesn't mean I want to know about it!" He paused, intentionally forcing a deep breath. "Just...find out about Venturis, and don't get yourself caught in the process."

Jazz had the nerve to laugh. "Caught? You've got nothing to worry about."

"Says the girl who did time in federal prison."

"That was _before_ I played nice with the Master Genius of the Universe."

Brandon snickered. "You should have that printed on Donny's business cards."

"I was looking into it for his birthday," she shot back.

"You know, there's really nothing funny about this," Matthew fumed. "You play fast and loose with the rules, and I'm the one who's left trying to keep everyone out of jail! Just once, I'd like for someone to take this is as seriously as I have to."

"I know it sounds a little like a game, but that isn't how we see it," Greg said quickly. "Right, Jazz?"

The woman nodded vigorously. "Desperate times, Director Kelley. I could have all kinds of fun with Donny's spyware, but he wouldn't be a fan of that, and it's honestly not my style either. I wanna help catch these people before they have the chance to hurt my family again. That okay with you?"

"I suppose...if you're going to dig into their background, then I could apply a little more pressure on the front door," Kelley said slowly. "I'll head back over to Hudson Yards and canvass the neighborhood, talk to other tenants and business owners. Someone has to have noticed something. If not last night, then I bet other things have come up. Weird activity has a way of surfacing, no matter how many times it gets buried."

"I'll go with you," Kat volunteered. "We can divide and conquer that way. Greg can assist Jazz with digging through records, and I'll support you in the field."

Matthew's forehead furrowed shrewdly, as though he didn't know what to make of the offer.

"Two are better than one," Katherine continued. "Since Timothy and Sayuri aren't back from Washington, I think it's better that I go with you, and Greg stays with Jazz."

"What does that make me exactly?" Brandon asked.

"You're the eye candy who serves every need of Intelligence," Jazz answered obviously.

"I've been downgraded to eye candy? I haven't been out of action _that_ long."

"It's not time for action yet, _hermano_.*" Katherine's golden brown eyes possessed a steely glint. "Conserve your energy helping the nerds, and then when we have the chance, you'll be ready to kick tail with the rest of us." (brother)

"Would it be possible to get a better job title in the meantime?"

Kelley groaned. "You people fuss over the most random things. If we're doing this, let's go, Katherine. We're burning daylight. And Heffernan?"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Don't let her take down the entire defense network."

"It's not on the agenda," Greg answered with a straight face, but winked at Jazz once the Director's back was turned. He allowed his boss and old partner to get out the room before discussing any logistics with the woman.

"I think we ought to set up our command center somewhere a little more private," he suggested. "The lab is off limits with everything going on with the turtles."

"Our condo should be out too," Jazz returned. "Way too many distractions from our triple threat. Your place okay?"

Greg smiled at the reference to her and Brandon's kids. "We can make it work, but we should get down to it."

Jazz smirked. "Well, yeah. We can't have the ground team making faster progress than we do."

"It's not a contest, Jazz."

"Can't you let me have a little fun?"

"I'm preoccupied with getting the specifics on who Venturis is before they have a chance to breathe in our direction again."

"I'm curious as to what you'll be doing besides looking over my shoulder," she teased.

"I'm pretty darn good at sifting through information and finding the needle in the haystack, Brainiac. I'll be your second set of eyes, and Brandon's our little helper."

"Little helper? I can't get any respect today," the man grumbled.

"Don't take it personally, Bran," Jazz reassured. "You're going to come in handy too."

"Can't wait. I'm probably going to end up being the go-between with the docs. I might be able to persuade them to update us more often."

Greg motioned for them to follow him. "No offense, Bran, but I don't think you have that kind of power. Besides, they're not trying to hide anything. When they know something for sure, they'll tell us."

"I don't share your certainty, but anything's better than standing around waiting for something to happen. Thanks for getting off your butt, Heff."

Within Brandon's sarcastic comment, Greg sensed genuine gratitude. He flashed his friend a thumbs up. "Just call me an all-around pot-stirrer and assistant to the assistant of the Master Genius of the Universe."

Jazz laughed. "I could print you some cards too, Heff."

"You can start those, after we nail this company. You're up for this, right?"

"Punk, I was born ready. Let's go get set up."


	6. Facade

No matter how many times he'd watched the women work together, Nate was fascinated by the fine-oiled machine of their kitchen. He shifted from one foot to the other while he waited in the background for his job of being a runner to begin.

" _Hija*_ , turn down the heat on the back burner before it boils over!" Karina called to Olivia from the sink. (daughter)

The red-masked turtle flipped the stove switch with one hand, while continuing to saute the vegetables she was cooking on the front burner. "Do you want me to start the next batch of rice when this is done?"

"I'll take care of it, Liv," Rebecca said on her right. "I also finished prepping the next set of veggies to go in."

"Thank you, _Oba*_. I'm going to see how much time the rice needs. It ought to be close." (aunt)

Nathaniel sensed movement to his left, and saw his girlfriend counting silverware that would be distributed with the plates going out. "Do you need any more?"

The blond shook her head. "This should cover the first wave."

"Make sure you hit the lab," Karina instructed. "Our docs have a lot of work ahead of them."

"Got it covered," Reina assured her.

A resounding _bang_ from across the room drew a small smile from the orange-masked turtle. "I think Belle wants to make sure no one forgets her."

The Latina swept over from the sink to the highchair, where the little turtle had managed to either eat or throw the remaining cereal from her tray. "Patience, _mi amor_. Lunch is coming. Mama's got you." (my love)

Isabella pounded her fists excitedly on the tray table and let out a small scream of happiness. Karina rested both hands on top of the baby's to calm her down.

"Yes, I hear you, _hija_. Liv, is that rice finished?"

"I'm just fluffing it a little bit. I'll be ready to start building plates in a minute, unless you want to do it, and I'll feed Belle."

"I'll take the baby, Liv. Keep those vegetables moving while they're still on the heat, okay? Don't want them to burn."

"You taught me better than that, _Madre*_." (mom)

The sight of his cousin gathering up one pan and reaching for the other had Nate moving to help.

"I'll get it, Olivia."

"Watch the handle, Chokkan – it gets hot."

Nate nodded approvingly over the sight of the stir-fried vegetables and took a moment to savor their wonderful smell. "You're not too bad at this, Liv."

She snorted. "Not too bad? Please, contain your enthusiasm, itoko."

He smirked back at her. His red-masked cousin had the benefit of training under both Karina and Michelangelo. Despite her obvious prowess in the kitchen, he liked making her work for the praise. "You'll hear my enthusiasm after I get to taste the fruits of your labor. There are a few people to go through before that happens."

Nate stood back and watched while Olivia expertly constructed the first four plates into containers that were specifically designed to travel.

"That will cover the medical team, plus Scott. You don't mind delivering to him, right?" Olivia flicked his shoulder.

"No, but you might wanna send something for your husband too. Smelling it would drive him crazy."

"Jake's got less patience than Belle. I bet he's already eaten something, but I won't risk hurting his feelings," she muttered to herself.

Nathaniel exchanged a secretive glance with Reina. The young woman was trying as hard not to laugh as he was. His "rock-hard" cousin certainly had a soft spot for the curly-haired former basketball player. He enjoyed seeing Olivia mellow out a bit, but drawing attention to it was still dangerous to his health.

"I've got enough here to make up a couple plates for Calley and Jen too," Olivia mentioned. "They probably won't want to eat, so you'll have to be persuasive. You can hit the brains first. They'll be distracted, but they usually won't say no to a meal."

Nathaniel began helping Reina pop lids onto containers and pack things into bags for ease of carrying while Olivia continued building. He gathered up two of the sacks, leaving the last for the young woman to take. "Okay. We'll be back for round two."

Rebecca waved to him from across the room. "Thanks, Nate. There will be something extra included for _your_ effort."

Nate flashed his mom a winning smile and turned into the Great Room. Reina hooked an arm around his side as she joined him.

"You sure know how to work the moms."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just being helpful."

"Uh huh. Your sweet tooth never has anything to do with it."

The turtle grinned. "Hey, when have I ever asked for anything?"

"You never have to. The ladies eat out of the palm of your hand, and then thank you for it."

"It'd be rude to refuse."

"You probably use the same powers on me, and I just don't see it."

Nate had to laugh. "Right. Because I'm irresistible."

The fingers of her free hand strayed to his wrist. "More than you know."

Even the light yet meaningful contact raised a few goosebumps on his arm, and he chuckled awkwardly to compensate. "I'm not sure why."

She gave him a half smile. "I'll have to find some way to show you."

Nate smiled shyly before stepping into the lab.

The near silence of the room struck the orange-masked turtle instantly. The blond doctor had addressed the family about an hour before, seeming nothing but confident in their ability to deal with the issues at hand. Seeing the slight slump in Luke's shoulders as he studied something on the computer screen felt like he'd caught the doctor in a rare unguarded moment.

Though Luke didn't appear to notice their entrance, the auburn-haired woman standing attentively at his side turned around with the practiced ease of a mom who had eyes in the back of her head.

"That was quick," Julie remarked.

Luke jolted to attention when she spoke, immediately straightening up in the desk chair.

"Our ladies don't waste any time." Nate tried to give the doctor a normal grin, though he was suddenly doubting Luke's former reassurance.

Reina walked toward the desk. "Mom told me to make sure you ate."

Luke made a scoffing sound. "I'm not the one who 'forgets' to eat."

Julie gave the man a reproachful glance. "Thanks for thinking of us, he means. If it's not too much trouble, would you check on Scott too? Jake's good at staying on top of him, but I don't always like to cast him in the role of mother hen."

Nate laughed. "Nah. We've got enough of those around here. We have your husband covered, though, and Jake. Olivia doesn't want either of them going hungry."

He read relief in the woman's eyes. Despite the four years that had nearly flown by since Jake and his parents had come to Yousai, Julie had been slow to share some of the burden for Scott. That she'd even gone so far as to ask them to look in on the man was a compliment where Nate was concerned.

"We have lunch for Marc, Calley and Jen too." Reina's gaze traveled between the two curtained partitions that separated patients from the computer control center.

"We'll make sure they get it," Luke said briskly. His professional facade faltered when he held out an arm to his daughter, and she moved to hug him. "Watch that they set something aside for mom. Hopefully she'll be home before midnight," he finished sarcastically.

Reina nodded. "I'll text her every couple of hours. Y'know, remind her we're down here."

"That a girl. Don't push...just gently remind her."

Nate snorted but resisted the urge to add anything. The near laugh faded when Luke made eye contact with him. The man only held his gaze for an instant before intentionally looking away. The deflection was as obvious as if the doctor had physically pushed him out of the room. _He's more nervous than he wants anyone to know._

He swallowed deeply, but forced another smile. "All right. We'll get out of your hair, but if you need anything, will you please ask?"

Luke exhaled. "We'll let you know."

Nate left his two bags in the lab, and reached to take the one Reina was carrying while they headed for the elevator. He felt much heavier as he stepped behind the glass walls of the transporter than he had a few minutes ago.

Long fingers grazed his elbow, distracting him from analyzing everything he'd carried out of the lab. Reina didn't speak, but the question in her eyes was so clear, she didn't need to ask out loud. "You saw it too, huh?"

The blond sighed quietly. "I don't see things like you do, Nate...but I know my dad. He put on a good face for the group, yet he's worried."

Nate squeezed a tighter grip on his bag. "I don't think it's only a matter of what's going on with our dads. It's the question of who's out there...what happened last night...and how to respond."

Reina was standing so near that he felt her shiver. "I don't want think about it."

"Nobody does." _But that won't make it go away. I'm sure no one's even considered patrolling, but it's gonna need to be suspended until further notice. Whoever did this caught our dads together...and it stands to reason we wouldn't stand a shot against whatever method they employed either. I sure wish they could tell us something._

"Nate?"

He glanced up at Reina, and she gestured to the open elevator door.

"We're here."

The orange-masked turtle began to head off the transporter, when she unexpectedly pulled him back.

"Maybe we shouldn't worry anyone else yet," she suggested.

He shook his head. "I'll be fine, Rein. I can fake it fairly well when I have to."

"As long as it's not with me."

Nate gave her a wry smile. "History has proven that's impossible."

"I wish that was true."

He nudged her side to break the heavy atmosphere. "C'mon. Everyone will be clamoring to eat before we know it. We have to make sure we get something before they unleash Jayden."

Reina snickered. "I don't know – I think he and Charlotte balance each other well. She eats next to nothing, while he never _stops_ eating. I want to know where she gets the fuel for her boundless energy."

Nate shrugged. "No one can answer that, Reina. Clearly it has nothing to do with what she eats."

"It's like she completely defies the laws of Nature," she said thoughtfully. "I mean...more so than the rest of you. It's a good thing, but it's also mind-boggling."

"Charlie doesn't see it as a good thing. While boundless energy seems to have its advantages, I get where she's coming from. None of us will ever understand what that alien did to her and Jayden's DNA. Our docs could study the twins their entire lives, but there are some things we'll probably have to accept without understanding."

A side glance at the young woman told him she was still pondering, but as she didn't volunteer anything else, he let it go too.

The twins had been a non-stop living project for their medical team since birth. While Jayden appeared to revel in the attention, Charlotte merely tolerated it as a necessity. Some of their regular testing was based in curiosity, but Nathaniel knew that the majority of the study being headed up by Caleb was prompted by concern. The question of how Jayden and Charlotte were developing and what other elements were hidden within the alien markers in their DNA would likely keep their doctors occupied for years to come.

 _Being a mutant has enough challenges without being genetically altered in vitro. I don't blame Charlotte for not liking it. I wouldn't be a fan either._

* * *

Nate was secretively ecstatic to have a reason to interrupt Greg and Jazz about half an hour later. The orange-masked turtle had no choice but to respect the "working space" of the brainiacs as much as the medical team in the lab, but they couldn't be faulted for hanging out for a little while in the process of bringing them food.

He wasn't expecting a dark-haired three-year-old to answer the door, but immediately squatted down to greet Alena. "Are you being Mommy's assistant?"

The toddler gave him a toothy grin as she waved around an old cell phone. It was nothing more than someone's cast away that would still connect to the WIFI network, but it had the power to endlessly amuse the child without locking someone else out of their phone.

Nate shook his head at Brandon when the man scooped up his daughter. "I think you guys might be starting her training a little early, but that's just me."

Jazz spun around from the desk with crossed arms. " _You_ guys were learning ninjutsu by the time you were Alena's age. I see nothing wrong with encouraging a passion for technology."

Greg snorted. "Besides, the earlier she starts, the better. Half of her DNA comes from that one." He jabbed a thumb toward Brandon.

"Yeah, the one who can whip you," Bran pointed out dangerously.

"Let's save the beat down until after we eat," the woman suggested. "That is why you're here, right?"

"Would I drop in on you for any other reason?"

Jazz smirked. "Oh, you leader types can typically find an excuse."

The turtle produced a bag from behind his back, but held it slightly out of reach. "Perhaps we could arrange an exchange?"

"Well..." Jazz hesitated. "We don't technically have much yet. Heff and I are following the money to track down investors, and hopefully give us a point of origin on Venturis."

"I'm hearing a 'but' in there."

She nodded. "The money has been coming from several sources. I'm talking like six different countries."

"Venturis is that popular?"

"All the so-called 'investors' probably aren't real," Greg clarified. "They're rabbit trails, designed to throw off someone looking into their finances. Only we don't know which ones are legit, so...We have to chase everything and see where it leads."

"That doesn't sound complicated or anything," Nate said flatly.

"I'll be fine, as long as you don't mind bringing all my meals here for the next two days," Jazz returned lightly.

"Hey, if that's what it takes."

Greg cleared his throat. "Are we getting any news on the dads?"

"None that they're sharing." Nate didn't bother mentioning the impatience that was growing with every passing hour. He hated that Director Kelley and Kat were off on foot and their analysis team was hard at work, while he was delegated to the task of helping feed everyone. Patience usually came easily to the orange-masked turtle, but the current circumstances were seriously testing him.

 _Not having answers is the hardest part. It's so much simpler to fight the enemy when you know who the shell they are._

"Nate?"

From the way Brandon said his name, it sounded like it wasn't his first attempt to gain attention.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Nathaniel tried to decipher what the man was talking about. _Nope. Not happening._ "Go with me where?"

"I thought it might be time to round up the kids. _This_ one is definitely becoming a distraction to Intelligence." Bran's fingers dug lightly into his little girl's ribs, and she wriggled with laughter in his grip. "I'll wrangle up the others, if you'd rather meet with your cousins."

Nate knew what the man was implying, but instinct warned him against a gathering of only his teammates. "I think things would be less complicated if we stayed together as a group. I'm not sure where everyone is hanging out, but I'll send out a mass text for them to meet up at the lounge."

The orange-masked turtle sent a glance over his shoulder to Jazz and Greg. "You'll let us know if you find any rabbits?"

"You'll hear us celebrating all the way from the lounge," Jazz answered. "Bran, Alena is going to need a nap eventually."

The man shook his head. "Sure, Jazz. She _always_ gets one of those."

"Hey, I try," the woman protested. "Not my fault the kid never wants to sleep."

"Like I said, you've started her training early," Nathaniel teased.

The turtle selected an entire field of phone numbers from his contacts and tapped out a short request to meet in the lounge. "Maybe between all the kids, we can tire Alena out."

"Well, it's worth a shot," Brandon agreed. "Eat something and get back to work, Jazz. You need to catch the rabbits before they disappear."


	7. Regroup

***I didn't realize the complication of naming one character after another until after I had done it. For the ease of telling them apart, older Tim will henceforth be referred to as Timothy, whereas young Tim...never is. And yeah. We're getting somewhere. I swear.**

* * *

Julie cocked her head toward the door of the lab. The increased footsteps coming from the Great Room were a good indication that the rest of the family had finally arrived, but her two counterparts didn't appear to notice. She left Luke and Marcus to whatever calculation they were absorbed in, and quietly stepped out of the room to greet the latecomers from Washington DC.

"...thank you, Karina-san, but I will catch up with you later. I wish to speak with my husband." Sayuri was quick to excuse herself before the Latina could snare her into the kitchen. The Asian woman nodded to Julie before disappearing around the corner of the Great Room.

"I wouldn't mind checking on _my_ husband, but he probably doesn't need the interruption," April added wistfully, glancing at Julie. "How are things going in there?"

"Slowly," she admitted. "Though I can't imagine Marc not being happy to see you."

"Well...Maybe just for a minute."

April went toward the lab, as Julie was distracted by shuffling feet out of the corner of her eye.

"Hon, I understand if you want to go," Victoria told the fidgeting man.

Timothy looked visibly uncomfortable, but also hopeful. "I don't want to cut and run, but I'd really like to catch up with Director Kelley and Kat. I'm sure they don't need my help, but I'd feel better if I was doing something."

"Just go, Tim. You already spent the entire day accompanying _us_. Do you think I'm going to stand in the way of important work like this?"

The dark-haired man hesitated a moment longer, but then nodded. "I'll try not to be too late."

"I prefer not to continue standing around either," Caleb mentioned. "What a complete waste of a day."

"It wasn't a waste, Caleb," Victoria disagreed.

"It was the last place I wanted to be," he replied sullenly. "And the fact that any of you stayed behind is preposterous."

Victoria smiled evenly. "I won't continue to argue the point with you, Caleb."

He grunted something indiscernible and adjusted his glasses, while Karina once again tried to insert herself into the group.

"I know everyone has had a hard day, and you all have your 'projects' to attend to. I may let you escape for now, but you're _going_ to let me take care of you at some point this evening," Karina threatened.

Julie almost laughed, but the current mood in the room didn't allow for it.

"Thank you, Karina. I'm sure you won't let anyone starve." Caleb dismissed the Latina with a wave.

"Do you think the team would mind me stopping in for a moment?" Victoria wondered.

Julie crossed her arms. "I may only be an RN, but I carry at least half a vote as a medical member. I say you can visit."

Caleb gave her an appraising look over the rims of his glasses. "Half a vote, Julie? That's nowhere near the truth. And your calming influence is a welcome addition, Victoria. A little birdy told me you had your _own_ part to play in the lab in years past."

Julie gave the auburn-haired matriarch a surprised glance.

"Oh, I don't have formal training," Victoria assured her. "I only assisted in their early days when the team was shorthanded. I basically baby-sat and got the doctors things they needed."

"I can imagine how helpful you were." Julie had never seen Scott's erected wall collapse so quickly as the first time he'd met Victoria. A younger version of herself would have been intimidated by the woman more than twenty years her senior, but Julie knew better now. Victoria had a rare gift for putting people at ease with nothing more than honest sincerity and compassion. The gentle woman's persistence had achieved what Julie thought was impossible: talking a newly handicapped Scott into giving the guitar another chance.

"I never truly belonged to your 'medical community', but I'm glad to help wherever I can," Victoria said dryly. "Although I think my government contacts have been a little more vital these last few years than my bedside manner."

Caleb chuckled under his breath. "You should have seen the Dignitaries falling all over themselves with this one." He patted Victoria's shoulder. "They were much happier to see her than they were me."

"That is completely false," she protested.

The man raised his eyebrows. "Thought you didn't want to argue." Before the woman could say anything else, he motioned to the lab. "I don't want to get further behind than I already am. We can continue the discussion another time."

"I guarantee we will."

Julie marveled at the urge to laugh again, but the compulsion left as she followed them back into the lab.

Luke was the first to turn toward them. "I'm so sorry about everything, Caleb. We all wanted to be there."

"I think you should have let me fake being sick like I wanted to," he complained. "I would have had an easy time falling out."

"We couldn't let you," April negated. "Though I will say, Victoria and I didn't think it was the same after we lost the third member of our club." She winked at Julie knowingly.

Julie laughed. "You _do_ realize that out of us three red-heads, you're the only one who comes by it naturally?"

"You were born with it, which is what really matters," April returned.

Victoria shook her head. "I don't hold that claim to fame."

"Stop – don't ruin it!" April held up a hand dramatically. "I love our club!"

"Then I suppose I can continue pretending to be all-natural," Victoria caved.

Caleb cleared his throat. "I would like to point out that I had some auburn undertones back in my day. I suppose that doesn't qualify me for your 'club'."

"Oh, we don't judge, Caleb," April offered.

"Anyway..." Victoria gently guided the conversation back to the point. "I don't want to bother you, gentlemen. I decided to stop in real quick with your teammate's blessing to find out how everyone is holding up."

"It's going to take a while," Luke acknowledged. "We haven't been able to identify the foreign substance in their bloodstream. It's either incredibly illegal, or extremely rare. Probably both. Mike and Raph have responded fairly well, vitals wise. The other boys are a little more complicated, but that's why we need more time. Thank you for supporting Caleb in our absence, ladies."

Victoria exchanged a meaningful look with April. "That's our cue, if I've ever heard one, dear. Let's get out of their hair, and give our professionals a chance to regroup."

Julie wanted to object that they didn't need to go so soon, but she knew the women's presence would only delay the discussion that needed to take place. She noticed that her teammates' seemed to collectively hold their breath until the door was shut behind their visitors.

"All right, get me up to speed," Caleb demanded. "I need to know everything."

"I wish we had a lot to tell you, but we don't," Luke began. "We're administering the highest doses of Donatello's Niacin compound that anyone has ever received. Raph and Mike are drowsier as result, but I don't see that as a bad thing. For the sake of their peace of mind, I'd rather they be resting."

"What is Leonardo's and Donatello's current condition?" the bespectacled man asked bluntly. "I want it straight."

"'Straight' is something we're having a hard time gauging," Marcus said honestly. "We're managing their symptoms to the best of our ability. I've had them on respirators since this morning."

"So their oxygen levels are depleted. Not surprising, given the drop in hemoglobin. What else?"

"Their hearts are experiencing some...difficulty," Luke filled in.

Caleb sighed. "I expected as much. But you believe the Niacin can successfully cleanse the drug from their systems?"

"It's worked several times in the past. If we have to increase the dosages again, I'd be willing to go a bit higher, but...It really is a balancing act." Luke shrugged helplessly. "We're trying different variations of techniques that always worked before, modifying the existing Niacin compound in an attempt to increase potency..." He trailed off for a few moments. "Although, I hate making this kind of modification without Donny in on it. Now that you're here, Caleb, maybe the two of us can focus on that aspect. You understand their DNA better than anyone."

"But before you get lost in that, we need to figure out the shifts," Marcus announced.

"You can go ahead and set up a schedule if you want, but I won't adhere to one yet," Luke informed him. "I'm not going anywhere until I have some certainty."

Marc's brown eyes narrowed. "Do all of us have a twenty-four hour pass, or is it just you?"

"I won't force you to do anything; but I'm also not leaving until I feel comfortable enough to do so."

"That attitude goes against the guidelines _you_ helped create," Marcus retorted.

"Listen." Luke's voice lowered significantly. "I don't care about the guidelines. I want to get them through the crisis. If I lose some sleep, I'll catch up later. I won't make any of you leave either. But you have to get off my case, Marc." With that, he motioned to Caleb. "I need to show you a couple of things."

Marcus shook his head in the background, but wordlessly headed toward the partition that separated them from Leo and Don.

Julie felt a little lost as to what she should do, so she ended up going behind the opposite curtain. Raphael and Michelangelo appeared to be resting well enough, but the woman didn't feel any peace as she watched them. A sense of disquiet had been building over the last several hours, and hearing Luke moments before discouraged her further. _It would be easier to feel confident if Luke did, and that's clearly not the case._

She picked out a desk chair and lowered into it with a quiet sigh. _Now that the whole team is here, though, it will probably be the boost he needs. Everything will be okay. It has to be._

* * *

Jenna ganced across the table at Calley. The blond-haired woman had merely been moving food around on her plate for the last several minutes. Though she was tempted to encourage Calley to eat, she decided to keep her mouth shut.

They were the only ones presently left in the kitchen, and neither had spoken in nearly ten minutes. Jen resumed staring at the same uninteresting spot on the table until she felt eyes boring into her head.

"You know we can't avoid them forever," Calley said softly.

The dark-haired woman nodded. "Yes – I do. But it's hard to know what to say. I still believe they'll be all right, Calley. Don't you?"

"I have no choice but to believe. Any other outcome is unacceptable, and I refuse to think about it."

"So...if we both agree that Leo and Donny are going to be fine, we shouldn't have a problem talking to our kids."

Calley nodded. "We can get through this without scaring anyone." She stood suddenly, her mind apparently made up, and carried her plate to the sink.

Jenna wanted to chide her for not eating, but she hadn't come close to cleaning her plate either. In the end she followed suit in throwing the meal away, though she felt guilty after promising Karina they could fend for themselves without the others hovering.

She pushed the feeling to the back of her mind and focused her energy on mustering positivity. _When have the docs_ ever _not pulled it off? When hasn't it worked out? No matter how hard they're knocked down, our boys never fail_ _to get back up. This time's no different. It won't be._

In exchanging texts with Jayden earlier, Jenna knew the kids were hanging out together in the lounge on the top floor of Yousai, and it was the next place she and Calley would head.

After a silent elevator ride, Jenna was relieved to enter the semi-normal atmosphere of the lounge, though it was a bit quieter than usual. She searched over various figures, before settling on the massive bulk of her sixteen-year-old son. Jen also noticed that his twin was nowhere in sight.

The woman came up to the side of the couch and fingered Jayden's shoulder. "Hey, Jay. Where's your sister?"

"She went for a walk, underground," he added hastily. "None of us were thinking of going out, Mom."

"I appreciate that."

"Do you want me to get her? I've got a good idea of where she went."

"I'd rather go after her together."

Jayden rose from the couch with a wave to his cousins, and motioned for her to go out the door first. "I've been waiting for you," he confessed on the ride back down in the elevator.

"I know. I'm sorry I took so long."

"You don't gotta be sorry, Mom. We just...we wanna know everything's okay. How does dad look?"

She considered lying for all of two seconds. "He's rough, Jayden. There really hasn't been any improvement in the last few hours."

The purple-masked turtle huffed in frustration. "We're the ones they're constantly worried about, and they come home like _this?_ "

"Whatever happened, Jay, our people will get to the bottom of it. And our docs will make sure they live to tell about it."

"Tell what? Mom, how are the docs supposed to get to the bottom of something that our dads can't explain?"

"There's a trail – there has to be," Jenna persisted. "Look, Jayden. I've been in this group a long time, and I've seen our team uncover things that would blow your mind. They'll find out who's behind this."

"And I suppose our dads will hunt them down, because that's what they always do. They'll leave us safely behind, because that's _also_ what they always do." He was on the verge of a tangent, but immediately softened. "Sorry. I'm doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Every time something's going wrong, I get mad. I think it's easier for me to feel angry than it is to be helpless."

"I understand that." Jenna paused while they stepped off the elevator and skirted around the Great Room to head for the subterranean exit. "I did the same thing as a kid. One of the shrinks they used to sic on me, he called it a defense mechanism. Most people have one. Whether I was scared, sad, or frustrated, it was easier to channel it into anger. I never came close to letting anyone help me, not until Victoria entered the picture."

Jayden grinned at the mention of his adopted grandmother. "How could you get mad at her?"

Jen laughed. "My point exactly. I know you're frustrated, Jay. It doesn't seem fair when your dad and uncles hold you back, but they're _trying_ to give you more freedom."

His return smile felt forced. "I don't want to talk about it right now. Have the docs told you anything they haven't shared with us?"

Jenna pulled up short in the tunnel, and he halted beside her. "The antidote isn't performing as they'd hoped for Leo and your dad. They're trying higher doses, and also experimenting with the compound to see if they can affect its potency, make it more effective."

"So this line they're feeding us about needing more time-"

"It's not a line," she insisted. "They _do_ need more time, and they're doing everything they can."

"I know they are. But if the sky is falling, I'd still rather have warning!"

"The sky isn't falling."

"Are you sure, Mom?"

Jenna opened her mouth to reply, but no words escaped.

"You don't have to try and convince me it's gonna be okay," he said more gently.

"But I honestly believe it will be," she came back swiftly. "When I say they're going to come through this, it's because I know your dad...and this family. They're the most stubborn bunch who's ever lived. Do I like how they look? No. I'm anxious like everyone else, and I feel clueless. It's part of the reason it took me so long to come upstairs. I don't know what to say to you, Jayden."

"Mom, I get it. Don't worry about what to say. I wasn't trying to be hard on you – I've just been sitting in the dark trying to _act_ normal, and that's easier said than done." He stretched a muscular arm around her back which engulfed the woman. "But for the record, I think they're going to be okay too. I really do."

The confidence in his voice brought an unexpected shudder from Jenna, and the turtle squeezed her tighter. "They are," he said firmly.

The woman felt tears threatening, and it caused her cheeks to flush with anger. _I'm supposed to comfort him – not the other way around._

"Mom?"

Jenna rubbed her eyes fiercely. "We are most _definitely_ related, Jayden," she said bitterly.

The turtle gave her a strange grin. "You think more people would believe it if I sounded like you? 'Cause I've been working on the accent, y'know, just in case." His over the top imitation of her Australian lilt had the effect of both making her laugh, and causing tense muscles to slightly relax.

"You'd better keep working, Jay."

"I'm not the greatest with the other languages they keep forcing on us in school. I ought to be able to at least pull off the best sounding version of English."

She slapped his shoulder, and it felt like hitting a boulder. "You sound like a proper Yank, Jayden. Let's find your sister and go home. It's been a long day, and I'm ready for it to be over."


	8. Nightmare

***Paradise belongs to Coldplay. They could use a little of it right now...but it isn't in the cards yet.**

* * *

 _He was flying; running at top speed over impossibly dizzying heights. The familiar night-time playground had been transformed into a hostile environment seething with hidden danger. Despite being able to see the outlines of surrounding structures, each jump he took seemed to take longer than the last. It was as if gravity was weighing him down more than usual, producing the sensation of being stuck in slow motion, despite his racing mind._

 _He couldn't see anyone else. Hadn't they been there a minute ago? Scratch that: he couldn't remember_ when _he'd seen them last. The only thing currently repeating like a broken record over his consciousness was the need to get away, to keep moving._

 _The turtle ignored the urge momentarily as he stopped with a jerk on the next rooftop. He spun in a tight circle, rapidly looking every direction._

 _The light of the moon overhead wasn't visible. The sky, which rarely revealed many stars against the New York skyline, was also darker than normal. The street lamps below were muted, as if a thick fog covered the entire environment. Where were the others?_

 _He heard a soft whistle from above him, and turned on heel before crouching, tense. His eyes revealed nothing in the inky-blackness, but repressing the urgency to run was no longer possible._

 _The turtle swallowed as he took off again, vaulting from the edge of the building. His next goal was in sight, and he'd already calculated how he would land with a front roll and flip back to his feet._

 _The inner prediction of his mind's eye was interrupted when darkness took shape mere inches from his face. He twisted in mid-air to avoid it, but was suddenly consumed by the object as though he'd been snared in a net. A_ heavy _net, which was also dragging him back toward the earth._

 _He struggled desperately to free himself, to grab hold of a balcony, ledge, or roof-line, but his "opponent" had sharp edges that were digging into his arms and legs. Every attempt he made to dislodge them resulted in needles pinching him tighter, until the rushing wind was joined by the sound of his scream._

* * *

The young blue-masked turtle came violently awake when he collided with the floor, only to find himself tangled in his comforter. Half crazed and still half asleep, he tried to claw his way out of the blanket, finding the panicked task more difficult than it should have been.

By the time he'd freed himself Tim was still trying to breathe properly, which was how he ended up flat on his shell panting for air when there was a knock on his door. He hurried to pull himself together and climbed to his feet.

"Yeah?" He was breathless, despite his best effort.

The door inched inward, and he smiled sheepishly at the blond woman. "Hi, Mom."

"Tim, are you okay?"

He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "Uh huh. My blanket's defective, though. It attacked me." Feigning humor was the best way to put her at ease.

The woman managed a half smile, but he knew she didn't believe him. "Sounds like you need a new one."

Tim deposited the offending comforter back on his bed. "Nah. Just have to show it who's boss. Did you get any sleep, Mom?"

"Probably as much as you," she replied glibly. "Are you hungry?"

"Kinda, but I'd rather loosen up first."

"Would you mind company?"

He quickly shook his head. "Not at all."

Calley frowned as she lightly grazed his cheek. "That's a new bruise."

"Told you the blanket attacked me – but only one of us walked away."

"I see. Will you be telling everyone else about this battle?"

"Mmm...no. I think I'd rather keep it between the 'three' of us."

"My lips are sealed, Tim."

They descended the stairs down to the quiet Great Room, where Tim finally thought to check his watch. Living underground made it impossible to keep an accurate track of time. It was only a little after 4:30 in the morning, which meant they had a chance for privacy before others emerged.

Tim would get katas in with his cousins later, but for now he was only interested in stretching and keeping his Mom distracted. Calley wasn't a constant fixture in the dojo, but over the years she'd sometimes accompany Leonardo when he was working out alone. Welcoming her to go with _him_ felt like something his dad would have approved of.

After Tim's own early morning wake-up call, he welcomed the company too. _Well, not in the form of Jayden's big mouth maybe, but my mom is one of the last people who gets on my nerves._

"You want some music?" Calley reached into her pocket for her phone.

"You pick, Mom."

The woman scrolled through the screen for a few seconds and then connected her bluetooth to the waiting device. In a moment's time, the speaker came to life.

 _"When she was just a girl she expected the world_

 _But it flew away from her reach_

 _So she ran away in her sleep and dreamed of_

 _Para-para-paradise, para-para-paradise, para-para-paradise_

 _Every time she closed her eyes..." *****_

Habit had the blue-masked turtle absentmindedly singing along with the familiar lyrics while he assumed his first seiza position. He wasn't surprised when Calley plunked down across from him and fell into her own rhythm of stretches for flexibility. It had been many years since the woman danced professionally on a stage, but her passion for ballet had never died. _Not even after she and Karina made the decision to close their school._

Tim was distracted by admiration for his mother, watching her hold a static split. One moment he was passively observing, and the next, a shadow was tugging around the edge of his vision. His breathing hitched automatically as he willed the darkness to disappear, rubbing his eyes to remove any trace of the lingering mist. When he blinked again the shapeless apparition was gone, but the fear it'd rekindled felt heavy in his gut.

"Tim, what's wrong?"

The young turtle flinched and intentionally avoided his mom's penetrating gaze. He felt so tense, he almost jumped when her hand touched his arm.

"Ignoring it won't make it go away," she told him. "Take it from someone who knows."

"It's not like that. I'm not _you_ , Mom."

"No, you're not. But that doesn't mean I don't understand what you're going through."

He focused on the floor. "Whatever this is, it isn't the same."

"How do you know when you won't talk about it?"

Tim looked up. "Because I've seen what it's like in you, and I've heard Grandpa's stories. From the time you were young, when people couldn't take their eyes off you. How you danced, and captured _everyone_. You translate life and joy with every motion. I've never inspired anyone."

"That's not true. And you're only choosing to see one side of my experience. I lived with incredible darkness, Tim, that drove me to do things...Things I don't want to speak out loud. I'm not going to watch you collapse under the weight of something just because you're too ashamed to talk about it."

He unconsciously backed away. "Please don't, Mom. Don't ask me to do this right now."

The woman heaved a heavy sigh. "One of these days, I _will_ prove to you that I understand."

Tim slowly stretched out both legs in front of him, before drawing one knee to his plastron. "You know more things than I can probably learn in a lifetime."

"And yet, you don't want to talk to me."

"It's not just you. I don't want to force the stupidity on _anyone_."

"You're not stupid, Tim!" The woman was getting frustrated; it didn't take "special sensitivity" to decipher it.

"I'm not ready," he said quietly. "Please...don't make me."

She was clearly disappointed, but her advance also halted. "I'm not going anywhere, Tim. When you feel like opening up...remember that."

* * *

The familiarity of the soft fingers gripping his made the orange-masked turtle smile before he'd opened his eyes. Her soft chuckle confirmed what he already identified about the person to his right. Instinctively he tried to roll her direction, but his body was too heavy to manage the maneuver. He settled for looking up at the woman he loved.

"Hey." Rebecca barely breathed the word. "Nice to see you."

Michelangelo shifted his neck, grunting as it painfully cracked. "Is it morning?" The words grated his throat uncomfortably.

"Late afternoon. Not that it matters; you need some water."

The woman helped raise the back of his bed like an old pro and he accepted a couple of small sips from her water bottle while he tried to focus on the last thing he remembered.

"So, is it...Saturday?"

"Sunday."

His eye ridges rose. "You guys left Friday, right?"

Becky nodded.

"I remember that. And dinner. Splitting off from the kids for patrol..." His brow furrowed as he concentrated. "Why isn't there anything else from yesterday?"

She hesitated. "We don't know what happened, Mikey, except that you and your brothers were drugged. It's had a nasty effect."

The orange-masked turtle had a sudden flash of clarity. "Jayden woke me up. That musta been Saturday morning? Raphy was there too, but Leo and Donny..." Alarm seized him as a couple missing pieces fell into place. "Beck, where are they? Are they okay?"

"Raph isn't far." She pointed to the bed a few feet to his left, which he'd been too panicked to notice. "Sleeping a little deeper than normal, but he'll be all right."

"Where are Leo and Don?"

Her fingers curled around his hand again, but the contact left him feeling colder this time instead of comforted.

"Across the lab. They need more attention."

He didn't like the vague description. "That's nowhere near all of it, Beck." His voice cracked when he tried to attain more power. "What's going on?"

"They have a higher concentration of the drug in their systems. The docs haven't been able to purge it yet, and it's wrecking havoc on their red blood cells." Before he could speak, her hand shifted to his chin. "They haven't purged it _yet_ , Mike. They aren't finished. They're researching, experimenting, and modifying drugs we already have in place. Leo and Donny are getting the support they need, and you have to rest too. You're not well either, in case you didn't notice."

"Rest? You think I can just lay here when my brothers are in trouble?" He rose partially on his elbow, and the motion set off an insatiable burning itch down the back of his forearm. Whatever else he'd been thinking about doing went out of his head while he scratched violently to satisfy the urge.

"Don't do that!" Becky grasped his wrist to cut him off. "You could mess up your IV."

"Not gonna pull it out. It itches _bad –_ would you scratch it if you won't let me?"

"What itches? The IV line?"

"No. I mean, it's irritating, but that's not what's bugging me. It's further down."

"Let me see."

He turned his arm and held it out straight for the curly-haired woman to examine. Her fingers delicately traced where the IV fed into the inner crook of his elbow.

"Not there. Down." He grunted as another urge to scratch struck him. "Do something, or I'm gonna."

"Just a second. It's inflamed, but that could be because you were rough." She lightly pressed his arm around the area he indicated, causing the turtle to flinch. "Does that hurt?"

"Yeah, some."

"It feels warm too. This isn't normal. Mike, don't move or do anything. I'm going to grab Doc. He'll want to know you're awake anyway."

He resisted the need to touch the spot while she disappeared, and forced himself to breathe at a regular rate. _What the shell could have happened to us? It's a good thing Becky's getting Doc, 'cause I have to find out more about my bros. This is not cool._

The blond man appeared seconds later, followed by Marcus and Rebecca.

Mike was confused. "How'd I warrant the attention of two docs?"

"Hi, Mike," Luke greeted. "I want you to take it easy, okay? There's no reason to get excited. I need to check you for a couple of things."

"If you don't wanna see me 'excited', you better be ready to talk about my brothers too."

The man gave him a stern glance. "I'll get to that. Let me have your arm."

Michelangelo surrendered his limb grumpily. With everything going on, making this big of a deal out of a minor irritation only made it more annoying.

Luke was quiet while he probed his forearm, and then looked back at Marcus. "This is the only IV he's had, right?"

"Yeah, it's the line Charlotte hooked up. Are you seeing something strange?"

"I think he's having a flare reaction, but it could also be indicative of an infection." Luke made eye contact with the turtle. "Hold still a little longer. I want to take a scan."

"Is this really a big deal, Doc?"

"I'm not trying to stress you out, Mike, but if you develop an infection, it's only going to make you sicker. Don't fight me, and it'll be over faster."

Mike averted blue eyes to the ceiling while the man employed Donny's medical scanner to take an internal reading of his arm. A few silent seconds passed before a soft curse from the doctor brought the turtle's gaze to his face.

"What? What could be that bad?"

"I...um...I..." Luke was at a weird loss for words. "Hold on." He adjusted something on the screen, but didn't seem satisfied with that either.

"Doc?"

"Hold on!" he emphasized, and dug into his jacket for his phone.

Mike exchanged a look with Rebecca, but she appeared as bewildered as he felt.

"Jazz, can you get down to the lab? I need your expertise on something – now. Thanks." He hung up abruptly, and Mike stretched to reach his sleeve.

"What's going on?"

The man took a shaky breath. "Mike, you have an object in your arm. It's very small, but it's also a potential irritant and...maybe something more. I have to be sure."

The turtle cocked his head. "In my arm? Why would something...What are you _talking_ about?"

"Your forearm bears evidence of a recent injection. It might be the cause of the flare reaction, or it could be attributed to another source. I'm covering our bases."

Michelangelo wanted to ask more questions, but Luke physically stepped away from him and said something that only Marcus and Rebecca could hear. The action ticked the turtle off, but he could do little more than silently fume.

He was a relieved when Jazz showed up, but Luke instantly pulled the woman aside too. Mike watched closely while she stiffened with an odd expression.

"It wouldn't necessarily pick it up," she said. "There are a couple other things I could try. Let me have the scanner."

Mike saw trepidation in her eyes when Jazz came over. "Are you joining the medical team? They must be really strapped if they're recruiting."

"Donny's device is an all-purpose tool, Mikey," she reminded him. "You know it does a lot more than collect vitals and take scans more vivid than x-rays."

He managed to get a glimpse of the screen as it flashed green and displayed an array of menus he didn't know existed.

"Give me a couple minutes," Jazz requested, waving the others back from hovering.

Mike found himself watching her intensely, looking for any clue of what could possibly be requiring Jazz's effort. The worry in her eyes wasn't a good sign in itself, nor the way her shoulders tensed to give her a near hunchback.

Her strangled gasp suddenly shattered the disturbing silence into a million pieces. "It is! My God, Luke, I got a hit!"

The pure terror that reflected in the physician's face was so out of place that Mike gave him a double take. The expression was wiped out after a beat, replaced with determination.

"We have to move! Marc, I need you to set it off, but let me make the call to Timothy first!"

" _Stop!"_ The turtle ordered. "What's going on?"

Luke returned to his side. "Mike, you have a transmitter in your arm."

"Of course I do. You guys put it there!"

He bent over the turtle with a nervous breath. "This isn't one of ours."

"What are you saying? Where'd it come from then?"

"My guess is, the same people who are responsible for this. We've been operating under the theory that someone abducted you-"

"And they could also be _tracking_ us?!"

"It's emitting a radio frequency," Jazz confirmed. "Luke couldn't tell on the original setting of the machine, but when I switched-"

"Get it out!" Mike interrupted. "Doc, get it OUT!"

"Mike, it isn't like removing a splinter! The chip is minuscule, and it's buried. It's going to take some time-"

"Luke, can't we disable it?" Marcus interjected. "Jazz, you have to know some trick to knock out the frequency!"

"No!" Jazz thundered even louder. "Think, Marc! It's been transmitting his coordinates for almost two days! Shutting it down now won't accomplish anything except possibly bringing an enemy down on their heads _faster!_ " With a deep gulp, she continued. "And he's probably not the only one who has it."

"They can't keep them either!" Becky cried. "We have to do something now!"

"We're going to get them out, but it can't be accomplished in five minutes!" Luke's voice shook with the statement. "And the others can't afford to wait. I have to make this call."

Luke stepped aside from the turtle and turned away from the group with cell phone in hand. "Timothy? I need you to listen carefully. What you're about to hear is not a drill. We're at Defcon 4; Yousai is _compromised_...No, don't ask me to explain yet! The medical team is going to be tied up with Alpha, but I need you to take charge, and begin the immediate evacuation of Beta! We'll play it like the original plan, and fall back to position one. I'll fill you in later, just do what I say!"

He lowered the phone and nodded at Marcus. "Go pull the alarm."

Every sense was on fire, rocketing through the orange-masked turtle's body like a live current. He wanted to get up, to run, or at least rage on an inanimate object, but his body wouldn't cooperate with the desire.

 _Let this be a nightmare. Please. Tell me it's a dream._

Michelangelo pinched the skin on his arm hard, clenching his jaw under the mounting emotion. He couldn't wake up from the nightmare, because it was real.

* * *

 *** Let the record show, I didn't want to do this. No, I seriously tried to talk her out of it, but my argument of Author's prerogative fell on deaf ears. I suppose it's still my fault, but doesn't the fact that I tried to prevent it mean anything? Um...I should go now.**


	9. Evacuate

Nathaniel could think of few words to adequately describe the scene of bedlam the Great Room had become in the span of five minutes. Cramming every member of their extended family from Yousai into the space was a recipe for chaos on a _good_ day, let alone in a moment of disaster.

The group had broken into factions of what appeared to be four simultaneous arguments, and zero constructive action. The orange-masked turtle had the urge to do something, but no clue where to begin.

 _Clearly, nothing's going to get done with everyone talking at once._ Even the calmest voices of reason that existed in their inner circle were currently unable to make themselves heard.

A sudden inspiration prompted him to seek out his girlfriend, who was hovering near the hall.

"Reina, do you still carry that air-horn in your purse?"

The young woman stared at him blankly for a second before catching on to what he wanted. She yanked off the cross-over strap and dug rapidly through her bag, producing the device a moment later.

Nate accepted the air horn from her, then went to warn his red-masked cousin, who was holding a cowering Isabella. "Liv, cover her ears."

"I'll do it." Charlotte came up beside Olivia and positioned herself to protect the baby.

Nate headed for the center of the room, and twisted out the bottom of the can without hesitation. He pumped the air horn as hard as he could, and the offending reverberation of the instrument halted the altercations in progress. The attention of everyone in the room landed on the orange-masked turtle within seconds.

Nathaniel folded his arms with a strong sense of irritation and pointed to the man who'd been trying to speak ever since the stampede started. "You were saying, Timothy?"

The older man nodded to him gratefully. "I was _saying_ the risk is too great for us to stand around arguing about who should go when." Timothy came to the right of where Nate was standing. "We have several things to figure out, but evacuations can't wait. Beta needs to go, and that means all of you." He indicated the small huddle a few feet away, which included Jonathan, Alexis, Aiden, and Alena.

"Don't take time to pack," Tim continued. "We'll bring everything you need. Right now, you have to get to the safety of the original lair."

"What about our dads?" Jayden's voice soared. "What's gonna happen to _them?_ "

"They'll be delayed," Jazz unexpectedly cut in. The woman stood guard by the lab door, as though she could hold off the flood of people by her will alone.

"If it's not safe for the kids, it's not safe for them!" Karina exclaimed. "How can they be waiting?"

"Because the bastards who are behind this also implanted them with tracking devices!" Jazz answered bluntly. "They can't go anywhere until the beacons come out, and that's gonna take a while."

The shocked silence lasted for all of five seconds before the Latina roared back to life.

"How long?" she demanded. "We don't want anyone hurt, but is it really necessary to drag this out? When Stolle had Raph-"

"Karina, that was over twenty years ago!" Jazz didn't let her finish. "Tech has come a long way since, and extrication of the bugs isn't easy. Our docs are doing the best they can, and everyone else has got to get the hell out!"

Nate reached for the older man's shoulder. "Tim, we can fit a dozen between the two Sliders. That will at least handle the kids-"

"You should take Jake and Reina too," he interjected.

"No," Jake spoke up at once. "I've got to stay with my dad, especially if my mom's tied up with the medical team." The curly-haired young man turned to Olivia plaintively. "I want to come, but I have to do this. I'm sorry."

The red-masked turtle shifted Isabella onto her side while she went swiftly to meet Jake. "I know. It's okay; _we'll_ be okay. You need to get Scott somewhere else, someplace safe."

"I promise I'll catch up with you." Jake's lanky arms went around Olivia, and the young man said something else that Nate couldn't hear.

"Okay, that's it then." Nathaniel turned away from their parting to focus on his younger counterparts. "We're going. We'll turn the breakers on in the lair, and hopefully get the lab partially set up too." He exchanged a meaningful glance with Charlotte, and the purple-masked female nodded.

"We'll be fine," Nate stated firmly for the benefit of the rest of their family. "Once the first load is dropped off, we can send back two people with the Sliders to pick up more."

"A ton of things need to be done before further evacuations can happen, so let's get you out the door, and we can go to work ourselves," Tim suggested.

When Nathaniel strode across the room for the exit, his cousins were quick to fall in line behind him, as well as Reina. Their ally's _other_ children were somewhat less enthusiastic.

As they rounded the corner of the hall, Nate stopped in his tracks and motioned for everyone to gather up close. "Guys, it's gonna be all right. We're not abandoning anyone. No one's getting left behind. Evacuations have to happen in stages, and being the youngest means we have the first luck of the draw. You trust me, right?" He directed the question specifically to the hesitating humans. "I, that is, _we_ won't let anything happen to you. That's a promise."

"And our parents?" Jonathan looked over his shoulder apprehensively. "They get to stand back and wait for the bad guys to pick them off?"

"That's not going to happen," the orange-masked turtle insisted. "Whoever did this, they're obviously patient. The bad guys are waiting for something. I'm sure they didn't expect their tracking devices to be found that quickly, or they already would have been here.

"In any case, Yousai isn't defenseless, and neither are the rest of our people. Even if they have to lock down the building from an outside attack, which hasn't happened yet, they would have time to escape. The best thing we can do is make it over to the lair, and get things prepared for the others." He glanced at Charlotte again. "I hope we have the right stuff leftover in the old lab."

"It's smaller and the equipment is older," she allowed. "But they kept the lair intact specifically in case of emergencies. The basic pieces they'll need are there."

"Then we have to go," the young blue-masked turtle spoke up for the first time in several minutes. "Everyone will be able to focus better once we're out of the way."

"You're getting a couple more passengers." Timothy was suddenly behind them again. "I don't think Isabella actually counts toward the weight limit on the Slider, and Alena won't take much space either." The man prodded Calley and Jenna in front of him.

Nate nodded. "We'll get everyone there safely, and then we'll return for more."

"Keep in touch," Timothy instructed. "The rest of our people may go around the long way, but as far as your dads are concerned...Well, that'll be decided by the medical team. In any case, don't head back this direction until we've talked."

"Yes, Sir." Something about the situation brought the formality out of the orange-masked turtle, but he managed to resist the desire to salute.

Nate led the way through the heavy door into the dry passageway. They had about a half mile walk ahead of them before they would reach the Sliders and the storm drain that would allow faster underground access to their fathers' old home.

He looked over his shoulder in the semi-darkness of tunnels lit only by his genius uncle's built-in lanterns, seeking out his blue-masked cousin. Not surprisingly, Tim was bringing up the middle of the group with Calley. The far-away look in his eyes made him seek out Jayden for the task he'd considered giving his youngest cousin.

"Jay, do you want to handle the other Slider so that Olivia can look after Belle?" he requested.

"Yeah, I got it." The purple-masked male sounded deflated, but put on a brave face.

Nate was turning forward when another hand tentatively brushed his shoulder. He glanced over at Alexis carrying her three-year-old sister in her arms with incredibly wide eyes.

"Nate, we can't go back, can we?"

He wasn't sure what to tell the teen. "I don't know, Lex. But the most important thing is, we're together. We'll take care of each other. And everything is going to be okay."

* * *

Nathaniel grimaced under the tirade of his red-masked uncle, but Jayden didn't appear fazed.

"Kid, if you don't put me down-"

The burly purple-masked turtle only smiled. "You'll what, Ojisan? I've got to hear this." Jayden was already more than a match for Raphael's strength, even when the older turtle was at his best.

"Y' think you're so funny," he muttered darkly.

"The wheel chair wouldn't have fit on the Slider," Nate offered logically. "How else are we supposed to get you to the lab?"

"If he'll put me down, I'll show ya."

Nate sighed softly. Luke had warned him that their uncle would probably be combative, and provided a mild tranquilizer in case it was necessary. _But I honestly don't want to use it, especially since Raph doesn't seem to be bothering Jay._

He stepped aside to allow his huge cousin to go first with their uncle, who was still complaining and cursing under his breath. Nate shook his head when Jayden had to duck to get through the narrow door. _I'm sure glad Jayden's personality seems to balance out his size. I don't think many people could take that kind of abuse from Raph and keep grinning._

"Home sweet home," Jayden announced.

"Forgot how much this place stinks," Raph grumbled.

Jayden had the nerve to chuckle. "It probably wouldn't be so bad with the right attitude."

"Are you _nuts_ , Gigantor? We been drugged, tagged like some wild animal, and kicked out of our home! What kinda attitude do you expect?"

"Don't talk down to my son, Raph," Jenna commanded tersely. "It's been a hard day for everyone, and all he's doing is helping."

The older turtle's amber eyes flicked between the woman and Jayden. "I _know_ , okay? I'm just worried as shell, and Leo and Donny ain't even here yet!"

Jenna's expression immediately softened. "They will be. In the meantime, don't take it out on us. C'mon, Jay. We need to get him back to bed."

Nate trailed behind them into the lab, but then headed straight for his dad's bedside. Michelangelo was staring into space so vapidly that he couldn't help wondering where his father's mind was. "Dad?"

Mike snapped to attention, turning to the eighteen-year-old.

"Are you comfortable?"

"I don't think that's the word for it," the older turtle said softly.

Nathaniel fidgeted from one foot to the other. Seeing his father this discouraged was a rare and unwelcome experience. "Dad, I'm sorry."

Blue eyes gazed at him steadily for a few moments. "Nate, I know you want to make it better. Don't put that kinda pressure on yourself, okay?"

"I'll try," he returned honestly.

Michelangelo heaved a huge breath. "It could have been worse. They could have killed us outright, or got their hands on you guys. Then I would have had to kill _them_."

Nate smiled weakly. "We're together, and they didn't catch us off guard. We might have lost Yousai, but..." The idea was harder to accept internally than it was to speak out loud.

Yousai was only a building that connected the underground quarters with the soaring city heights. But the arrangement had allowed them to "live" in both worlds and experience more normality than their dads knew growing up. The loss of their home was weighing on Nate heavier than he wanted to admit to anyone, especially his father.

The young turtle dropped out of thought to find his dad still staring at him.

"Nate, I'm so sorry, bud."

"It doesn't matter. We have _you_ guys. If we have to start over, then that's what we'll do, right? It's easier to replace our home than any of you."

"You don't have to be the tough guy, Nate."

"Yes, I do."

Mike shook his head while he attempted to rise. "It's not your job; it's not anyone's job. Even a leader can't bear that weight."

"Dad, stop trying to sit up," Nate urged. "You've got to take it easy."

The older turtle closed his eyes briefly. "I know what I need to do, but it's not what I wanna do."

"You're not ready to pound the pavement yet."

His dad's eyes narrowed. "When I am, when _we_ are, nothing's gonna stop us from getting whoever did this. So you tell Director Kelley and whoever else to keep looking and hunt them down. But don't touch 'em. They better not lay one finger on these guys. Because the people who did this? They belong to _us._ "

"Amen, brother," Raphael inserted from nearby.

"Ojisan, could you give back your arm?" Charlotte was patiently trying to hook the red-masked turtle up to his IV.

"I don't see how it matters," he retorted stubbornly.

"I could grab Aunt Jen," Nate suggested. "How's that sound?"

Raphael gave him a dirty look, but said nothing more. He also didn't resist Charlotte's probing fingers, searching for a vein.

Nathaniel turned back to his dad. "As long as you don't forget who you are, or how you raised us, I don't have to worry about a thing."

Mike made a face. "Thanks a lot. You couldn't just let me relish the idea for a while."

Raph grunted his agreement. "If he didn't say it, someone else would."

Charlotte patted Raphael's arm. "We have to hold each other accountable, don't we? You're the one who taught us to be each others' 'keeper'."

"Yeah, each other," he repeated. "Not ours."

She smiled sweetly in the face of his annoyance. "It doesn't work that way, Ojisan."

"The shell it doesn't."

"Better be nice to her, Raphy," Mike warned. "That girl is in charge of your IV. You tick her off, and you might end up going away."

Raphael glared at his brother, before turning a suspicious glance to Charlotte. "You're not giving me more than you have to, right?"

"That's up to you, Ojisan. Are you going to rest, or do I have to choose for you?"

The red-masked turtle made a scoffing sound. "All you genius types are the same, I swear."

"That's why you should be nice to us."

"I'm taking orders from a kid. It's actually come down to that."

"I'm not _just_ a kid," she returned. "I'm an honorary member of the medical team, and I worked hard to get there. Even though they still won't let me in half the time."

Raphael was surprisingly chagrined. "I didn't mean it like that, Charlie." Reverting to her nickname proved his sincerity. "Don't listen to me. I'm pissed off and I'm tired."

"I don't blame you. You'll sleep better once your fluids kick in."

"Rather be kicking somebody _else_ in."

"I get it," she soothed. "But there's still plenty of time for that."

"Who knows?" Nate added. "Maybe we could get in on the action. I'm sure there will be enough to go around. It's not like you four went down easy."

Raphael growled. "We better not have."

"We'll make it right," Mike stated. "We've got no choice. They've put our whole family in danger. Nobody's gonna do that and get away with it."

Nathaniel snorted as something occurred to him. "I doubt they realize the size of the hornets' nest they've poked. I mean, think about it. We can come after them on so many levels, from the FBI and Director Kelley's secret 'military' connection, to the best in analysts, hackers, and sharp shooters. Whoever did this is completely screwed."

Raphael raised his head a few inches to look at him. "No doubt. And our guys had better leave them in one piece so we can take them out. You'll pass that along, won't ya?"

"Oh, I'll tell them, Ojisan; I just doubt it will do any good. This is incredibly personal for all of us. I don't know _what_ our people will do if they find them first." _But I can bet it won't be pretty. Somebody is screwed indeed._


	10. Cooperate

"C'mon, Donny. You're going to make it."

Luke's whispered words were more of a demand than a plea. He wasn't in a position to beg the turtle to do anything. _But he can't go anywhere if I don't let him._ The stubborn idea of refusing to allow one of his best friends to die was the only thing currently grounding his sanity.

The process of locating and removing the microchips from all four turtles had taken a little over five hours, and he'd intentionally saved Donatello for last. While Luke hadn't been nervous of the effect a thirty minute underground journey would have on Raphael and Michelangelo, the other two turtles were another story.

 _And being forced to wean Donny off the ventilator when he wasn't ready for it makes a bad situation worse._

Drowning out the incredible anxiety over some dreaded enemy having their exact coordinates during the extrication process was one of the hardest things Luke had ever done. _With what this group puts us through on a regular basis, that's saying a lot._

Now it was pushing 10pm, and they were _finally_ finished evacuating Yousai. Luke didn't want to think about the home they'd just lost, or what other procedures the kidnappers had performed on his friends. The man was energized by clinging to the belief that the purple-masked turtle _would_ survive the subterranean trip without the aid of life-saving measures they couldn't implement en route. _The oxi helps, but it doesn't deliver the same level of oxygen or support as the ventilator. It's not remotely the same thing. But he only needs to hold out a while longer. We'll get there._

"Luke?"

The blond man was so on edge that Marc's voice made him jump, despite his soft tone.

"I got a text from Charlotte. She said she hadn't heard from you."

"I'm a little preoccupied," Luke answered evenly.

"I know. But she has the ventilator set up on her end, so we can immediately get Donny started again."

"Good. Did they begin the next stage of transfusions for Leo?"

"Julie was all over that," Marcus replied, then hesitated. "But we're running short, Luke."

Luke didn't want to think about their blood supply, or lack thereof, either. There was nothing else he could say on the matter, so he glanced down at Donatello instead.

"It has to be addressed," Caleb added.

He lifted his gaze to the bespectacled man. "I hoped the extra transfusions would make an impact on their red blood cells, but it's almost like we did nothing at all."

Caleb shook his head. "We're not doing nothing."

"Regardless, it's been ineffective. I have to track this drug down, _whatever_ it is. Recreating the monster that's causing this is looking more like our best shot for defeating it."

Marcus sighed. "You also know it might not be 'out there' to be found. We've dealt with enough unsavory people to realize the substances they employ generally aren't legal. That makes them harder to track. I think we ought to keep playing with the compound that you and Donny-"

"It's not _working_ , Marc!" Luke was sharp, though he kept his voice low. He wasn't ready for the eighteen-year-old turtle driving them to know how dire the situation had become. "We can't waste any more time adapting old methods. We've already modified existing drugs several different ways, and it hasn't made a dent. Don and Leo are worse than when we started, we are running out of blood, and we don't have the luxury of running experiments. At this point, we're probably better off if we divide and conquer. If say, Caleb continues working on the old compound, and you want to up their Noraphim to accompany the next round of blood, I won't object. But if you think I'm going to quit trying to locate the source of this unholy drug, you're crazy."

"We need to work together, Luke!" Marcus insisted. "We'll accomplish more if our heads are in one place."

"Normally yes, but there's nothing typical about our circumstances."

"And you don't think Jazz and Greg could join this conquest for the elusive substance?" Caleb suggested.

"They're very good at what they do," Luke acknowledged. "However, they don't know chemistry. The nuances that make up the components are tricky to read, even for a professional."

Marcus crossed his arms. "It doesn't matter how much you argue, you can't go 24/7, Luke. You haven't slept in over 36 hours, we performed four surgeries-"

"They weren't like an open heart procedure," Luke interrupted with a scoff.

"No, but it was time consuming and precise. You can't do anything else, Luke – not for tonight."

The blond man's eyes shot to his unconscious friend, then back to Marcus. "You can't seriously try to kick me out now! He's not stable-"

"Exhausting yourself doesn't help him," Caleb said reproachfully. "Marc and I discussed this. We also spoke with Kat-"

"You're ganging up on me when this much is on the line?"

"That's _why_ we're ganging up on you!" Marcus exclaimed. "You won't listen any other way. You can fight one or two of us, but it'll be pretty hard to fend off everyone. Caleb and I will get Donny set up in the lab, and we'll monitor him and Leo closely. _You_ are going to get at least eight hours of sleep. It's not up for negotiation."

"I'll get some rest, but you can't expect me to disappear for eight hours in the middle of a crisis!"

Caleb inched closer to him. "You'll do exactly that, Luke, or we'll make the call to your wife. Katherine feels it's important to help provide a security detail for our people in the hotel, since we don't know who is after the turtles, or if they're aware of anyone else. But she will come down to babysit if necessary. Do you want her to abandon the others?"

Luke was defeated; at least, that was what his friends needed to believe. So he allowed his shoulders to slump and sighed in resignation. "I don't agree with it, but you're not giving me a choice."

"No, we're not." Caleb rested an arm around his back. "This isn't your fight, Luke. It's _our_ fight. You can't do it all."

He nodded, but didn't meet his companions' eyes.

"The rest will make your mind clearer, and your energy much higher," Caleb went on. "It may be the break-through you need for a solution."

"I get it," Luke retorted sharply. _Pretending to cooperate doesn't mean acting like I enjoy it. The attitude makes it more convincing._

Decades of experience and familiarity with the tunnel system allowed Luke to recognize how close they were to their goal. He was still startled when darkness unexpectedly took shape in the short distance, but identified Jayden's looming form in seconds. The young turtle was flying toward them before the Slider came to a complete stop.

"How's my dad? Is he okay?"

"We need to get him inside, Jay!" Marc answered briskly.

"I'm on it!"

Luke's knee-jerk reaction wasn't to hand off control, but he had to comply for the sake of appearance. Jayden was the best muscle in their midst – why _wouldn't_ he be the one to take his father in?

He moved aside so the teen could reach Donatello, and then edged toward the back of the vessel where Nate was shutting the Slider down.

Luke held his tongue while Marcus and Caleb followed Jayden into the lair, but then cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, how much of that were you listening to?"

"Only the last seven miles."

"Nate..." He wanted to comfort the orange-masked turtle, but didn't know how.

"You don't have to say anything, Doc. But the others are right, y'know? You can't keep going at this rate."

"I'm aware of that."

"You still believe they can come back – Don and our Jonin?"

"Nate, that's why I don't want to quit. If I thought there was no hope, I'd probably go to bed and not budge for two months. It's _because_ I believe in a solution that I don't want to stop. Not when the stakes are this high."

"You don't have a choice," Nate reiterated. "I doubt you want everyone on your case, Doc. We'll win – hands down."

"Okay, okay," the man grumbled.

"C'mon. Let's get you something to eat." Nate indicated for him to go first.

Luke stepped off the Slider onto cement. Walking into the den produced a strong sense of de javu, and it was coupled with powerful weariness that made him feel a hundred pounds heavier. He couldn't do anything about it quite yet, and he didn't want to. Being "obviously" tired would only convince the others of what he needed them to see.

Luke had taken four steps into the entry hall when he was nearly bowled over by April's approach. "Easy lady," he joked weakly. "You could knock me over with a feather right now."

She nodded sympathetically. "It looks like it. I got Mike's and Becky's old room set up with fresh linens, but you need some dinner. Can I get that for you?" April motioned to the duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

He shook his head quickly. "It's all right – I'll take it upstairs."

"Okay. Don't go to sleep before you've eaten."

"I'll be back in a minute."

Luke's gaze traveled to the lab, and he had to force himself to walk the opposite direction. He paused at the bottom of the stairs as an orange tabby stretched out in his path, and scratched the cat's head affectionately. "Hey, old girl. Making yourself at home again, huh? Maybe you can work your magic on Raph or Mikey. Protocol doesn't allow for animals in the lab, but you've never followed the rule well."

Tiger flicked her tail like she understood him, and straightened her arched back. Picaso came trotting down the steps as if he'd been off on his own tour and nudged the man's knee.

Luke glanced between both cats. "Stay out of trouble, guys."

The man continued upstairs, dropping his bag securely in Mike's closet before returning to the living area. He was drawn to the open door of the lab with a deep sense of longing, but a hand pulled him the other way. Luke knew it was Reina based on her touch alone.

"Hey, Dad."

He relished the warmth of her embrace for a moment, wishing he had an hour to simply relax with her.

"The kitchen is a little...crowded," Reina said diplomatically.

A small crash from within the next room punctuated her statement, and made the doctor wince. "The den wasn't made for this many people."

"The kids are doing fairly well, all things considered. You've definitely earned _your_ dinner, and some peace along with it."

He collapsed on the old couch with a groan. "I don't know about peace, but I can dream."

"I'll bring you some tea too. It'll help you sleep better."

He arched an eyebrow at her. "You're not going to try to drug me, are you?"

She managed a light laugh. "You aren't giving me a reason to."

"I'm clearly cooperating, as you see me stuck on _this_ side of the door." His face darkened unintentionally.

"We're only doing the same thing you would do in our position."

Luke shrugged, but avoided glancing to the lab that time.

"Wait here, Dad. I'll be back in a couple minutes."

* * *

Luke stared at the roasted chicken legs on his plate as though they were foreign. His love for dark meat ran deep, and the legs were the hardest part to come by in their family. He appreciated someone's effort to save them for him, but he had no desire to eat. _I'm being babysat though, so I need to get through it. I also won't pull this off on an empty stomach._

He worked three-quarters of the way through what had been offered to him in about fifteen minutes, but barely touched the tea Reina brought. Luke trusted his daughter implicitly, but he wasn't in a position to take chances. He met the young woman's gaze and set the dish aside. "Think I'm going to head upstairs. I'll take your tea with me."

"Sure you got enough to eat?"

He nodded. "I'm tired. Sooner I get this out of the way, sooner I can come back."

"That attitude is a _little_ better." The young woman held out her arms to him.

Luke found himself once again partially melting in his little girl's embrace.

"I'm sorry, Dad, for everything. I know how much Yousai meant to you...to all of us."

Luke bit his lip with a surge of willful pride. His daughter would _not_ see him emotional tonight. _I'm a sentimental idiot – it's always been my downfall. I get too attached to things, and inevitably, I lose them anyway. My parents, our first project in Chelsea, and...now this. Yousai was the culmination of so many dreams, but with the reality of what's happening to Leo and Donny...I can't afford to think this way yet._

"I...I can't do this," he said apologetically. "Reina, I'm going to get some sleep, okay?"

"Please do, Dad. I'll see you in the morning."

He hated himself for not encouraging her, but the risk of losing control was too great. Luke felt heavier ascending the stairs a second time than when he'd first entered the lair. As he locked the handle of the door behind him, his phone vibrated on cue.

The man suspected who it would be before he saw the screen. "Hi, Kat."

"Hey, hon. Are you settling in?"

"Yep. I'm sure you've already heard as much from the others."

"You're the one making us gang up on you, Luke. If you'd take your own advice, we wouldn't have to come down so hard."

"Are you getting any rest?" he challenged.

"Bran and I are taking shifts with Timothy, Greg and Sayuri. Because we know how to share, unlike some people."

"Kat, what do you want from me? I'm doing what they said. Should I jump for joy too?"

"I don't expect you to like it, Luke. But you need people looking after you, so you can do your job too."

"What job?" he muttered. "The last few hours have been a complete waste. Not only did we have to devote the time to digging out those wretched microchips, but Don's in _worse_ condition for having to make the journey. We didn't need this!"

The woman was quiet for several seconds. "It's not something anyone 'needs', but...at least you're all out."

Luke stared at the floor, gathering composure. "Is the rest of the family okay?"

"About as well as you'd expect." Katherine huffed, and her own anger shone through. "If it's any consolation, I know how you feel. I want to be out on the streets interviewing everyone on the list from Hudson Yards. I'd rather trap them behind four walls until they tell me every last thing they know. But I'm here with our family in the hotel, making sure they're safe.

"I'll get some rest in the next couple of hours too. Then I will see you in the morning, before I get back on the hunt with Kelley."

"Okay. Do that soon, Kat. You have to catch these people."

"We will, Luke. There's one more thing, though, before I let you go. I texted Reina to send her back up to your room. You're giving her your medical scanner."

"I am?"

"Yes, you are. So get it out, and hand it over when she knocks."

Luke pulled the phone away so the woman wouldn't hear his mumbled curse while he dug the machine out of his duffle bag.

"I love you, Luke," she said pointedly.

"I love you too. Good night."

Reina was only seconds behind him as he dropped his phone on the bedside table. The girl didn't have to say a word; he merely handed over the prized device.

"Anything else?" he asked stiffly.

She shook her head. "No...just get some rest."

"I'll see you later."

When his daughter was gone, Luke removed two chargers from his bag. He hooked his phone up to one, and the plugged the second into his laptop. The man set the computer down on the bed beside him, and reached back into his bag for a small zippered case.

Luke's breath constricted for an instant as he retrieved an epi-pen loaded with a more recent project of his and Donatello's. As a rule, he'd never been a big fan of Don's homemade "adrenaline" supplement, and the new formula they'd concocted together was considered a safer alternative.

Instead of a massive boost of upfront energy coupled by an even bigger crash, Ziprolin provided strength at a moderate rate, for a longer burn time. _And the eventual 'collapse' is much milder too._

One injection had been enough to get Luke through a sleepless night, and a second dose in the early afternoon powered him through the nightmare the day had become. _One more time won't hurt me,_ he told himself. _We have to get the guys over this hurdle. Once the worst of the danger is past, I'll be able to relax. I_ have _to locate this drug._

Luke banished any thoughts of the risk before injecting himself again. He stretched over to turn off the light, so the room was bathed solely in the glow from his laptop screen. _Okay. Back to it._


	11. Alternative

Katherine glanced into the office where the subject of her next interview was waiting, and turned back to Matthew Kelley. "I think you should let me handle this one on my own."

He rolled his eyes. "Right, because I haven't been in this business longer than you. _That_ must be the reason no one's told us anything helpful."

"You're not a problem, Director," she said carefully. "It has more to do with the type of people we're dealing with than it does _you_. They're scared and they feel attacked, even though we're not accusing them of anything. I have a feeling about this one...If he senses that he's safe, I think he'll open up to me."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because he's _here_ , Director. He had the opportunity to walk. We couldn't hold anyone longer than the established limit set by law, but he chose to stay behind. So let me try going in alone, and find out what he has to say."

Matthew held up his hands. "Do it your way. I'm going to call my wife, and let her know I didn't drop off the face of the Earth. Will you at least record it?"

"I prefer not to tell him, but yes."

The man scowled. "If you get caught recording without permission, anything he says could be inadmissible in Court."

"This isn't about Court," she retorted. "I mean, sure, if we got enough information we could use it to bring down Venturis legally, but you realize that isn't what we're doing here."

"No, I'm diverting government resources to track down kidnappers and killers, so someone _else_ can bring them to justice," he grumbled softly.

"And they always turn them over to the police, don't they?"

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. If I _talk_ about it, I have to think about what I'm really doing."

"They didn't ask for your help, Director."

"Actually, the kids did."

"And you were mad they didn't call you sooner! Do you still wonder _why_? Once and for all, Director, are you in or out?"

"For cripe's sake, Katherine, you know the answer! Am I supposed to enjoy every second of this? The risks we're taking are huge. I'm not saying they aren't worth it; but the pressure that comes along with the 'Watchmen' gig is overwhelming sometimes."

"Tell me something I don't know. Are you going to get lost?"

"Yes. Are you going to record the conversation?"

Katherine tapped her phone and brought up the microphone app. "I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."

The woman hesitated outside the office, rolling her shoulders to loosen up tense muscles. As she entered the room, Kat concentrated on appearing non-threatening.

She left her phone recording in her jacket pocket, and pulled out the chair across the table from the 30-something African American man opposite her. "Willis Gentry?"

He nodded mutely.

"Thank you for staying, sir. I appreciate getting a few minutes of your time."

"I don't have anything to hide," he said quietly. "But I'm also not sure I have knowledge that can help you."

"I understand you granted an interview to another officer already."

The man frowned. "He was bored with it. It didn't even feel like he was listening."

"Well, I'm listening, Mr. Gentry."

"You wanna hear what I saw Friday night too?"

"I'll get to that, but first, I'd like to start earlier."

"Earlier?"

"I'm interested in gleaning some background information on Venturis. Would you mind?"

"It's not that I mind..."

"Agent Katherine Barrows," she filled in automatically. She'd been too preoccupied with her phone to remember to introduce herself properly.

"Like I said, Agent, it's not that I mind, but I didn't work for Venturis. I perform Security for Willow Tech."

"I understand, Mr, Gentry. How long have you been employed by them?"

"Going on five years."

"And Venturis has been located in that particular suite for about a year and a half. With the proximity their building has to yours, it stands to reason you've had opportunity to witness some things over the last few months."

"I'm not into spying."

"That's not what I'm implying. I'm talking about encounters with their people specifically. Have you seen or spoken with them on occasion? Anything you have to tell me could be helpful. Even if it feels vague or random, it could mean something."

Willis stared back at her silently for a few moments. "I'm not much of a social butterfly either."

"Security is all about observing," she pointed out. "What did you notice about them?"

"I...um...It was about a year ago..."

She smiled encouragingly. "Yes?"

"I realized that every one of their people I ran across seemed to be an immigrant. German, Russian, Asian, Latin, Middle Eastern...Don't know if that means anything to you. I didn't try talking to them much – never had a reason to.

"But there was this one time, I was hunkered down in an alcove between buildings because of a sudden storm. Two of the, uh...I guess they worked in the lab...They came in for cover too. Don't think they saw me at first. They conversed in English, but when I greeted them, they got this panicked look. Like I wasn't supposed to hear them. Guys didn't say a word to me, just turned and ran. One of the weirdest things I'd seen, except for that lady."

"What lady?"

"I don't know her name, but our guys liked to call her the Queen."

"Where does a nickname like that come from?"

"I'm not sure where they got it. Security isn't always the most interesting task, y'know? Other guys liked to make up stories about what her and the immigrants were doing behind closed doors."

"What did you think of her?"

He shrugged. "She was the kinda person who looked through you, not at you. I only saw her in passing, and I never tried to talk to her. I got the idea she was important to the organization."

"What made you think so?"

"It was how people responded to her. You could tell the lady had power by the way she carried herself."

"Would you be able to recognize her on camera footage?"

"Yeah, she's not the type of lady you forget. I'm not trying to stereotype her, honest. I'm all for 'equality in the workplace' and that jazz. I was raised by a strong, single mama. But this woman struck me as scary."

"Can you tell me about her nationality? Was she an immigrant like the others?"

"Definitely has Latin blood. Couldn't tell you where she came from."

"What about Friday night?"

Willis leaned back in his chair. "I wasn't supposed to be there. I haven't been on nights in probably two years. Buddy got sick, and I was covering for him. Started like a normal night, nothing to make it stand out from any other. First clue that something weird was happening came around...1AM? I was coming off a break in the back office, when I noticed a distortion on our camera feed."

"All of your equipment malfunctioned?"

"No, it was only a couple of sectors. I said something about it to the shift leader, and went outside to have a look myself."

"What did you see?"

Willis glanced over his shoulder, the first trace of anxiety appearing. "There were...maybe two dozen guys on the grounds. They were dressed like Security, but I ain't never seen that many of 'em at Venturis. They were pacing, nervous. I could tell there was more activity on the west side of their property, the same sector facing our cameras."

"The cameras that went down," Kat clarified.

"Yeah. So I radio in to the shift leader, and he tells me the feed cleared up. I'm still watching their Security nuts flocking around like some scene out of the Birds, when they suddenly all go back toward the building. Everyone at the same time, like they synchronized their watches. Am I crazy, or does that sound off to you?"

Katherine nodded. "Given the circumstances, I would say it's extremely relevant."

"I know it probably doesn't help, but...thanks for listening anyway." He stared down at the table with a distant look. "I was gone for the night by 2:30. Didn't hear about the fire until I got woken up by the phone that morning. First thing that popped into my head was the 'Ice Queen's' face. What do you think of that?"

"I'd like you to identify her for me. Would you be willing to look into some footage, Mr. Gentry?"

He shook his head slowly. "You'd have to clear it with Willow Tech, but I could show her to you. I got a feeling that outta all those people who died...she wasn't one of them."

* * *

Caleb exchanged a quick glance with Marcus as he heard someone enter the lab. "I don't think I'm the one who should do this," he said under his breath.

"Caleb, it has to be you. You've headed up the research. It won't mean the same coming from anyone else. I'm not going to abandon you – but you have to initiate it."

Marcus swiveled around quickly to face the newcomer, but Caleb turned much slower. The older man studied Luke for a long, pensive moment. The blond doctor was clearly fresh from the shower, but he wasn't convinced their "crew chief" had gotten enough rest. The hurt and frustration in his friend's eyes made it hard to hold his gaze, but it was necessary.

"Luke, what did you expect us to do?" Marcus spoke up first. "If you'd gotten sleep when you _should_ have, you would have been with us last night."

"That you would say nothing when ventilation failed-"

"You aren't a machine!" Marc interjected before Luke could reach a tangent. "You might not want to stop, but you can't go on forever."

"Neither will _he_ at this rate!" Luke hardly kept his voice down. "Donny needs the ventilator!"

"Luke, we tried several different configurations with the positive and negative pressure ventilation," Caleb said quietly, in contrast to his counterpart's growing rage. "There was no balance where his cardiac output was concerned. His left ventricle was failing too quickly to continue trying to intubate him."

"But his heart is working too hard." Luke appeared to be talking to himself. "It's a no-win situation. He isn't getting enough oxygen to sustain his heart or nervous system, but trying to reintroduce ventilation was just as difficult as I feared it would be when we had to cut him loose..."

Caleb exchanged another look with Marcus. "We think, that is, _I_ believe it's time for another transfusion."

"From where?" Luke demanded. "We're running on empty. Unless you've got a few more pints stored away for a rainy day."

"We have...the twins," Caleb offered hesitantly.

Luke stared at him for what felt like forever. "You're not serious about trying this _now_."

"We're running out of options," Marcus said bluntly.

"This isn't an option; it's a pure gamble with Don's life. You're willing to take that risk based on a _theory?_ "

"A theory Donatello believes in," Caleb said stronger. "If his voice was with ours, I think he would choose to try."

"I think it's an insane shot in the dark, that stands a greater chance of making things worse than better."

"Then what do you want to do?" Marcus was exasperated. "It's no one's first choice, Luke, but we have to do something. You said it yourself – he won't last at this rate."

The blond doctor willfully closed his eyes, as if to shut them both out. "Then it's time to talk to Jen. We can't make this kind of judgment without her input."

"We need to discuss it with the brothers too," Caleb added. "The weight of the decision shouldn't fall on one person." _Even though I would never be able to forgive myself if this plan were to be implemented, and fail. That's a risk I have to be willing to take too._

* * *

When Caleb entered the living area, his eyes immediately roved for signs of life. The red and orange-masked turtles looked like they hadn't so much as stirred from their positions on the respective recliner and couch, where they'd been set up hours beforehand.

Under normal circumstances, the turtles never would have been removed from the Lab so soon. The fact remained that they were dealing with much smaller quarters than they were accustomed to, and the situation with the others was growing more serious.

"What's up?" Raphael's voice snapped Caleb to attention.

"We need to talk." Luke was stoic. "Um...where are the kids?"

Raphael sat up a couple inches, but then sank down in the recliner helplessly. "Liv and Jayden were super restless, so we got Nate to take 'em out for a run."

At Luke's aghast face, the turtle quickly continued. "We didn't send them to the surface! They're underground, going the opposite direction from Yousai. They had to get out, Doc. Even Charlotte...that poor kid's never gonna sleep if she can't burn some of the excess energy. Point is, they only left about ten minutes ago, meaning...we have some time."

Luke nodded."Okay. Marc, would you wake up Julie? I'm going to gather the wives, and I'll be back."

Caleb chose a seat on the furthest end of the couch from Raphael, and tried to avoid the muscular turtle's amber gaze.

"Is this really bad?" Mike's voice shook. "'Cause you guys coming out together and wanting to talk...It feels like it can't be good."

"Just shut it, Mikey, and wait for the others," Raphael instructed.

The bespectacled man was grateful for the command, but spent the rest of their alone time avoiding looking at either brother.

Chairs were dragged in, and the room was soon filled with the nervous energy Caleb had been dreading. As the only non-medical doctor on the team, a biologist who'd spent his life studying faceless genomes and DNA maps, dealing with patients wasn't second nature to him. _Not even after years of living with the family._

Sitting with the group was reminiscent of his earliest memories of the clan, when everyone turned to him to help save a terminally ill Michelangelo. _And here I am again, about to urge them to trust in my theories and techniques, which not only haven't been tested, but stand a good possibility for being detrimental to his health._

"All right," Jenna said firmly. "You got us here. What do you need to say?"

Luke took a deep breath. "You're aware things haven't progressed the way we'd hoped. We're still supporting Leo and Don to the best of our ability, but in the last twenty-four hours, we've hit a couple snags.

"The first huge one yesterday was failing to wean Donatello off the ventilator correctly before we had to move him. Unfortunately, the process sometimes takes several attempts before a 'proper' separation is made, but the danger in staying behind meant we had to go forward, regardless.

"I believe the unsuccessful weaning has a role to play in the fact that he couldn't be intubated again. The best Donny can receive at the moment is the respirator, and he isn't getting enough oxygen to support his heart.

"The second major setback is...we're running low on our blood supply. The consistent transfusions we've had to employ on all four of them are beyond any disaster we could have prepared for. We broke into Tim's reserve last night to use for Leonardo, and we still have a few pints left of his. We also could probably draw more from Tim directly, to help sustain Leo while we work on the real solution.

"But we don't have any of Don's exact type left, and it leaves us in the position of making a difficult decision."

"So take more from me," Raphael said at once. "Don and I got the same type."

"We can't, Raph." Luke's voice strained. "You're too anemic. You're nowhere near well enough to donate blood."

"I don't care," he said earnestly. "If my brother needs blood, he's gonna get it!"

"You can't," the doctor said firmer. "I'm sorry. It's not happening."

"So, what is this?" Mike trembled with the question. "Are you saying there's nothing else to do? That's it?"

"There is an alternative," Caleb said, drawing the attention he didn't want. "We're considering moving forward with the twins' blood."

Jenna looked swiftly between Luke and Caleb. "Can you do that?"

"They share the same blood type," Luke allowed. "The problem is, the twins also possess marked differences at the cellular level. We don't know how Don's immune system will respond to the alien markers in their DNA. It could set off another chain reaction of antibodies, which..." He paused for a beat. "If we do this, and he suffers the kind of rejection I'm concerned about...I couldn't see him surviving."

The heaviness in the atmosphere seemed to increase ten fold with the announcement.

"But if it works...?" Calley was the first to break the silence.

"Then it would hopefully prolong him, and give us the time we need to fix this," Luke finished. "If it works."

"Are you that sure it won't?" Jenna looked so broken, Caleb wanted to reassure her, but he couldn't.

"I'm not sure of anything," the blond doctor clarified. "That's why I don't want to do it. But at the same time, Don is at significant risk for heart failure."

"What exactly are you saying?" Karina was working hard to control her voice. "What's the point of this?"

Luke glanced around the circle. "To reach an agreement on where to go from here. You have the facts. Now we need to make a decision."

" _Right_ now?" Rebecca squeaked, her hand instantly reaching for Mike's arm.

"We could hash this out for a few hours, but it's probably not necessary," Julie said gently.

"Caleb."

The older man forced himself to face Jenna.

" _You_ believe this will work?" she asked.

He shifted uncomfortably, but didn't look away. "Yes. I do. And it's worth mentioning that Donatello subscribed to this 'adaption' theory too. Based on laboratory trials, we have good reason to think their blood won't negatively impact him."

"He would choose this?" Jen pressed.

Caleb nodded. "Given that we have no alternative? I believe he would prefer we do _something_."

"What else is there to say?" Mike wondered. "Are you gonna use it?"

Caleb looked to Luke pointedly.

"If this is the direction we're going, we need to contact the rest of the family," Luke said tightly.

Raphael scooped up his phone. "I'll get the kids back."

Relief warred with terror for supremacy in the back of Caleb's mind. He was drawn to watch Luke while his friend got on his phone, and was struck by the way the man squinted at the screen of his device. The notable difficulty Luke experienced in placing a simple call was impossible to miss.

Caleb got to his feet and rested a hand on Jenna's shoulder. Words weren't needed. She merely nodded at him before departing to her own corner of the room to make a call.

The bespectacled man walked to Marcus and pulled the doctor aside inconspicuously. "Does Luke look odd to you? I mean, some of it can be attributed to stress, but..."

Marc nodded. "No, you're right. He doesn't seem normal, even for the situation. I'm not convinced he slept."

Caleb grunted in frustration. "What are we going to do?"

"Keep an eye on him, along with everyone else. Are you okay, Caleb?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I don't think I can be 'okay' until _after_ I've seen this work."

"It's the right thing to do."

"We'll see, Marc. Only time is going to tell for sure."


	12. Revolutionary

***This was...different. One of my favorite chapters of Dominion to write, bar none.**

* * *

There was something unnatural about the warmth of the air he was inhaling, but the sensation wasn't unpleasant. The peculiarity of it grounded the turtle in the understanding that he wasn't quite asleep. _Have I been out of it? Sure feels like it._

He took a deeper breath, and became aware of what was definitely high-flow, humidified oxygen. Surprise caused Donatello to open his eyes and reach for the mask covering his mouth. _I_ am _on oxygen, but why..._

Utter confusion deepened as he took stock of his surroundings. The room was familiar, but completely unexpected. _The old lab. Why am I here? Why don't I remember anything?_ He sat up cautiously, imagining he would find difficulty in rising. The turtle performed the action like he'd woken from a good night's sleep.

 _All right, there's clearly something wrong with me. But what?_ He slowly searched for the source of the problem, testing limbs one by one, and then probing his forehead. _Doesn't feel like I have a concussion, broken bones. I can't figure this out. Maybe I could try..._

Feeling a little bolder, he removed the respirator mask and attempted to breathe unaided. His lungs felt clear and uninhibited. Next he glanced at the IV in his arm, and turned toward the machine to try and see what drug he was receiving. _That_ was when he noticed the blond doctor slumped slightly in a desk chair, as though he'd fallen asleep.

"Doc?" His throat grated a little from obvious thirst, but it didn't hurt badly. So he cleared it to attain more volume, and tried again. "Doc!"

When the man didn't respond, Don peered at Luke closer. His friend was a notoriously light sleeper, especially when he was on watch. That coupled with the doctor's unusual coloring struck a warning note in the turtle's mind, and he went from curious to concerned in a flash.

He sat up further in slow motion, and scooted to the edge of the bed. Don waited a few seconds before straightening, conscious for cues of dizziness or weakness. When the symptoms didn't appear, he dropped both legs to the floor, and gingerly tested his weight.

Donatello stood still for a good sixty seconds, more bewildered than ever. _But I've gone this far, and I feel okay._ He stretched a hand to the IV unit to wheel it beside him so he wouldn't have to unhook the line, and shuffled over to Luke.

The turtle shook the man's shoulder urgently. "Doc! Wake up."

Luke started as if he'd struck him. "I'm not asleep," he defended groggily.

"Uh, yeah. You were."

"No, I was resting my-" Luke squinted suddenly and cut off with a gasp. " _Donny?_ What are you doing?!"

"Well...I'm not sure. I woke up and I feel fine, but that doesn't explain any of this."

"You woke up and felt _fine?_ " Luke was incredulous.

"Honestly? I feel good. How long was I asleep?"

The man blinked rapidly. "N-no. No. This is not happening, you aren't fine...!" He shot upright from the chair, only to instantly pitch forward.

Don reacted like lightning, capturing Luke around the midsection and ripping out his IV in the process.

"Don, you have to get off your feet!"

"All due respect, Doc, but you're the one who's about to fall over."

"I can walk if you'd let me-" He tried to jerk out of the turtle's grasp, but only succeeded in sliding sideways.

"Stop it, Luke!" Donatello shifted his hands under the man's arms to support more of his weight, and received a massive shock. "Doc, you're light as a feather." He pushed reluctance aside, and easily lifted his friend without an ounce of difficulty.

"Put me _down!_ "

He deposited Luke carefully back in the chair and squatted in front of him. "Doc, what did you guys do to me? What happened?"

The man trembled so hard that Donatello braced both arms on top of his in case he was in danger of collapsing again.

"What did you do?" he repeated.

"Y-you were dying!" Luke sputtered.

"I was?"

"Yes! Overdosing on some godforsaken drug I never identified!"

"But what did you do?"

"We tried Niacin and Noraphim, and...and...modifying them about twelve different ways, and...Transfusion after transfusion, until all the blood was gone, but it didn't work! None of it worked," he babbled. "There was no blood left, except for..."

"Except for what, Doc?"

"The twins," Luke whispered. "We gave you Jayden's blood."

Donny leaned back on his heels in amazement. "It worked. It adapted without negative effects?"

Luke, however, didn't seem elated. The man was simultaneously even paler and sweating. "I don't...I c-can't...This doesn't make any sense."

"Doc, what's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with _me?_ I'm not the one who was at death's door ten hours ago!"

He looked his friend squarely in the eyes. "Tell me what's going on with you."

"I...I might have...I probably overdid it on the Ziprolin."

Don's eye-ridges shot through the roof. "After how many times you warned _me?_ How much did you take?"

"I-I'm not really sure. It was over the course of four days."

"Doc. How much did you take?"

"Maybe two...thousand milligrams?"

He gaped at the man in disbelief. "Are you out of your _mind?"_

"Don't want to hear it," he muttered tiredly.

Don stretched to take his wrist and check his pulse rate. "When did you take your last dose? How long ago?"

"Um..." Luke looked at his watch. "Maybe...twenty minutes? Still waiting for it to kick in."

The purple-masked turtle exhaled. "There should still be time." He unceremoniously gathered the man from his chair and headed back to the bed.

"Donny, what are you doing with me?"

"Doc, you're OD'ing. You need medical intervention."

"I don't need anything from you!"

"That's too bad, because you're getting it." Don heard rapid footsteps, and turned toward the curtained partition as it opened.

"What in the world is go-" Marcus abruptly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening like he'd seen a ghost.

"Hey, Marc," he greeted the man evenly. "You have good timing. I'm all right, but Doc has been mainlining Ziprolin. He's demonstrating symptoms of a significant overdose, so I think you need to get some activated charcoal into him. I'm going to let the family know I'm okay, and I'll catch up with you."

The dark-haired doctor merely stared at him as the turtle brushed past. Donatello hurried out of the lab in case the man was chasing him down, and entered the living area so quickly that he accidentally slammed the door into the wall.

The immediate reaction from the jam-packed room of familiar faces was nothing more than stunned silence. In that moment the purple-masked turtle didn't know what to do, except remain awkwardly in one spot.

"Hi, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting?"

The first sign of movement came from across the space, a shock of black hair flying in the wind before his wife lunged at him. Donatello gathered the woman off the ground in a tight embrace, swallowing as she sobbed against his shoulder.

"Doc wasn't kidding, was he?" he mumbled in her ear.

The woman tried to pull herself together, but ended up merely whimpering and refusing to let go.

"Jen, I think he ought to sit down," Caleb interjected gently.

Only then did the turtle partially manage to peel his wife off his plastron. "Caleb, I'm fine. I get that I scared everyone and I'm sorry, but...I'm actually all right now."

"Are you?" Charlotte timidly approached, as if she could hurt him by coming any closer.

"Yes, _Hime*._ "He held out an arm to her. "C'mere. Where's Jayden?" (princess)

His muscular son grinned unabashedly as he circled the back of the couch. "Faking it the whole time, huh? There are better ways to get attention, y'know?"

Donny reached for the sixteen-year-old who dwarfed him. "Want to see something cool, Jay?" Without warning he lifted his son off the ground as easily as he had Jenna. "Thanks for sharing."

The surprised youth laughed loudly. "Dude! We could have the arm wrestling match of the century!"

"I'd love to give it a shot, Jayden, but first, someone has to tell me what's going on." Donatello moved to the center of the room and searched until he came to rest on two of his brothers, _both_ of which appeared less than well. "What happened to us? What are we doing here? And...where's Leo?"

"Bro, you better sit down," Mike urged.

Don shook his head. "I'm telling you, guys, I'm fine."

"Maybe ya are, Genius," Raph allowed. "But after you hear what we've got to say, you probably won't be."

* * *

The silence was overwhelming, but Donatello couldn't bring himself to speak to anyone yet. Even knowing the stress and fear his family had been under didn't produce enough guilt to accept their company.

He wasn't tracking the minutes he'd spent at his prone brother's side, but the heaviness in his chest was getting unbearable. In spite of the depth of emotions which had been stirred up without any notice, the turtle hadn't shed a single tear. _I can't do that, because crying would be like admitting it's over. And it's not._ Don fixed on his oldest brother doggedly. _Darn it, Leo, I don't know what we're going to do, but it's not over._

Donny crossed his arms nervously while he gazed at the ventilator his brother was hooked up to. _I'm glad we've got Tim's reserve to fall back on for Leo, but it won't last forever either, even if he donates more. We're under a serious time crunch to find a solution._ He sighed heavily. _Which means I don't have_ time _to wallow._

He squeezed the blue-masked turtle's shoulder to reassure both his brother and himself. "We're gonna figure this out, bro. Hang in there, and I'll be back."

Donatello stepped out from behind the curtained partition and waved to the medical team clearly waiting for him.

"Don, let me get you something," Julie insisted.

"I'm still thirsty," he admitted.

"You're dehydrated," Marcus asserted. "And I'm not comfortable with you being up and around, regardless of how you feel. We're going to have to run tests, Donny."

"I'm aware of that, but I'd like to talk to Luke first. Is he awake?"

Marc scowled darkly. "He won't be much longer if I have anything to do with it."

"Give me a couple minutes with him, and then I'll do whatever you want."

"Can I get that in writing?" Caleb requested, then shook his head. "Sorry. Nothing's funny right now."

"Hey, it's not as bad as it could have been. It _worked_ , Caleb. The twins' blood has the ability to adapt, at least partially. Do you get what this means?"

"It didn't just 'adapt', Donatello," Caleb answered with a tinge of awe. "I'm not sure you understand the magnitude of how sick you were. I have to take more samples from you."

"I will let you – after I talk to Doc."

"Take this with you." Julie returned from the living area with a sports bottle of water. "Karina is starting some tea."

Don nodded. "Thanks. I promise, I won't be long."

He made for the opposite partition before anyone could change their mind, and ducked behind the curtain. As he took a couple steps toward the bed, the man was so quiet that Donny wondered if he'd already fallen asleep. Luke was still incredibly pale, causing worry to resurface in the back of his mind.

The man didn't appear to hear him coming, but _did_ stir after Donatello had been standing nearby for a few seconds. His friend gazed up at him guiltily, and the turtle folded his arms with a surge of protective anger.

"Stop looking at me like that," Luke said stiffly. "I don't need a lecture."

Don couldn't help snorting. "You're lucky you're getting me instead of Kat. That's a privilege you have to wait for."

The man groaned and turned his head to bury his face in the pillow.

"Doc, what were you thinking?"

Luke raised his head defiantly. "We were losing you."

"Was losing _you_ supposed to make it better?"

"You've got no right to say anything, not with the number of times you've risked your shell."

"Oh no you don't," Donny said sharply. "You're not turning this around on me; we are focusing on you."

The man shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

"Doc, we designed Ziprolin together. All along you were worried about the temptation for me to overdose, and you end up doing something like this? We agreed that 800 milligrams in a _week's_ time was the highest dosage that could be safely implemented. Anything more could have caused permanent damage. An irreversible heart arrhythmia. Is this ringing any bells?"

"Yes, I _know_." Luke stared at the ceiling. "I thought it was worth the risk. It was my turn to be the designated martyr."

"Doc, you never should have done it."

"You weren't here, all right? You weren't the one trying to pull a miracle out of your hat."

"What part of drugging yourself into oblivion helped matters?"

The man closed his mouth, but the way he clenched his jaw told Donatello he hadn't won the argument yet.

"You still think you did the right thing, Doc?"

"You want me to agree it was stupid? You think I don't know that? At the time, I didn't care. All I could focus on was tracking down the illicit substance that did this to you guys. Even then...I never found anything close."

Don's hand landed on Luke's arm. "Doc, I believe the answer could be right under our noses. Look at what three units of Jayden's blood did for me."

Luke's breath hitched. "You're not...seriously going to suggest we try giving their blood to Leo."

"I'm not ruling it out."

The man collapsed against his pillow like he weighed a thousand pounds, but then fought to get upright. "Don't do this to me. I can-can't take the stress."

"That's obvious based on the circumstances." He lightly pressed his friend's chest to keep him down. "Seriously – quit trying."

Luke closed his eyes. "I did what I did. I'm not apologizing for it, if that's what you're waiting for."

"Sounds like you need to talk to your wife. Or how about your daughter and son? You wanna explain to them why it was okay to risk permanent damage or death? I'm sure Reina and Jonathan would love to hear your excuses."

"That's not fair."

"What _you_ did wasn't fair – to anyone. You didn't just put yourself at risk. You compromised your judgment. You couldn't have been thinking straight. How can you be the crew chief when you're handicapping yourself?"

"I was desperate! Once again – you weren't here."

"No, but our family was, and they needed you."

Luke finally winced. "I know it was wrong. I screwed up, and I'm sorry."

"You're allowed to have weak moments like anyone else, Doc, but you can't take that sort of risk ever again. What if you hadn't been able to tell me what was wrong, or the last dose of Ziprolin had fully kicked in? We might not be having this conversation."

"We shouldn't be," he said softly. "Donny, I see you with my own eyes, but I don't believe it. After these last few days of watching you struggle to survive, and now you're standing there like nothing happened...You don't see anything weird about this?"

"Of course it's weird, Luke, but I'm not going to let that stop me from exploring our new options."

The man's brow furrowed. "Meaning, you want to try this on Leo."

"I said I'm not ruling it out. I wasn't a perfect match with the twins, but their blood not only conformed...It has flourished inside me. Caleb needs to run more tests, but, Doc, we could be onto something revolutionary."


	13. One

Raphael couldn't help shooting his purple-masked brother a dirty look as Donatello came trotting down the stairs. He was grateful like everyone else that Donny was okay, but it didn't make his "miraculous" recovery less annoying when the red-masked turtle was still too weak to climb a couple of steps. "Where's the fire, Genius?"

"Gotta meet Brandon and Jake; I have to help them get Scott in here. I'll be right back, Raph."

The older turtle shook his head while Don disappeared through the door, though he wasn't irritated with his brother this time. _There was no reason for Scott to drag himself down here. Yousai was one thing – we had a dang elevator to transport him._ This _is just ridiculous._

Raphael sighed heavily when the immensity of the loss hit him all over again. While he still appreciated his space, over the last few years he'd gotten _used_ to the convenience and ease of access that Yousai provided their entire family. _Wasn't sure how I'd feel when we first moved in. Figured I'd get sick of it sooner than later, like it would be too much of a good thing. Now we ain't even been apart a week, and I already miss everybody._

He gazed around the living area of the old den, and suddenly felt extremely confined. _Shell, I don't know if I can go back to this. I know I don't want to. And the kids...Brother, they're too big for all of us to share this space. It won't work. What are we gonna_ do _?_ Raphael rested his head against the back of the recliner and rubbed his temples gingerly. _Somebody is gonna pay, if it's the last thing I do._

He heard the kitchen door swing open and glanced over his shoulder to see his older daughter approaching. "Right on time, Liv. Your boy's almost here." Raphael managed a smirk for her benefit.

She gave him a withering look, but he knew she was relieved. _Olivia doesn't like the separation any more than I do. Who'd have thought the two of_ us _would be feeling it this bad?_

Liv crossed her arms. "Sure you can't eat anything?"

It was the third time someone had offered within the hour, but it was less appealing than the first. "I'll have something later, Kouen."

The expression in her amber eyes reflected concern before hardening. "You'll only get away with it for so long before the docs put you back on the IV."

"They're too busy with Leo and the 'boy wonder'."

The fact that she snorted irked him to no end. "Don getting cleared before you is hard to take, huh?"

"No." He growled defensively. "Ain't about me, Liv. I only hope they ain't jumping the gun with _him_."

"They ran tests for hours, Dad, and Donny stayed in the lab last night. Seems like the docs were thorough. You sure you're not a little jealous?"

"'Course I'm jealous, but that don't mean I'm not worried about him."

Her fingers grasped his shoulder. "Can't blame you for that – but then, we've _all_ been worried." Olivia ended with a shaky breath.

Raphael thought she would continue, but when Olivia didn't go on, he glanced up at her. "We didn't mean for this to happen," he mumbled. "I wish I could remember. Wish I could go back and...do something different."

"Join the club. I should have known something was off the second 'your' text came back to me. Didn't even sound like you."

"It was a text, Liv. You couldn't have known."

"I should have," she insisted.

"Wouldn't have mattered by then." He searched for some way to reason with his daughter. "We musta already been drugged by that point."

"It doesn't change the fact that I missed something big. The older I get, the more I understand why I never could have led the second generation."

"Kouen, _stop_. Leading or not leading's got nothing to do with this."

Olivia sniffed. "It's got everything to do with it. Obvious things are lost on me."

"You know that ain't true. You and your cousins have different strengths, Liv – that's it. You're just as valuable as they are."

"It's not about value, Dad, it's-" The motion of the heavy front door swinging inward made Liv shut her mouth and crane her neck to look for the new arrivals.

"Careful over the hump!" Don called.

"I got this." The confident voice of Raphael's son-in-law reached the turtle before he could see the young man.

"In that case, Donny was gonna hook me up. Can't remember the last time I ate," Brandon complained.

"I'm pretty sure it was about half an hour ago," Don challenged.

"Processed junk food doesn't count," Bran argued, making a beeline for the kitchen.

Donatello followed with an air of exasperation, waving Raph's direction before going into the next room.

The red-masked turtle fought to sit up straighter as Jake guided the wheelchair into the light of the living area. It seemed ludicrous to put on a show for the occupant of the chair who was incapable of seeing him, but something inside Raphael couldn't let the man have a chance to sense his weakness. "Hi, Scott."

The man's head swiveled to orient on his position. "Raph. They said you broke outta jail already."

Raphael cracked a smile. "More like I was kicked out. Old lab is tight on living quarters."

"Hey, early parole is a gift either way."

He forced a chuckle for Scott. "Yeah. Shouldn't complain about it."

"I wouldn't blame you for complaining about anything, Raph." Scott tilted his head suddenly. "Hello to you too, Liv."

"Scott." She acknowledged him meekly, in a manner that few humans could reduce her to. "Did you get to eat already?"

The man ran a hand through his longish hair with a scoffing sound. "With Jake around? Boy's just as bad as your uptight medical team."

"I share because I care," Jake announced glibly, then stepped around the chair to greet Olivia.

Raphael could see remnants of the emotion their conversation had stirred in his daughter's eyes, and it was clear Jake noticed too.

 _"You okay?"_ the youth mouthed.

The red-masked female shook her head slightly, and Raphael cleared his throat.

"Liv, would you show Jake that fixture upstairs?"

She turned to him in confusion. "What?"

"Broken bulb has to come out so we can get the new one in. You can put those long legs to good use." Raph winked at Jake. "Go on, guys. Scott can keep me company. That or watch me so I don't try to make a break for it."

Scott nodded. "Absolutely. This chair gets up to five miles an hour, and I'm not afraid to use it."

Jake snickered. "I think these two can handle each other, Liv. Let's check out the situation upstairs." He arranged his dad's chair closer to Raphael's recliner, and reached for Olivia's elbow to encourage her toward the steps.

Raphael watched Scott cock his head once more, clearly listening for the kids' departure.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get him back down here," the man said finally. "It wasn't intentional on my part."

"Trust me – no one's blaming you for anything, Scott, or Jake, for that matter. I'm glad to see ya, but you didn't have to drag yourself underground. It's a lot more trouble than it was before."

"It's more trouble to stay away," Scott said stoically. "There was a time when I wanted nothing more than to hide from the whole world. Now it simply feels...empty."

Raphael sighed. "You and me are on the same page. I'm missing everyone too. Our old home doesn't quite cut it, y 'know?"

"I'm glad you had somewhere else to run, but it's hard. Jake feels responsible for me, while he also needs to take care of Olivia." Scott paused with a chuckle. "That's probably the wrong way to say it."

"Nah, he takes care of her, Scott. Truthfully, it's one of the things about Jake that won me over for good."

Scott rested his arms comfortably on the sides of his chair. "He's a remarkable young man."

"You've got something to do with that," the turtle said pointedly.

The man offered a small smile his direction. "I'm not sure how true it is, but I'll take it."

"It's not something y' can argue, especially since you finally let us hear you sing and play."

Scott ducked his head as though embarrassed. "I feel so clumsy on the guitar."

"Not even, Scott. I don't flatter people, okay? You've known me long enough now. I won't say it if I don't mean it."

"Well, thanks. It would be nice to play _together,_ under better circumstances."

"We'll have to do it. You've got such a good ear, man, I bet you'll end up playing better than before."

"Yes...Being 'limited' will force someone to focus on whatever senses they have left."

"But you're like scary good, Scott. How'd you know Olivia was there?"

"She always shuffles her feet around me. I still make her nervous most of the time, though I don't try to."

"I doubt it's anything you're doing, Scott. Probably has more to do with the _way_ you got introduced to us. Liv has guilt that won't quit. I think part of her believes she'll never be good enough for you because of it."

"I'm sure no one wants to be forced into hiding, Raph, but I can't complain about how things ended up. I wouldn't change it, even if I could go back."

The turtle smiled apologetically. "Wouldn't be the same without you guys. I know the family's gotta be weird and overwhelming sometimes."

"A little," he allowed. "But it also reminds me of younger days with my musical family. They weren't a quiet, timid bunch. Some of their gatherings rivaled yours for rowdiness, if you can imagine."

"That's hard to picture."

"Musicians aren't known for good behavior – at least, not the boys I hung with. I used to feed off all their energy. Even when you catch me hanging on the outskirts of your crowd, it doesn't mean I'm not enjoying myself. Problem is, I ain't half the man I used to be, and it takes longer to warm up."

Raphael stared at the floor, grateful he didn't have to meet the man's eyes. "You're really hard on yourself, Scott."

"I have a lot of bad attitudes, Raph. Anyone other than Julie or Jake...they never would have lasted."

"Someone loves you that much, they probably have a good reason."

"Or I'm just that lucky," he said tongue-in-cheek. "How are you doing with...everything?"

"That's a complicated question. Wouldn't know where to start."

"You seem tired."

"I am – and it only pisses me off more. I don't wanna be here."

"They say patience is a virtue, but I don't think 'they' had to deal with half the things you do."

Raph nodded appreciatively. "We all go through stuff, but these last few days have been exceptional. Wouldn't be so bad if Leo wasn't..." He trailed off with a groan.

"He's still very sick," Scott stated cautiously.

"They're running out of Tim's blood. Probably gonna have to do something desperate. It's nothing new for us, but it don't make it easier."

"It wouldn't," the man agreed. "But a lot of those risks have panned out, haven't they?"

"Turtle luck sometimes runs in our favor."

"Might be an understatement."

"Doesn't feel like it," Raph said glumly.

"Feelings don't have much to do with it. They're too volatile," Scott replied quietly. "Times like this, you have to fall back on what you know, not what you feel."

The turtle peered at the man like he was seeing him for the first time. He had to admit the conversation had succeeded in lifting a small part of the weight lingering in his gut. "You didn't have to come down, man, but I'm glad you did."

"Your family has been there to support mine so many times in the last four years, Raph. Being that we're more like _one_ unit now, coming was the only logical thing to do. It was harder to stay back, though I don't want to take up space in a crowded environment. Probably should have asked before I showed up."

"Nah, Scott, family don't need permission," he said quickly. "I was only thinking of you being comfortable."

"I'll be fine, Raph, as long as there's a corner to tuck me in."

"You're not in the way, man."

"I'll ask you again in a week," he ribbed.

Raphael tried unsuccessfully to muffle a yawn. "I ain't always the nicest guy when I'm irritated."

The man laughed. "Coincidentally, neither am I."

The kitchen door opened once more, and Raph glanced over his shoulder to see his wife coming.

Karina grinned with hands on her hips. "You boys getting along nicely?"

"They _did_ teach me how to play with other kids in kindergarten," Scott pointed out. "Hello, Karina. Something smells good in there."

"I'll be happy to get you a plate, Scott. Wish I could tempt someone else."

Raphael grimaced under her look. His appetite had been nonexistent ever since waking up in Yousai without a clue as to what was wrong with him.

"Marc said you should get some more sleep," the woman continued. "Mikey went back to bed an hour ago, and you should have been right behind him."

Without a word, Raphael released the foot rest of the recliner. Arguing with Karina (or anyone else) required more energy than he had to spare.

"Scott, sit tight," Karina encouraged him. "I'll be back after I get this one settled."

Footsteps on the landing overhead announced the kids' presence before Jake and Olivia came down arm-in-arm.

"We'll show my dad the kitchen, Karina, and then he can have the grand tour."

Raphael snorted. "Don't know about the 'grand' part."

"Get some rest, Raph," Scott told him.

"He will," Karina said confidently. The Latina tugged his arm to get him moving, causing the turtle to stagger.

"Easy, Chica."

She instantly hooked an arm around his shell. "Sorry, Tortuga. I'm used to you putting up a fight."

"Wish I could. Or that we _all_ could."

Her grip tightened around his side. "I know waiting isn't your thing...so I won't bother to say what everyone else has. I'm just going to take you to bed, and hope you wake up feeling a little better."

He stared at the floor as he shuffled a few more steps, wanting a fast forward button. Karina escorted him to their room, not releasing his side until he was settled on the bed.

"Can I get you anything else?"

The turtle hesitated. There were many people who needed attention, including their baby. He felt selfish for what he wanted, so it took him longer to say it than normal. "Can you stay?"

Karina nodded so easily he was shocked.

"Really? I know you've got stuff to do, and the baby..."

"Raph, there are a lot of hands to go around. Becky and Jen already have a handle on Isabella. I didn't expect to get you to bed this quickly." She dropped onto the side of the mattress. "Why don't you lay down?"

He didn't need another invitation. Karina settled down beside him, releasing a deep breath.

"I second that," Raph murmured.

She relaxed into the crook of his arm, and his fingers automatically cupped her chin. "We're going to be okay," she told him.

"Are we?" He wasn't feeling as sure. "Don't even know what we're up against."

"It doesn't matter. You know why?"

He shook his head.

"They already messed up. Started a job they couldn't finish. Stuck you all with tracking devices, and still couldn't catch you. Ended up killing their own people in what looks like a huge cover up. You honestly think a group like that can compere with you? With us?"

Raph wanted to smile, but he couldn't; no more than he could agree. "Donny was almost dead, and Leo ain't far behind."

"Was," she reminded him. "Don's better than ever, and he and Caleb believe the same can be true for Leo."

Tension built in his muscles at the thought of the risks. "I don't know about any of it, Kari. They can't predict what'll happen."

"They couldn't with Don either."

"Yeah, but the twins are his kids. They share DNA, even if the kids got some extra."

"Raph, I don't blame you for being discouraged, or hurting in general. But don't give up yet, because our friends haven't...and I haven't. I still believe we can come back from this."

He leaned his forehead against hers. The turtle felt like he should say something, but words were escaping him, and he didn't have the power to make anything up. So he kept his mouth shut while relishing the warmth of the woman against his plastron, and finally closed his eyes.


	14. Escape

Alexis felt a pang of guilt as she entered the gym, but managed to squash it after giving Jonathan a sheepish smile. "Thanks for coming with me. The 'workout' room at the hotel was pathetic."

The fifteen-year-old boy made a face. "And yet, still crowded. This is more like it, Lex. Just for an hour, right?"

She nodded vigorously. "Yeah. They'll never know we were gone." The fourteen-year-old had already spotted the object of her desire from across the room, and was eager to get there before someone else jumped in. "Let's stay in sight of each other, okay? I'm gonna hit the TRX."

Her cousin nodded to the nearby bank of treadmills. "I'll run for a while, and then set up a strength training circuit in the area. Set the timer on your watch to be on the safe side, and so will I."

While the teenagers' physical hobbies couldn't have been more different, they'd taken to often working out alongside one another.

Alexis had focused primarily on ballet training with Karina and Calley for the last several years, but the additional conditioning exercises were helpful in adapting her muscular structure. Though building more upper body strength wasn't her goal, Alexis gravitated toward the suspension training of the TRX to further develop her core. She enjoyed the versatility of the simple straps so much that her dad had installed a set at Yousai nearly two years ago.

Alexis sighed softly as she pulled dark hair into a pony-tail, tightening it up before wrapping a band securely around it. She'd been trying hard not to think of Yousai or the danger her extended family was in, but thoughts kept creeping up regardless. _Hence the need to escape. Jon was feeling it too. He agreed to come with me before the words were completely out of my mouth. With how fast he jumped on it, he was probably already considering doing the same thing._

She grinned at the sight of her cousin mashing the button on the treadmill to increase the speed repeatedly until it reached a challenging pace. _Not every high school jock gets the benefit of training alongside the "athletes" that Jon has. It's no wonder he's the fastest runner on his soccer team._

Alexis turned from the dark-haired boy to begin her own circuit. She settled into a familiar position with the TRX handles, facing away from the anchor with her feet spread shoulder-width apart. Taking the straps with an overhanded grip, she extended both arms in front of her to shoulder height, and leaned forward until her body was diagonal in the air.

Alexis exhaled slowly to maintain control as she spread both arms to the side, and lowered her chest toward the ground. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth when she sensed the strain in her chest muscles. _Aren't many things in life more satisfying than that feeling._

She transitioned from chest flies into a standing fall-out, focusing more on her abs and shoulders. Her next combination incorporated a set of hamstring pull-ins and curls. _God only knows when I'll get another chance to use a TRX,_ the girl thought grumpily. _Better to hit a full workout while I can._

Alexis stared at the ceiling while she isolated her right leg, kept her core tightly clenched, and lifted her hips off the floor. As she lowered back to the mat, a strange sensation lit across her spine. For an instant, she was afraid she'd pulled something. The teen carefully straightened out on the mat, and was startled by the chill that coursed over her damp arms. _What in the world...?_

The girl had a feeling she shouldn't make any sudden moves, even as she was drawn irresistibly to look to her left. Alexis slowly turned her neck without raising her head, and spotted a black-haired man gazing intently her direction.

Lex rolled upright with annoyance. Being watched in the gym wasn't unusual, and it was one of the perks to having the same equipment in the privacy of her old home. When she glanced the man's direction again, the individual was no longer staring at her, but...Jonathan.

She remained in her seated position, and drew both legs to her chest while her heart started to pound. Alexis glanced down at her watch to find that only about thirty minutes had elapsed. She stole another glimpse of the stranger, and was disturbed by the way he openly studied Jon.

 _Okay, this isn't right. It's time to go._ She pried her phone out of her arm strap, and rapid-fired a text to her cousin. _Some creep is scoping you at 6:00. I think he was watching me too. I'm going to the bathroom – come meet me there in two minutes._

Alexis rose casually, stretching each leg behind her back in turn, like nothing unusual was happening. She strode away from the common exercise area, heading down the hall to the first open bathroom. The girl went straight to the window and gave the pane an experimental tug. It definitely wasn't budging.

Annoyed, she reached for her phone again. _I'm in the first bathroom on the left. Knock three times, and then come in._

Alexis tapped her foot nervously while waiting for the young man to appear. She briefly considered calling her dad, but it wasn't worth doing unless she _knew_ they were in trouble. She shook off a tremor as the requested knocks sounded, and Jon slipped into the room.

"Shut the door," the girl hissed.

"Lex, what's up?"

"That guy was creeping _both_ of us. I'm pretty sure he was watching me, and I know he looked at you closely too. He's either some offender who has a thing for teenagers, or...or someone else we don't want following us around."

Jonathan blinked rapidly. "He saw me walk back here. Can we use the window?"

"Not without breaking it."

"The emergency exit would make a lot more noise, but it'll also tell us if he's only watching, or if he's here for another reason." Jon looked at his phone. "I should call my mom. She'll be ticked but..."

"Wait. We should check if he follows us first," she advised, and took a deep breath. "Let's go."

He nodded, and peered out the door. "I don't see anyone. Emergency exit?"

Lex nodded and started to tell him to play it cool, but he immediately bolted for the exit. She rolled her eyes but had no choice except to follow. The teens went through the door without looking back, or waiting for the eventual alarm.

"Go, just go!" Jon pushed her ahead of him, motioning to the chain link fence at the back of the perimeter.

She rapidly scaled the obstacle to get to the other side, and in the time it took Jonathan to land on her left, Alexis spotted movement at the emergency exit. Common sense told her to run, but she hesitated to watch for who would appear. The girl stiffened upon seeing their dark-haired stalker, phone already pressed to his ear.

She backed directly into Jon, who spun her around the opposite direction.

"Run, move it!" he ordered.

Alexis took off across the asphalt, squashing every patch of grass that dared peek through the cracks in her path. She couldn't bring herself to glance back, but noticed Jon looking over _his_ shoulder. "Is he following us?"

"No, I don't think so. He's still standing there."

"Only a creep then," she muttered. "Better safe than sorry."

"Lex, let's head back to the hotel. I don't think we should have done this."

"Me neither – I'm sorry."

"Hey, I wanted out as badly as you. Right now, it's just not worth the risk."

They circled the vacant lot to head around to the main street. The teens had made it about a quarter of the way up the block, when a car veered around the corner so hard it emitted an ear-piercing screech.

Alexis froze automatically. "Jon..."

" _Go!_ " he urged, turning her around a second time.

They ran toward the vacant lot they'd only left a couple minutes before, with the sound of shrieking brakes resounding in their ears. This time, she _had_ to look back.

Alexis noted the opening car doors with a curse, and mashed a button on her cell without any more hesitation.

The phone only had time to ring twice before her dad picked up. "Hey, Alexis. I'm on my way back. Did you want me to stop for-"

"Dad, Jon and I left the hotel," she blurted out to cut him off.

"You _what?_ You were specifically told not to leave the premises! Lex, if we can't trust you t-"

"Dad, be mad at me later, please? We need your help! There was some guy we thought was watching us, but then it looked like he wasn't gonna follow when we left, so we started heading back, only now there's a car with more of them, and they're definitely chasing us!" Alexis wasn't sure if the run-on sentence made sense, but hoped her dad had gotten the gist of it.

Brandon didn't respond to her right away, but she could hear heated speech in the background. She couldn't decipher any of it, except for the tail end when her father was nearer to the phone.

"...then figure out where they _are_ , Heff!" After another beat, the man returned to her. "Okay, Lex, listen to me. We're going to catch up with you, but you've got to stall these people. Are you near anyone else?"

"How are we supposed to STALL them?"

"I'm trying to tell you! Are you nearby other people?"

"Not...at the moment."

"Get into a store, on a busy street, anywhere a lot of people are gathered! It's very unlikely they'll do anything to you in front of witnesses. Then I want you to stay put. Focus on running and get yourselves into a crowd!"

She shook her head in frustration over the turn of events. "Okay, Dad! We'll try."

"If Kat or Tim are closer to you, I'll send them your direction, but I think they're still with Kelley. Breathe, and run like the wind!"

 _Easy for him to say._ Alexis shoved her phone in her pocket and snagged Jonathan's arm. "My dad wants us to get into a crowd and then wait for them."

"They're coming, right?"

Alexis gasped to regulate her airway from the combination of exertion and anxiety. "They are!"

"Then let's outrun the idiots and hope your dad is fast!" He pointed to a bustling coffee shop another three blocks in the distance.

Alexis was down for the detour, but the repeated roar of a now familiar vehicle made her cringe. _We can make it! We have to._

Jon's hand hovered near her back as though to spur her on faster, and fear gave her another burst of energy. The gunning engine of the vehicle felt like it was almost on top of them, and when she chanced a look to the left, she noticed the car nearly _was._

The young man unexpectedly caught her arm, jerking her to a short stop so that the vehicle raced forward a few yards ahead of them. Then Jon abruptly changed directions to lunge across the street, dragging her behind him.

Alexis stumbled but managed to stay on her feet, gasping as the car squealed to follow the newly chosen path. Desperation seized her body as the scant block they had left to run looked more like a mile. The sound of shattering glass made her cry out, jolting as the their pursuer collided with a parked car and kept going.

Jonathan grabbed her arm yet again to force her forward. As they neared the street corner the car came to a sudden halt, and the teens barreled through the side door of the over-sized coffee shop. Alexis was shaking so hard, she thought her legs would give out.

The young man patted her back reassuringly. "You all right?"

She nodded without certainty. "Gonna call my dad back." Alexis hit his speed-dial while heading toward an empty table.

"Lex, are you okay?" Brandon sounded breathless like _he'd_ been running.

"We made it to a coffee shop. We're all right, but they know we came in here."

"That doesn't matter. Stay put until I call you. We're only about ten minutes out. Everything's going to be fine."

"If you say so. Bye, Dad."

* * *

Alexis stared at the tabletop, fidgeting with her phone in one hand, and the lanyard that held her old keys in the other. Jon was content not to talk – a fact for which she was extremely grateful. _It was my idea. I asked him to come. I'll take the blame for this – it's only fair._

She noticed the young man's gaze track toward the window for the seventh time. "Can you see anything?"

He shook his head. "I'd bet money they're still out there though."

Alexis swallowed and gripped her keys tighter. "My dad said it would be okay."

He willfully turned away from the window and exhaled shakily.

"I'm gonna tell them it was my fault, Jon."

"We both left, Lex."

"But it was my-" The relieving sound of her ring tone had Alexis punching the button to answer her phone. "Hello?"

"We're here, Alexis," Brandon told her.

She instantly looked outside for Greg's Jeep. "Where? I don't see you."

"You're going to need to come out of the coffee shop, and make a right down the street you came from."

"What?"

"Take a hard left two blocks down, and you'll come to a dead end. We're waiting."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"We're not going to let anything happen to you, Lex. Do it."

Alexis rose stiffly from the table and put her phone away. "They're waiting for us in a dead end."

Jon cocked his head. "Okay..."

Tension made her feel rigid the moment they stepped foot on the street. Alexis looked every direction, but didn't see any sign of the sedan which had followed them.

Jon motioned toward a police car across the road. "They probably wouldn't wanna stick around with a cop hanging out."

"No, I guess not," she agreed. "Let's go."

She felt a little more confident as they left the relative safety of the coffee shop. That was when Alexis actually began to dread what her dad would do with them. _I'd still rather face_ him _than those creeps._

Alexis fell into the thoughtless habit of swinging her keys, whipping the lanyard around so hard they were almost a blur.

"You're gonna put an eye out," Jon warned.

"If it's the worst thing that happens today, I'll take it."

Her cousin snickered. "I'll remind you of that later."

"Boy, you go right ahead. We'll have plenty of time to talk about it during lockdown."

"At least we can laugh, right?"

"For now." She shot the lanyard up, and caught her keys out of midair.

"Seriously, that thing could double as a weap-" Jonathan never got to finish, because someone darted out from behind the busted up parked car from earlier.

When the scarily familiar dark-haired man lunged toward them, Alexis whipped her keys around on pure instinct, catching the stranger across the temple. Jon kicked the startled figure in the stomach, and they both took off running for the spot Brandon had mentioned.

Alexis heard another set of feet behind them, though she was sure it probably wasn't the man Jonathan had just grounded. There was no time to be proud of her own part to play; all she could think of was reaching her father.

The dead-end was coming up, and she grabbed Jon's sleeve to point him the right direction. The throaty engine of the chase vehicle announced its presence on the end of the block, and Alexis ran for the alley with every ounce of energy she had left.

She could have cried when she saw her father, but Brandon rapidly motioned for her to get behind him and Greg. Her dad stood tense and poised to pounce, while the sandy-haired man to his right cocked his service weapon.

Lex smirked slightly as the stranger chasing them on foot ended up running directly into her father's waiting grasp.

Brandon immediately drove the figure backwards, crushing him into the brick building with the full weight of his body. "Who are you? Who sent you?!"

The terror in the creep's eyes was extremely gratifying. He mumbled something unintelligible, and Brandon shook his prisoner hard before hurling him against the wall again.

"You're _going_ to tell me who sent you! We can do this here, or you get to take a ride with us! You choose!"

The pinned man erupted in another language. Alexis didn't understand a word of it, but he didn't seem to be cooperating.

"Dad, there are more of them!" she warned. "I heard their car coming!"

"Heff, get the kids out of here," Brandon commanded.

Greg balked at the order. "No one's splitting up. We're handling this!" He turned to Alexis and Jon. "Get behind the dumpster, and don't move!"

The girl was startled by the sudden blast of a siren, and she ignored Greg completely. Alexis stood stock still as a uniformed police officer careened around the corner, and confusion turned to dismay when the cop drew his weapon.

"You with the gun, drop it!" the officer demanded of Greg. "And you, get your hands off him. Back away slowly. Do it!"

Brandon fixed the policeman with a glare. "This piece of crap was chasing my _daughter._ He's lucky he's still breathing."

"Bran, shut up," Greg said quickly. "Officer, I'm with the FBI. I'm reaching for my badge, okay?" He took careful steps toward the cop after holstering his gun, and displayed his identification. " _This_ individual spent a good part of the last hour hunting these kids down."

"It's true!" Alexis leaped forward. "He was spying on us in the gym, and when we left, he chased us."

"Security footage would prove it," Jon volunteered.

The officer lowered his weapon slightly. "All right – but you're _still_ going to have to step off, sir."

Brandon relented his grip with a scowl, crossing his arms while the policeman took charge of putting the man in cuffs, and then reached for his radio.

"Dispatch, while en route to investigate the 480, I came across an unrelated 10-66. Requesting permission to-"

The reverberation of a loud shot caused Alexis to drop to the ground and cover her head. In a second's time her dad's broad form was hovering protectively over hers. Among the sound of a car peeling out, the police officer yelling something into his radio, and her own heart beating in her ears, it took the girl a few seconds to comprehend the rapidly growing blood pool underneath the cuffed man. Tears finally came as her father nearly crushed the life out of her, but she wasn't tempted to ask him to stop.


	15. Feel

***Tim has been an unintentional thorn in my side ever since his inception. Not because I didn't like him, but I couldn't figure out certain behaviors that made no sense to me. I followed his odd tendencies to the best of my ability, but it left me kind of frustrated. Early on in Dominion, the answer occurred to me out of the blue. I had to research to make certain I understood the direction I was heading , and was shocked to find he checked almost every box of the personality "type".**

 **Just want to say I didn't plan this. These characters feel alive sometimes, and it has never been more apparent than it is with Tim.**

* * *

Tim was uncomfortable. The young blue-masked turtle didn't want to be a part of the conversation taking place in front of him, but he needed to wait for them to get to the point of why everyone was actually gathered.

He sent a cautious glance to Jazz, and quickly looked away. The wild-haired woman was angrier than he'd ever felt her, somehow more livid than Katherine. Although, his red-masked uncle was probably a close second.

"I know _why_ you did it, but that doesn't excuse risking our kids' lives, so you could make your own posse!"

Tim sank further in his chair under the scathing glare Jazz was alternating between Brandon and Greg.

"I mean, it's one thing for our own warriors to set traps – it's something else to use the kids as freakin' _bait!_ "

"If you'd called, bothered telling us anything, this all would have played out differently." Katherine's fury burned under the surface, though she maintained an even tone. "The team might specialize in suicidal risks, but that's the _team_. Not the two of you going off on your own."

"We had it under control," Brandon insisted. "If the cop hadn't shown up-"

"If the cop hadn't shown up, _any_ of you mighta been shot!" Raphael interjected.

"But we weren't," Greg reminded him. "Once again, a cover-up is in place. None of us are safe – nobody! Whoever these people are, they're not playing around, and we can't either."

"That's why you needed a team!" Jazz exploded. "I honestly can't believe you took such a huge chance with the teens involved. You had no idea what you were walking into. Everyone could have been killed! And for what? Because you had to make the big save?"

"That wasn't it, Jazz!" Brandon protested. "We knew those idiots could have had a part to play in what happened to the guys. We wanted answers!"

"And where are your answers, huh?" Raphael demanded. "You did all of that, and you've got nothing."

"Would you stop?" Alexis practically shouted. "Just _stop_! It's not their fault – it's mine! I wanted to get out. I convinced Jon to go with me. I almost got us kidnapped or killed. Can you quit fighting with each other for five minutes? Don't we have other stuff to deal with?" She snuck an apologetic look to Tim, and the turtle straightened up in his chair.

"Mistakes were made, but Lex is right," Donatello spoke up. "This conversation needs to wait until everyone has cooled down, and we have more pressing things to address." The purple-masked turtle focused on his still-seething assistant. "Jazz, sit down. Please?"

The woman dropped onto the end of the couch with a huff, but said nothing.

Donatello motioned to Caleb, who appeared to be hiding behind him. "Would you like to share with the group what you did yesterday?"

Caleb fidgeted under the attention of the whole room. Tim cocked his head when he noticed the man was devoid of his normal glasses. The biologist hesitated to speak, and Don nudged his side.

"Are you telling them, or am I?"

"No. I will." Caleb's voice faltered, but he threw his shoulders back with sudden determination. "Last night, I gave myself a pint of the twins' blood."

Amid the collective gasps, the man quickly continued. "I told Donatello-"

" _After_ the fact," the turtle corrected. "He told me once it was done, in case he suffered a rejection. "

"But he didn't – did he?" Victoria commanded the entire room, despite her soft tone.

The first hint of a smile appeared on Caleb's face. "No, I didn't. And I can see close up...without my glasses."

"Do you think it's permanent?" Mike blurted excitedly.

The older man shrugged. "Don's 'super strength' didn't last, but there's honestly no way to know for sure."

"Which is why giving yourself a transfusion was a ridiculous risk," Luke mentioned from the background.

"I had to," Caleb declared. "If it didn't hurt me, it shouldn't harm Leonardo."

"What's up with this family, huh?" Karina fumed. "Between drugs, blood, and posses, everyone's doing their own thing!"

Luke got to his feet to join Donatello. The blond doctor had been lying low from his usual position at the helm, and even now, the man felt uneasy.

"Yes, okay?" Luke admitted. "Once again, a lot of mistakes were made. But rather than rehashing everything, I think we'd better discuss where we're going." He glanced at Donatello to continue, but the turtle merely gave him a pointed look in return. After a beat of silence, the man went on.  
"All right, so...we want to move forward with the first of the transfusions tonight. We have hope based on what the blood accomplished for Donny, and I feel encouraged by Caleb's success, but that doesn't mean the procedure is without risks. We need a group consensus. Is everyone in favor of proceeding?"

Tim peeked around the room slowly, lingering the longest on his mom. Outwardly, her emotions were impossible to gauge. But while he gazed at the blond woman, he felt his heart skip even as she braced a hand over hers.

"It scares me," she admitted. "But it also looks like the most promising solution we have. As long as you believe in it, I'm willing to go along."

Don nodded emphatically. "I wouldn't recommend it for any other reason, Calley."

Tim turned from his purple-masked uncle to look at the twins, who were slightly separated from everyone else. The physical difference between the brother and sister pair was striking, and the state of their spirits was even more so. While Jayden felt authentically confident, Charlotte was struggling to stand up straight. Her nerves were _almost_ invisible, but the longer Tim watched her, the more his stomach hurt.

He couldn't pull himself away from Charlotte until he felt eyes boring into _him_. Tim met his mother's gaze, instinctively aware she was trying to get a read on his mind. "We don't have much choice, do we?" he asked her, rather than the doctors. "We don't need to talk anyone into it. At least..."

Tim glanced around reluctantly, shuddering under the weight of emotions that had accumulated in the room. "Just...don't drag this out." He rose suddenly and backed away from the chair.

His mom was quick to pursue what she knew was an escape attempt. "Tim, don't. I know it's a lot-"

"I can't breathe," he told her softly. "Let me go."

There was nothing but understanding in her eyes, which made him feel worse for wanting to abandon ship.

"I need to," he reinforced. "Then I wanna come back and see dad. But I have to go first."

Calley didn't answer him, but stepped aside to allow access to the door.

Tim resisted the urge to thank her and grabbed the opening, scrambling out the door before anyone else decided to try and stop him. Running through tunnels that were somewhat less familiar than those surrounding Yousai was exactly the exercise he needed. Silencing the inner voice that berated him for selfishly leaving was difficult, but it could be done. _I had to. I couldn't face my dad under that barrage. There's no other way..._

He lunged over the drain to the opposite side, heading for the shafts of light that indicated a sewer grating. The blue-masked turtle paused under bars, squinting into the fading day overhead. Part of him yearned for freedom and the sensation of the wind on his back, but he couldn't bring himself to go topside. _Not after what everyone went through with Lex and Jon today._

Tim started trotting again, working his way to a steady sprint. His thoughts drifted to a couple of nights before, when they'd been kicked out of the lair by Raphael. His red-masked uncle had determined that Olivia and Jayden desperately needed the outlet. What Raph didn't know was how much Tim needed it too, for very different reasons.

 _It's one of the few times I can feel close to numb. Not_ feeling was one of the purest gifts the young turtle could imagine. _So no more reminiscing, or this entire exercise will be for nothing._

He concentrated on breathing, determination driving him to maintain his dash for as long as possible. Every few yards the turtle felt a iighter, while the terrible weight crushing his shoulders lifted somewhat.

The sight of shadows playing across filtering light signified the exit he was approaching. Tim headed for the end of the tunnel, releasing a deep breath when the fresh early evening air met his face. He staggered over the last hump in his path, nearly falling in his ecstasy to breath.

The feeling was nowhere near as satisfying as hopping roofs, but _anything_ was better than the overwhelming flood waiting back in the den. He dropped on the edge of the tunnel and stared out into the surrounding semi-darkness. For a few seconds Tim inhaled and exhaled deeply, savoring both oxygen and the separation of his mind from emotions.

The relief was extremely short-lived when a familiar ache shot through his stomach, causing Tim to scramble to his knees from the sprawled position on cement. _I knew I couldn't really get away._ He turned from the exit and crossed his arms while he waited for his cousin to appear. It was taking entirely too long, and he wasn't in the mood for games.

"Come out, Charlie. I know you're there."

The purple-masked female emerged into the low light, stopping a couple feet short of him.

"Don't you remember how hard it is for me to decompress with other people around?" he demanded.

"Yes. But I also know that bottling everything up and trying to ignore it won't make the problem go away."

"Charlotte, I need a _break_. If anyone understands that, I'd think it would be you!"

"I'm doing this for you," she clarified. "I already gave you space. I let you run the whole way here without interfering, didn't I?"

"Yeah, sure. But just when I achieved what I need, you're here."

"I don't get what I'm doing to you."

"Of course you don't. You can't see it, you don't realize that you're the last..." He trailed off before he said something that would hurt her.

"The last what, Tim?"

He shook his head sharply. "Forget it."

"I'm here, and I'm not leaving. So what exactly do you need to say to me?"

"You don't even appreciate it," he whispered.

She looked genuinely shocked. "Appreciate it? Tim, you've never had to live with this. I'm tired of defending myself for not enjoying what that sicko did with us!"

"Do you enjoy the fact that your dad's alive? Or how about the way you two are about to save _my_ dad?" he challenged. "Even my blood's not good enough for him."

The rapid shift in his cousin's emotions made Tim feel so dizzy, he had to brace himself on the tunnel wall.

"You know...we didn't ask for this," she said slowly. "We had no say in the matter. You look at Jay and I like we're something special, but we're not. We're no different from any of you, except for the way our mom was kidnapped, and our DNA was screwed with. We are no different," Charlotte repeated.

"Charlie, you couldn't be _more_ different. I know you live with a huge burden...but there are some advantages that you never acknowledge. I'm sorry I can't understand completely. But the potential power you have, which you don't even want...it gets to me sometimes." The words felt cruel as they left his mouth, but he couldn't stop them.

"I want my freedom as much as you, Tim. If I could share this with you, I still wouldn't. I would never want you to have to deal with it on top of everything else. You have your own power; and you don't want it any more than I do mine."

He shook his head. "It's not a power, Charlie. More like a curse."

"Don't say that. Do you think your mom is cursed?"

"She and I are like night and day, Charlotte. She exudes light, whereas I can't give away anything worthwhile. All I do is absorb."

"That isn't true."

"You aren't in my head," he replied stiffly. "Meanwhile, this conversation is stirring back up everything I came out here to escape."

"Internalizing it won't make it disappear!"

"I am dealing with it the only way I know how. Please go home, Charlie, and I'll follow you in a little while."

She clenched her fists at her sides. "Have it your way. I don't want to fight with you."

"Good, because I never wanted to fight with you either." He resumed staring out the exit until his cousin disappeared, along with the overbearing weight in his gut.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Tim was trudging through the front door with slumped shoulders. Despite his cousin leaving him alone, the uneasiness she'd stirred up again wouldn't dissipate. He stared at the floor to avoid looking at anyone, and walked in a straight line to the lab.

The young turtle knocked lightly and didn't glance up until someone opened the door. Luke ducked his head when he saw him. "Hey. You want to come in for a while?"

"Yeah." He skirted around the guilty blue-eyed gaze of the doctor, and sought out his mom instead.

Calley met Tim halfway, opening her arms to welcome him. He couldn't refuse her, though he was leery of physical contact which tended to heighten the emotional connection.

"They started the first transfusion," she told him. "They'll follow with two more, like they did Donny. We'll see what happens from there."

Tim nodded and rubbed his eyes self consciously.

"Are you ready to see him?"

"I think so."

"Would you rather go alone?"

"Maybe...for now." He grimaced apologetically.

"I'll be waiting here," she assured him.

Tim felt her encouragement deep in his bones, and it bolstered him to take the four steps to get over to the curtained partition. The moment he crossed the barrier, his breath constricted in his chest. The sensation was so sharp, he stopped in his tracks.

For a few moments he couldn't move at all. Then he went forward with halting steps, one foot ponderously in front of the other. His goal was to make it to the nearby desk chair; a feat made more difficult by his sudden inability to completely fill his lungs with air.

 _Block it out._

Tim trembled with the exertion of concentration. The only chance for overcoming the emotional force at work without running was to create a white noise effect, by focusing on something else. He recalled the hope he'd felt emanating from Calley, and latched on to it.

The turtle allowed a few seconds for the positive message to reach the rest of his body, and then made it safely to the chair. "Hey, Dad." His voice cracked unintentionally. "Sorry I didn't come sooner. I wanted to, but I'm not any good at this."

He paused to take a deeper breath, and marveled at how much easier it was than before. "People are already feeling better – I can tell. They're trusting in this, because Caleb and Uncle Don are confident."

Tim lifted his chin suddenly. "It's nice to feel that after the last few days. That's what we normally expect from our medical team. But they're people too, and they get scared like the rest of us. You're not gonna like what Doc did, or Caleb for that matter. They've done some crazy things over the last couple days, but it's only because they're not willing to let you go, not at any cost. We've got great friends – but I don't have to tell you that."

Regret was seeping in through the cracks of his defense. Tim knew the true source of the emotion, but couldn't help absorbing the guilt like it was his own. He hadn't intended on changing the subject, yet he suddenly needed the outlet. "I can't describe what's wrong to anyone, because I don't get it myself. Most days, I don't want to bother trying. All I want is to close my eyes like a normal person, and pretend I am one."

He scooted the desk chair closer to his father. "But if you come back, I'll try to do better, and not run as often. No promises – so don't go throwing this back in my face later." Tim smiled for a second, before the gravity of the situation caught back up to him.

"Dad, you have to come back. This has got to work. And I won't be mad because it was really Jayden and Charlotte who saved you. I'll just be happy because you're okay. I _need_ you to be okay." He squeezed his dad's wrist, and the tightness which made it so hard to breathe before reasserted itself.

He reluctantly let go of his father. "I'm gonna go now, because mom's been patient...and I don't know how much more I can take. But we'll be right here, standing by until this thing works."

Tim backed toward the curtain, and nearly ran into his purple-masked uncle. Donatello steadied him with a firm hand on his shell, and peace washed over his mind like a tidal wave.

"He's all yours, Ojisan."

Don smiled. "Don't go far."

The relief flooding his spirit made the youth grin in return. "Thank you."

"For what, Tim?"

"For believing."


	16. Catch Up

Donatello experienced a strong sense of anticipation as he stood watch at his blue-masked brother's side. He'd kept a sharp eye on Leo's vitals and taken steps over the last hour to wean the older turtle off the ventilator. The process had gone smoothly, and Leonardo merely had a respirator mask left in place for the sake of Don's remaining nerves.

Despite the excitement of the rest of the medical team, they'd been giving Don a wide berth. Luke had barely spoken that evening period. _Doc isn't himself – not by a long shot._ It was strange for the man to be evasive in a desperate time, but not surprising, given the circumstances.

 _Doc is going to have to get past what he did somehow. I can't pretend to like it, but the amount of guilt he's experiencing isn't healthy either._ He shook his head with a heavy sigh. _But it's not only guilt. It's got to be a combination of everything we've been through in the last few days. Not the least of which...that one of his kids was chased down in broad daylight, by a group we still can't identify._

 _All of our family's lives are in danger. We have to assume that everyone is fair game. No way_ that _could be upsetting Doc or anything._ He rested his chin in one hand as discouragement asserted itself. _How can our people live this way? Where are they supposed to go? If this group wants to get a hold of them, there's no doubt they'll try again._

 _Our family would be better off abandoning the city altogether. I'd rather be with them, but we_ have _to track down these jokers. It's not the first time we'll have been separated, and it probably won't be the last. If we don't-_

A medium-loud beep from Leonardo's monitor broke the purple-masked turtle out of thought, and had him spinning in the desk chair. The screen indicated a small spike in his brother's pulse rate. It was far from catastrophic; merely another visual cue that the blue-masked turtle was close to waking.

He scooted his chair closer to the bed and rested his arms on his knees impatiently. _The only thing that matters right now is if Leo's okay. Once we're over this obstacle, we can focus on everything else._ The subtle deepening of his brother's breathing made Donatello stretch to reach his arm.

"Leo?"

The older turtle murmured something indiscernible.

"Leo, can you open your eyes?"

His brother rolled his neck Donatello's direction, and the purple-masked turtle felt himself grinning before Leo's glazed stare met him. Leonardo's brow furrowed with confusion while he touched the mask covering his mouth.

Donny reached to remove it for him. "Can you take a deep breath for me? Tell me how it feels."

Dark eyes never left his face while his brother followed the instruction. "It...it's fine. W-what's going on? This isn't...the lab?"

"I need you to be a little patient, because it's going to take a while to catch up, bro."

"Patient?" Leo got his elbows underneath him and maneuvered upright. "This is the _old_ lab, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is."

"And...something's wrong with me?"

"I could tell you what _was_ wrong with you, but it won't make the situation any less confusing."

"Am I hurt somehow?"

"No. We were sick, Leo, all of us. But like I said, it will take time to explain properly."

Leonardo sat up straighter. "I don't feel sick."

Don repressed the urge to smile for the sake of his bewildered brother. "How _do_ you feel?"

"Like I could run for a hundred miles. I'm betting you won't let me."

"Couldn't recommend it yet."

"Don, why are we here? I'm trying to figure this out, but I can't. You said _we_ were sick."

Donatello nodded. "It was bad, Leo."

"I need a much better explanation."

"I promise we'll tell you everything, but I think your wife would like to see you first."

When Leonardo swung his frame over the side of the bed, Donny's knee-jerk reaction was to stop him, despite remembering how _he'd_ woken up.

"Take it slow, Leo. Test everything out before you try going anywhere."

His brother's eyes reflected surprise. "You're not going to hold me down?"

"The medic in me would prefer you not to move around, but considering that one of the first things I did after waking up was run out of the room? I don't have a right to stand in your way."

Leonardo massaged his temples, though it didn't appear he was in pain. "Tell me something that makes sense."

"Everyone's going to be happy to see you, and the family could use the lift. Let's get you reconnected with Calley, and then we can meet-"

The snatching open of the partition made Don look over his shoulder.

Calley peered inside with more hesitation than which she'd attacked the curtain, but when she fixed on Leo, she dove across the room. "I knew I heard your voice!"

The purple-masked turtle slowly edged away from the pair, backing to the partition as she wrapped her arms around his brother's neck. He hadn't wanted to leave Calley with the responsibility of filling in the details for Leonardo, but something told him the woman would be able to temporarily satisfy him another way.

* * *

Roughly forty minutes later, everyone was once again jam-packed into the limited space of the living area, and Leonardo had been debriefed on everything that happened during his absence.

Donatello felt his oldest brother handled the information overload stoically, only asking the occasional question while Alexis and Jon finished telling of their encounter on the street the day before.

"There was nothing that stood out about the man?" Leo verified.

The fourteen-year-old girl shook her head. "No, only that he'd been spying on me _and_ Jonathan. It didn't seem right. And when they followed us after the way we left, we knew they were bad news."

Leo's wheels were clearly turning. "But he never tried to talk to you?"

"No one said anything, not until Brandon had another against the building," Jon answered.

Leonardo's gaze flicked over to the Latin man, who didn't quite meet his eyes. "I see what you were trying to do, guys, but acting alone probably wasn't the best choice."

"It _probably_ wasn't?" Raphael was incredulous. "Fearless, anything could have happened, and we wouldn't have known about any of it!"

Leonardo extended an arm across his brother's shoulder. "Raph, let's not do this, okay? This isn't a moment for arguments and lectures, or even being mad at each other." He gave Jazz a meaningful look, which the woman appeared to brush off. "It sounds like all of you are in very real danger, and we have to do something about it."

"Oh yeah, I know this part," Jenna muttered darkly. "It's where you send away the 'helpless' ones, while you stay behind to fight every demon from hell."

Don rested his palm on top of her hand in an effort to calm the raven-haired woman, but she only gave him an annoyed glance.

"You can't blame me for complaining, Don. It's the same old song, and the twentieth verse!"

"It's clearly not safe for you to be here," Leo said logically, his voice remaining even.

"Or any of you," Karina replied bluntly. "Forgive me, but that's how this started – with _you_ in trouble."

"That's _why_ we gotta handle it," Raphael returned. "Are we supposed to let these idiots hunt us down, or keep coming after you? It won't happen!"

"While separating seems like the reasonable option, how will anyone's safety be guaranteed?" Sayuri wondered.

"And I'm just curious," Jayden ventured. "Where exactly do _we_ fall in this plan?"

The four brothers automatically looked at each other.

"There hasn't been time to discuss anything, Jayden," Leo said evasively.

"I knew it!" The young purple-masked turtle crossed his arms with a huff.

"Jayden." Donatello's voice was low, yet sharp. "Not right now."

His son stared at the wall, knowing better than to keep talking, but nowhere near diffused.

"I don't think any decisions should be made tonight," Timothy volunteered. "It's late, and everyone is emotional and tired. We need time to process, and quite frankly, Leo's got to rest."

The blue-masked turtle fidgeted on the couch. "I'd feel better for a run first. I'd probably outpace Mikey."

The orange-masked turtle broke the somber atmosphere with a high-pitched laugh. "I'll take that bet, fearless leader." At Donatello's disapproving look, his younger brother hung his head. "Or I could wait a few more days, since the wardens are still on my shell."

"Is it that bad?" Leo glanced at Don, then to the other medical members scattered throughout the circle.

"They're still very anemic," Luke offered. "We don't have any more blood to offer Mike and Raphael yet, with the exception of the twins'. Even with the...incredible effect it's had on you and Don, I don't want to ration it out for the heck of it."

Mike pouted. "Yeah – only the 'special' people get the magic juice."

Donny heard his daughter's light scoff from where _he_ was sitting, and gave her an apologetic smile. "We're grateful we had their reserve to fall back on."

Jayden bore a sudden smirk. "And now you both get to say we _totally_ saved your shells."

Leonardo nodded, taking the cocky teenager in stride. "Yes. We do have you to thank for it." He paused for a few moments, and went on. "Timothy's right. It's late and we aren't going to figure this out tonight so...Let's try to keep the peace in the meantime, and we'll catch up tomorrow."

Don felt overwhelmed at the prospect of putting off the inevitable. _A night's sleep won't change how anyone feels about the almost definite separation coming. Particularly those I call my own. This is not going to be easy._

* * *

The purple-masked turtle watched his wife change out of her clothes; a process which was taking much longer than usual. While he didn't want to argue with the woman, her silence was unnerving too. At the same time, he wasn't tempted to say anything to stir Jenna up. Instead he kept his mouth shut, and waited patiently on the side of the bed for her to join him.

Jenna finally looked over. "Do you suppose anyone _besides_ you and your brothers will have a say on who goes?"

"Jen, not tonight, please? You heard Leo. No one's had time to talk about anything."

"That's true, but history tends to repeat itself. I can already see where this is going, but I'm very concerned about what it will mean for our twins. They need protection more than ever."

His eye ridges rose curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You haven't considered it already? I find that hard to believe."

"Considered what, Jen?"

"The new risks we're facing on top of everything else! Donny, our twins have something that an untold number of people, both good and evil, would love to get their hands on."

He bent over suddenly with the shock of what she was implying. He was ashamed to admit it _hadn't_ occurred to him. "I guess...I didn't consider the possibilities yet."

"Don, _no one_ can know. Nobody outside of our circle can find out about them!"

"They won't," he insisted. "We won't let anyone get their hands on the twins, Jenna, believe me!"

"And how will you stop them? If the kids are hiding while you're hunting for the enemy, what's to prevent them from finding us?"

"That's _why_ you have to get into hiding!"

"But it's not that simple now! They've had time to research us, Donny. They found Alexis and Jon out in public, which means they were already in the area. They're probably on to the hotel, waiting for more opportunities!"

"You might be giving them too much credit."

"Don, they had _you!_ What's gonna stop them from getting the rest of us?"

"We'll find them FIRST!" His fist pounded the mattress to accentuate his point. "We'll find them, and we'll take them out before they get close to anyone else."

"Or, they'll finish the job they started in their lab."

"You...really think we can't handle this?"

"How could I know for certain, Donny? You four are incredible together, but you're not invincible. That's never been more clear."

"What exactly do you want us to do?"

"Sometimes it takes more than skill and stubbornness to win. And some battles shouldn't be fought at all."

He stared at her without speaking for a good thirty seconds. "You don't want us to go after them?"

"What I want is for my entire family to survive. And if that means running together, it's where my vote lies, if it even counts for anything."

"Of course your vote counts, Jen, but...You want us to allow these people to keep going, continue searching for us? Do you wanna be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life, wondering when they'll track us down?"

"If we stay far enough away, they won't be able to."

"But you don't know that either!" Donatello flopped onto his side, utterly frustrated with the direction the conversation had gone. "There's a time when a tactical retreat is the best option, but in this case, I don't think we have a choice."

"You never do." She seethed. "You're bound and determined to fight every battle and face down all the villains, until one day our world truly ends. Then the rest of us will be left with nothing."

"What are you saying? Is this about our elusive hunters, or are you talking about the 'career' in general?"

"Will it ever be over?" she asked wearily. "I chose you, Donny, and I chose this life. I don't regret it for one second. But sometimes I lay awake at night, wondering if you'll still come home if I dare to fall asleep too early. I tell myself you have each others' backs – not that it made _any_ difference last week."

"I don't know what to say." His voice felt powerless. "I'm sorry I put you through it, Jen. I...I don't want to hurt you or our family for anything."

She stared back at him with the first stirring of sympathy in her light blue eyes. "If I didn't know that, I wouldn't be here. But seriously, at some point...if you guys never choose to retire, you know it will end that way. I hate thinking about it, but burying the worry doesn't work either."

His hand strayed to brush her dark hair as he desperately searched for reassurance within himself.

"It isn't fair for me to complain when I signed up for this, but I can't help it, Donny. I don't want to lose you, my brothers, or our kids. I'm elated that the twins were able to help you and Leo when nothing else could have, but I'm also more scared than ever." She closed her palm over the fingers stroking her hair. "I want to build a giant cocoon and protect everyone for the rest of their lives."

"I doubt you could create one big enough," he said, hopeful she was beginning to relax.

"If you agreed to give up the vigilante gig, I bet we could make it work."

Her wistful look made him cringe. "I'm certainly in no position to speak for anyone else-"

An unexpected high-pitched beep in the background made the turtle jump, and Jenna collided with his plastron.

"What was that?" It felt like the woman would have crawled _inside_ his shell if she were able.

His hand flailed to the side table for his tablet, and Donatello rolled his fingers across the screen to catch the scrolling alert. "Security breach at Yousai," he said tightly. "Let me take a closer look." Donatello withdrew his other hand from the woman so he could type faster. "Cameras failing across the board."

"But we're not there, so...so it'll be all right."

"Yeah..." Don was distracted by signing in remotely to access the secondary network of surveillance that operated under a different frequency than those which had already gone down. "Still like to know what's going on. Hopefully this will work..." He was talking to himself, but the way she gripped his arm indicated Jenna didn't notice.

He swallowed when he realized the source of the breach originated on the subterranean level. _Holy shell. They're already underground. I don't like where this is headed..._

"Can you see anything?" Jen persisted.

"Give me a minute." The supplemental bank of lenses wasn't as elaborate as his base network, and didn't involve nearly as many cameras. It was designed more to be unobtrusive than it was thorough. _But I should still be able to catch something._

He caught his breath at the sight of thin, dark shapes on the feed, which appeared entirely too slender. Don typed in a command to switch to infrared, squinting at the screen to make sense of the figures filtering through their tunnels.

"What is it?" Jenna was peering over his shoulder. "Don, they don't look right. Is the camera distorting?

The turtle covered his mouth with a sudden curse of recognition. He _knew_ those shapes now, remembered them from a night emblazoned on his memory. He dropped the tablet as if it were on fire and drew Jenna into a fiercely protective embrace.

"It's Lendano. We're screwed."


	17. Decide

Leonardo could see weariness in every other person in the room, but couldn't claim to be tired. _Stressed, angry, and overwhelmed, but not tired._

It was a little after 2AM, and they were doing _precisely_ what the blue-masked turtle hadn't wanted to engage in that evening: trying to make an immediate decision.

While their kids were currently out of the conference, he'd even been so bold as to call Matthew Kelley to join them. The group was huddled in the lab, away from prying eyes and the emotional outbursts that would only lengthen the process.

"I really debated whether or not to speak up tonight," Don said morosely. "I'm sure no one feels like doing this, but knowing the source of everything unholy changes everything."

"You were right to tell us," Leo confirmed. "They're investigating Yousai as we speak, they've already found their way underground...and the likelihood that they'll follow this track is high. Granted, we're a few miles out, and the tunnel network isn't simple to navigate, but their tech is impossible to predict. There's no telling what they might be using, or how long it could take to find us. Staying here isn't an option – not that it ever really was."

"The boldness of their move against Alexis and Jon unnerves me," Kelley mentioned. "Trying something that risky speaks of their desperation...and it also means they're escalating."

"With no one safe, my vote is for everyone to go," Luke said firmly. "Get out of the state, regroup before trying to do anything else. I'd hoped to move us to Lotus Salvus from the start-"

Matthew held up a hand to stop him. "Begging your pardon, Dr. Barrows, but that doesn't seem like a viable option anymore."

"Why?" April was obviously confused. "The location and the space is exactly what we need. We've turned to North Carolina too many times to count."

Kelley sighed. "That was before any of _you_ were targets. Lendano has already studied the Barrows family...remember? They probably know about all your holdings, including the lodge in North Carolina."

Greg grimaced. "In that case...the remoteness of Lotus Salvus would only work against us. Lendano would be completely free to act in the wilderness, and the chance of any other witnesses outside of our family would be small. They'd probably love it if we ran there!"

"You have to consider yourselves fugitives," Matthew continued. "You've got to get off the grid completely."

"You wanna tell me how over thirty people should just disappear?" Raphael snapped.

"It sounds like we still have to split up," Marc said tightly.

"Oh, shell no," Mike interjected. "How is anyone supposed to be safe by themselves? We can't risk going different directions. I mean, I'm sure no one wants to anyway. But doesn't it seem like people would be in more danger?"

"It's dangerous, but we're also more noticeable as a group," Kat returned bleakly. "There doesn't seem to be a good option this time."

Don shook his head stubbornly."If we found a remote enough place to hide, we could do it. It's only a matter of where do we go? What's the last place Lendano would look for us?"

"Normally, it would make sense to go somewhere out of public reach," Timothy noted. "But hiding in plain sight could be the best tactic."

"What does that even mean?" Rebecca moaned wearily.

Leonardo eyed Timothy keenly. "You have an idea, don't you?"

"Not me exactly." Timothy glanced at Victoria. "You want to tell them? I think it makes sense to bring all the options to the table."

Victoria quietly rose and walked to Donatello. "I want to show you something. May I have your phone?"

Don had set up his personal device to mirror the largest screen in the lab. Leo was perplexed by what Victoria could be looking up, but kept the question to himself as the first couple images from a search engine appeared on the big screen.

His mouth dropped slightly as a photo was enlarged, depicting a brick-work arched tunnel that opened to a creek surrounded by lush greenery. The next picture displayed a wider passageway with cathedral-esque features, unlike any he'd witnessed underground.

Victoria shifted through photos at a steady clip, several containing bricked arches like the first, along with a mixture of stone, corrugated steel, tiles, cement, and a material that more closely resembled the stalactites one might see in a cavern.

"Where on Earth is this?" Leonardo finally asked.

"A little under 400 miles north," she replied. "You remember my trip to Quebec last month for the UN-backed forum?"

"Montreal." Donatello's tone suggested both terror and awe. "You're thinking Canada?"

Victoria nodded. "Yes. There are more than 3,000 miles of tunnel-work beneath the city, with some sections dating back to 1832. A lot of these pictures look too fantastic to be real, but they are."

The room had grown so silent, Leonardo picked up the small variations in breathing of those sitting around him.

"Could it be done?" Brandon ventured. "Would it be possible to completely rebuild? In another country?"

"Anything can be done, Bran." There was still anger in Jazz's voice. "But it takes time."

Leo looked to his purple-masked brother for input.

"To get a working infrastructure, an environment that would be habitable for Winter...we're talking months," Don filled in. "So there's the question of where we would go in the meantime."

Victoria actually smiled. "I've thought of that too. Did you know Montreal also has an underground city?"

The blue-masked turtle was intrigued. "As in, literally underground?"

"Most of it isn't. The term applies to a series of interconnected office towers, hotels, shopping malls, residential and commercial complexes, convention halls, and even universities which are referred to as 'downtown Montreal'. The underground part was coined because of subterranean connections between buildings, creating a network which is also seamlessly integrated with their metro system.

"Although many of the key passages and access points are at street level, there are huge commercial sectors which are _entirely_ underground. The network is also largely climate controlled, making it ideal for all weather conditions."

"In other words...a ton of people use it," Raph said suspiciously.

Victoria fixed on the red-masked turtle. "A lot of people live in New York City, and yet, your family found ways to coexist with them, while remaining safely separate. I'm not saying it's a perfect plan or the ideal strategy, but it's something to consider. That's all." She gave Don back his phone, and returned to her seat.

"This will require a lot more research," Luke mumbled.

"Agreed," Leo said swiftly. "But I'd rather not put the time into it unless this is a route we're willing to consider. If someone has another idea, speak up."

Raphael looked at him expectantly. "What about you, Fearless? What's going through _your_ head?"

"Initially, I was thinking about another city further away. Chicago, or even Seattle. I concur that running somewhere remote, while it may feel safer, actually isn't. Not when our whole family is under scrutiny. Leaving the country never entered my mind, but the evidence Victoria presented is compelling. Even in the small nuggets she's shared, I think it's worth pursuing."

"Well...we may be able to sneak you guys in with the Gulfstream, but the rest of us have to do this legally." Greg sounded doubtful. "That would mean leaving a trail."

Matthew made a scoffing sound. "If you were dealing with ordinary people. Do you have any idea how many individuals the US government has helped disappear off the face of the Earth? It's a project, don't get me wrong, but it can be done."

"We're going to do this." Calley sounded like she meant it as a question, but it came out more as a statement.

"I'm not making the decision," Leonardo told the group. "I told you my opinion. If there are more ideas, we need to hear them."

"It'd be a great time to phone a friend on another world," Mike said cheekily. "Still working on those inter-planetary radios, Donny?"

Donatello rolled his eyes. "I'm too tired to mess around, Mikey. Can we stick to actual suggestions?"

"We could, if anybody had one. But it sure don't seem like we do," Raphael stated glumly.

"Don, can we have some paper?" Leo requested. The purple-masked turtle grabbed a few sheets from the desk wordlessly, and Leonardo turned to Calley and Karina. "Would you tear up enough strips for everyone to have one? I think we'll have to share pens."

"Are we voting?" Sayuri asked timidly.

The blue-masked turtle nodded. "Secret ballot. Simple yes or no."

"We're really doing this?" Brandon murmured. "You never cared about what everyone wanted before."

Leonardo gave the man a mild glare. "Not caring has nothing to do with it, and everything's different this time. The danger means we're all affected."

Brandon dared to snort. "It effected us before too."

"Would you just shut it and take the paper?" Jazz demanded.

They weren't the words Leonardo wanted to hear from her, but at least the man sullenly obeyed. The oldest turtle nodded at his brothers to accept scraps too. He felt dread building as papers were combined, and passed over in a bag to be counted.

"Would you?" he requested of Calley.

Leonardo had no idea which direction the additional 20 votes would go in, or what he would do if others disagreed with the action. _We can't force anyone_ or _everyone to come with us. But if they don't, we also won't be able to protect them. Maybe they_ would _be better off on their own. It would sure be easier to hide. Get a new identity, start over somewhere far away...How can we ask anyone to make this choice at the drop of a hat?_

"Leo?" Calley's low voice drew him out of terrified contemplation. "Twenty-one votes accounted for."

"And?" He was afraid to ask.

"All in favor."

Leonardo breathed an automatic inward sigh of relief, but still cringed. "Are you guys sure? This level of commitment was never required of anyone."

"We'll be together," Becky reminded him. "That's the important thing. We can figure everything else out as we go along."

Kelley cleared his throat. "As the only non-voting member present, I say the sooner, the better. The technology from Ravensrock was mind-boggling, and I have a feeling it was the tip of the iceberg. You need to get out of the city, and I will exercise every resource at my disposal to help however I can."

"You wanna send an EMP with us too?" Don asked faintly.

"If I thought one would kill the group, I'd almost be willing to set it off within city limits."

At Leo's sharp glance, the man shrugged. "EMP's kill electronics, not people."

"But it causes catastrophes that _can_ kill people," the blue-masked turtle argued.

"Leo, I'm not doing it," Kelley reassured him. "It's only wishful thinking."

Leonardo softened, barely withholding a smirk. "You'll miss us, huh?"

"The whole city will, though most of them won't know it."

"Well, hey...it's not like forever, right?" Michelangelo squeaked. "Lendano's gotta go down at some point, and we _will_ have a part to play."

Leonardo didn't want to discourage his youngest brother or anyone else, but they couldn't discuss that route yet. "First priority is getting our people to safety. How we regroup and whatever action we take against Lendano is on hold. For now."

Raphael sighed heavily. "Kids are gonna be pissed we did this without them."

"We'll just have to deal with it," Scott unexpectedly broke his silence. "There aren't many choices, and this one's better than what _I_ imagined." The man hung his head slightly. "I thought it would come down to separating, and I wasn't looking forward to it. Staying together is harder, but in the end, I believe it's worth it."

"I'd like to say I'm relieved too," Julie added. "Though we haven't been here as long as the rest of you, we've come to view everyone as family. For better or worse, we want to be together."

Leonardo stared around the inner circle of companions for a few seconds. "We couldn't ask for better friends, but this is exactly what none of us ever wanted for you."

"And it isn't your fault in any way, shape, or form," Caleb insisted.

"This isn't an inconvenience," Leo negated. "It's not a minor detour. Your entire lives are being turned upside down-"

"How many times must we say it?" Sayuri interrupted in uncharacteristic fashion. "This family IS our life. Do you expect us to walk away and forget you existed?"

"Your lives would be easier if you did," Leo said to himself, though he was sure some of the others heard it.

"That kind of talk has to stop here," Greg ordered. "We have to consider who the move will be the hardest on...and that includes those who aren't in the room. If you feel guilty, they're going to pick up on it, particularly _your_ son. They'll feel guilty too."

Mike folded his arms defensively. "How are we supposed to act? Like we're happy this happened? Ecstatic over everything being messed up?"

"Not what anyone is suggesting," Timothy said smoothly. "No one ought to bother faking it, you especially, Mike. We need to band together here and now. We have to try not to argue." He paused to give Brandon and Jazz a glance. "And we've got to focus on family, instead of what we're leaving behind. It's not easy for any of us, but I know..." The man hesitated. "I understand what the city means to the four of you," he finished, focusing on the turtles.

Leonardo shifted in his seat awkwardly. "I...I feel it's best to keep emotions out of it right now."

"If you do that, some of the kids will think they need to suck it up and deal with it silently too," Karina warned. "No one wants you to break down tonight, though we all feel like it. The last week has had so many low points, mixed in with a couple high ones. You have to be honest with them and us, or you can't expect them to do the same."

"That's fine, Kari. We'll schedule a cry fest later, and then everybody will be okay," Raphael said bitterly.

The dangerous look the Latina sent his red-masked brother's direction was enough to make _Leo's_ heart skip, and Raphael slouched down further in his seat.

"We'll deal with everything at the proper time, with your help," Leonardo clarified, quickly grabbing the reins of the conversation back. "We have to plan our next move...such as when we intend to leave."

Kelley shook his head. "If I had it my way, you'd be out the door right now."

"We have advance warning," Don pointed out. "Our cameras in the tunnel are intact, granting us plenty of opportunity-"

"Donatello," Kelley injected. "May I remind you, we have no idea what kind of tools they're working with? How close do you want to let them get? They're already underground."

The purple-masked turtle rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Okay. We need to be out the door."

"But we need to know where we're going," Jenna chimed in. "We can't show up in Montreal and get a hotel for everyone. I don't want to cross into Canada without any clue where our kids will be safe."

"I'm already on it." Luke held up his phone. "Ideally, we'll find something completely subterranean in the underground city. There must be _some_ vacant commercial property we could take over."

"How are we supposed to do any of it without leaving a trail?" Brandon ignored Jazz's glare that time. "I'm not trying to play the devil's advocate. But we have to think about this stuff."

"Because you aren't acting alone," Matthew clipped. "Your holdings, money, patents, everything has got to be transferred to new identities. It will take a while to populate _all_ of you, but I know where to start."

"Finding a suitable building is the first task," Luke said. "Once we have somewhere safe to land, it's downhill from there."

Leonardo wanted to groan. _Yeah, just as downhill as the rest of the week has been. I'd settle for things improving a little, but I'm not holding my breath._

* * *

 ***I sincerely love fiction, but on occasions, I find reality to be even more compelling. Every word Victoria told them about Montreal is true. Whereas "real life" sewers of New York aren't somewhere anyone could/would want to live, those in this particular city have to be seen to be believed. It was actually a conversation with a well-traveled friend (who is completely clueless as to the nature of my fiction) that led me to glance this direction. I was intrigued by the idea of an underground city for starters, but when I researched further and got my first glimpse of the historic sewer system, I was sold. You HAVE to see these pictures. Link on my page, Legacy of Loyalty.**


	18. Running

Michelangelo typically loved flying. It wasn't often the family chose to go anywhere with the exception of Lotus Salvus, but he seriously regretted that their old standby wasn't an option. _I see what Kelley and Heff were saying, though. Out there in the wilderness Lendano could go all "Hunger Games" ***** on us, and we wouldn't have anywhere to run. Even if we're being chased by something, a city's an easier place to hide._

As stressful and harried as the day had been, what would be a ninety minute plane ride was proving to be the most uncomfortable part of all. Raphael's prediction that the kids would be "pissed" proved to be a gross understatement.

With the earlier activity in the lair, it'd been simpler to avoid the unspoken friction with their young ones. Being trapped with them at 40,000 feet was another story. The orange-masked turtle generally wasn't intimidated by their "students", but he also didn't enjoy having anyone mad at him – especially when it came to his own kid.

His gaze shifted to Nathaniel glaring stonily out the window. It was the same position his son had been in since the Gulfstream had taken off. _I wish they would say something. I don't know...Maybe the kids don't get to the guys the way it does me, but yelling and fighting would almost be better than this._

Mike continued staring at the back of Nate's head, imagining the youth might notice. If he did, his son chose to ignore him. Fingers lightly grazed his arm, drawing Michelangelo to turn to the curly-haired woman contemplating _him_.

"They aren't just mad at you," she said softly.

"Like that makes it better?" he whispered. "Things already suck. I wanna fix this, but none of us can. I don't even blame them for being ticked."

Rebecca looked down briefly. "Give them time. It's a lot to process, and they're young."

"I don't know how much Leo will put up with," he said honestly. His oldest brother wasn't a complete slave driver, but as leader of the clan he expected a measure of respect. Mike wasn't sure any of the kids besides Tim would relinquish the required honor in their present frame of mind.

Michelangelo stole a glance over his shoulder to where the young blue-masked turtle was huddled in a corner near the back of the plane, not bothering with a seat. Tim's head was buried in his hoodie so that Mike couldn't see his face, but he knew the teen was in turmoil. He wanted to go to him – multiple people had already tried – but Tim rejected everyone.

Becky's hand on his shoulder pulled him in a second time. "It's going to be an adjustment for everyone."

"An adjustment?" He barely kept his voice down. "Beck, it's like we've been banished! And not just us: you guys! Does Kelley expect you to go underground for the rest of your lives and never see the light of day again? We _have_ to deal with Lendano! It's the only way to end this."

"But that's the problem, Mikey. Going after anyone, like say the men who chased Alexis and Jon, is similar to only addressing the symptoms of a disease. Taking out the middle men won't get you anywhere. An organized entity like Lendano...there's no telling where the heart of the group lies. Jazz said they could be based off at least three different continents, with any number of other allies-"

"There has to be something we can do besides run." His voice was fierce despite its softness. "It feels like we're letting them win."

"I know it's frustrating."

"It's more than that! You really _are_ giving up everything for us now. Timothy's leaving the police force entirely, when he was up for that promotion. Victoria's off diplomatic duty for who knows how long, and what about your work with the Congo? What happens to the joint session Victoria secured for you with the UN? You guys have to abandon it all for us."

"But it isn't because of you." She gripped his arm sharply to convey her point. "You're not responsible for Lendano, or anything they've done. I don't know what will happen with any of our jobs or projects, Mikey, but stepping back is better than seeing people I care about end up dead. I...I can't..." The woman quivered, bracing arms across her chest. "I can't watch my family die around me. Not again."

"Becky, no." Michelangelo quickly drew her toward him. He hadn't considered the effect of recent events combining with inner trauma from her family's murder years before. "That's not gonna happen. We'll make sure."

She curled against his plastron on the seat. "If it did, they'd have to take me out too. I'm not doing it, Mike."

" _Nobody's_ taking us out – or you," he emphasized. "We're running, doing the right thing, even though we hate it."

"What if they find us?" She barely breathed the question.

He didn't know how to comfort her, so Mike stalled for a long moment, brushing an unruly curl off her forehead. "Then we'll have to show them what we're made of. But, Beck, Kelley seems to know what he's doing. He wouldn't be investing time into this if he thought it was a waste of effort. We're gonna get through everything. Maybe someday, life will be normal again."

She raised her eyebrows. "You say that like it was normal before."

He chuckled lowly, grateful it was still _possible_ to laugh. "At least we keep things interesting."

"I vote for some boring downtime in our lives."

"Becky, I am many things...but 'boring' ain't one of them."

The woman giggled quietly in his ear. "No...thank God for that."

"Maybe we can find a way for you to still do some Congo stuff," he added hopefully. "No one can kill you over the phone, right?"

"Phone calls are pretty easy to track in this day and age," she replied doubtfully. "We're not supposed to be touching our devices."

Mike felt the brief lightness slipping away like grains of sand through his fingers. "They shouldn't be able to hack Donny's stuff."

Becky shook her head. "It isn't wise to risk it, not knowing their technology. It's okay, Mike."

"No, it's not. What about Hisui and Kouhei? What about Shunshi? How do we know someone won't go after any of them? How do we keep in touch? Not being with us means anything could happen, and we wouldn't know."

"It's ultimately their decision. Shunshi wanted to come, but-"

"But he's worried about doing anything to draw attention to where we are," Mike said sourly. "That's why he's still in Okinawa. He explained it to Donny after talking with Kelley, but I'm worried about him. Just 'cause he's in Japan, it doesn't mean he's off Lendano's radar. If they studied Sayuri, they know he exists. Shun is all by himself."

The woman sighed. "I don't know what to tell you. I wish he was here too."

A low chime preceded an announcement over the loud speaker, drawing Mike to sit up in his seat.

"We're beginning our initial descent over Montreal Saint-Hubert Airport," Greg informed them. "Everyone should be in their seats now, until the plane has taxied to a complete stop. First priority upon landing is for our 'stow aways' to make for the hidden compartments. This airport is staffed by the Canadian Border Services Agency, and there's a chance they may choose to board the jet. Once we're cleared by Customs, Kelley has confirmed there will be a couple vehicles waiting for our use, and we will get you off the airstrip as fast as humanly possible. Have patience in the meantime, keep your heads down, and your mouths shut. Thank you for flying with Lola today, and may the Force be with you."

Mike snorted. "Heff gets more random all the time. Guy sure loves to hear himself talk."

"Like someone else we know, shellhead," Raph inserted gruffly.

"Tim, it's time to come up here," Leonardo called over his shoulder.

Michelangelo looked back to watch the fifteen-year-old rise and travel to the vacant seat on his father's right. Tim sat down without a word, staring straight ahead without a fixed object in sight.

"Guess you should get your own seat too. I know you can't keep your hands off me." He couldn't resist digging his fingers lightly into her sides as she sheepishly slipped off his lap.

"It's the _other_ way around, and you know it!"

"Guys," Raphael's voice cut in with quiet urgency. "Can you chill? I don't want Belle waking up."

Michelangelo glanced over guiltily. "Sorry, bro – not thinking."

Karina had the ten-month-old cradled against her shoulder. "She's been out for a while. As long as you're quiet, I think she'll be okay." The woman's eyes betrayed the nerves she didn't speak out loud.

Becky leaned toward Olivia's seat in front of them. "Starting now, we have to be careful not to startle the baby. Pass it on."

The red-masked female swallowed anxiously. "Okay. Will do."

All thoughts of teasing fled once more as the danger of what they were about to do hit Mike like a freight train. His own breathing felt unnaturally noisy while the Gulfstream descended, and finally came to rest on the tarmac. Paranoia built up so rapidly that he forgot the necessity to move, and Rebecca had to prod him into action.

"C'mon, Mikey. There's no telling if the agents will board or not."

He rose stiffly to file in a line with his brothers and the kids. Raphael was moving slowly with Isabelle clutched to his chest, like someone was preparing to take her from him.

"Dad, I think you should let me have Belle," Olivia spoke up. "You go down first, and I'll hand her to you."

It was very clear Raph didn't want to jostle the sleeping turtle, but climbing down with the use of one hand would be just as risky.

"Do it, Tortuga!" Karina urged. "We'll try to keep them occupied on the ground. Hopefully, they won't come anywhere near you guys."

The red-masked turtle listened that time, handing off the baby to his firstborn, before jumping down into the built-in compartment. Olivia cautiously gave Isabelle back to him, and then joined her father inside.

"May as well come down, Mikey," Raph told him. "We got room for ya in this one, but you gotta keep your mouth shut."

"I know, Raph." Mike wasn't even tempted to give his brother a hard time with the nerves in play. He'd hoped to be paired with Nate to have the chance to get his son to speak with him, but the young orange-masked turtle was already out of sight. So he settled into the crawl space across from his brother and nieces, pulling the seamless hatch closed behind him.

They would be stuck here now until someone came to let them out. Once the doors were reintegrated into the floor, they could only be released from the opposite side. The pitch darkness was suddenly illuminated by a small shaft of light from a phone. Olivia kept her flashlight trained downward away from the baby, providing just enough light to display their shadowy outlines.

Mike unintentionally held his breath while he listened for movement above them. The footfalls were light, reminiscent of their wives, and they seemed to be retreating. Waiting in the dark for something to happen was never his favorite part of _any_ mission. _But this isn't a mission. We freaking fled the country, and everyone's been dragged along with us into exile. Only this time, the exile is_ real _._

He rested his head in his hands with a deep sense if despair. Mike was preparing to sink into the cold, black pit they were about to be stuck in for the next few months, when a soft whimper jarred his neck upright.

"Shh, Belle it's okay," Raphael whispered, lightly bouncing the baby. "Go back to sleep."

The whimper evolved into a mild squawk of protest from the disoriented little turtle, and her father swore softly.

"Belle, please, baby, just be quiet. You can cry all you want later, but not now."

"Dad, don't get upset," Liv told him evenly. "It won't help."

"I'm trying. Can you shine the light over here a little?"

Olivia raised her phone to cast more illumination on the muscle-bound turtle, whose grip had already tightened around the baby. "Dad, you _have_ to calm down."

From the way his brother's jaw clenched and breathing quickened, it seemed to be the opposite of what he was doing.

"Raphy, deep breaths," Mike encouraged. "Slow, deep breaths."

"Yeah," he returned weakly. "Okay."

The sound of a tremendous _bang_ overhead made all of them jump, and Raphael's instantly engulfed his young daughter to muffle her startled cry.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he tried to soothe her. "Shh, settle down, Belle. It's okay, Dad's got you."

"Here, use this." Olivia thrust a dark-colored piece of material into his other hand. "Wrap it around her."

Raphael wasn't in the mood for questions or arguing. Michelangelo cocked his head while the baby nestled peacefully into the surrounding fabric, her fingers grasping hold of a zipper experimentally. Isabelle soothed rapidly under the affect of what Mike finally identified as a hooded jacket.

"Where'd you get this?" Raph asked.

"From mom – it smells like her. It worked wonders on Belle last Friday night when she was having trouble going to sleep."

"Thanks, Liv."

The twenty-year-old nodded, though she didn't bring herself to say "you're welcome".

Michelangelo was finally able to relax into a cross-legged position on the floor as Olivia scooted closer to him. Raphael remained rigid, hunched over, but still too anxious to rest. Mike made brief eye contact with Liv. He couldn't quite read her face in the low lighting, but her body language communicated that she was hurt.

 _Maybe it would have been more fair to have the kids in on the conversation, but it would have been harder too. We did what we had to. We can apologize for it later, but I'm sure this isn't the time to bring it up._ Instead, the orange-masked turtle remained silent, and returned to dreading what the next year might hold.

* * *

Mike wasn't keeping track of time, but he _felt_ like half the night had passed when the coded "all clear" knock sounded on the door above him. The orange-masked turtle was the first to pop up and gratefully poke his head out of the compartment, to find Greg motioning rapidly.

"Don't hesitate!" the man urged. "We've got the vans as close to the plane as possible. We tried to time it out when the soldiers were switching shifts. Jen and Calley are keeping an eye out for the replacements, while Becky and Karina are talking to our handlers."

"Handlers?" Mike stepped aside so Olivia could climb out.

Greg made a face. "A pair of border control officers that haven't left us alone. But I think the ladies have them under control, which means _you_ guys need to move."

Michelangelo spied his son emerging across the aisle, and made a beeline for him. Greg pursued him, and got a hand on both their shells to direct them.

"Go down the stairs. The vans are a few yards straight ahead, already open. Stow yourselves in the back, and stay down. Mike, go ahead with Nate. We'll send everyone out in pairs."

Mike swallowed as he cautiously descended a couple feet down the steps, looking left and right for unfriendlies. A nearby bark made him stiffen and hesitate at the halfway mark, and he noticed Nate cringe out of the corner of his eye. _Greg said not to hesitate. We've got to go!_

Mike began to inch forward, and Nathaniel grabbed his shoulder.

" _Wait,_ " the teen whispered.

"We can't," he returned softly.

"Just wait."

Michelangelo wanted to go, but forced his legs to remain planted. The night breeze picked up around the pair strong enough to unfurl their mask tails, and _that_ was when Nate gave him a nudge.

"Now, go, Dad!"

It wasn't until Mike's feet hit the tarmac that he realized what the eighteen-year-old perceived. _The direction of the wind threw off our scent. Man. The kid didn't get these smarts from me._

Mike edged around the shadows of the jet, and made for the van on his left. He silently leaped inside, heart racing while he buried himself in with the luggage as far forward as possible to leave room for others. After another beat, he turned to see the faint outline of his son, who'd arrived without a sound.

The older orange-masked turtle opened his mouth, but immediately closed it. He repeated the action three times before finally speaking. "Nate, will you talk to me now?"

"What do you want me to say?" The youth's voice gave away no emotion. "It's hardly the time to try this, Dad. I'd rather wait until we get _wherever_ we're going. Not that it makes any difference where we end up. The little kids are only along for the ride."

Mike hung his head slightly and shut his mouth. _Nope. Definitely not the time._

* * *

 ***The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins**


	19. Sneaking

***If you would like to "meet" the kids, stop by Legacy of Loyalty. The wonderful Faylinn Night has been working on my second generation in the background, and turned in the finished turtles to me last night. Hop over if you want to see them. I also updated Heff's representation, since he always looked so young. :)**

* * *

Doctor Ribiero held her breath while she submitted the request for a video conference. It hadn't been accepted the ten times she'd tried over the course of two days, so the woman held little hope this occasion would be any different. _But there is a chance that persistence will pay off. I can't give up._

Yasmin was slightly shocked when the link was made, but covered up her surprise with a disarming smile for the stone-faced Ambassador.

" _I believe I made myself perfectly clear when we last spoke, Doctor. Your continued attempts to contact me have done nothing to change my opinion of you."_

 _"You have right to be angry,"_ she returned. _"But I have news which is worthy of your time. Perhaps even worth rekindling a friendship?"_

 _"We tried to be friends with you for several years, woman, and all we received in return was betrayal and disappointment."_

 _"You may wish to hear what I have to say before you dismiss me. I could save you a lot of effort."_

 _"I will not make another agreement with you, Doctor. There is no excuse for your treasonous actions. We have nothing more to do with any of you."_

 _"There is still much we have to offer, if you would allow-"_

 _"I think you've misunderstood, Ribiero. We don't require your help. We never did. There are some of my own people who imagined an alliance between us could be beneficial, but I never felt like we needed anything from you. From this point, we are going forward alone. Whatever price you pay for throwing away such a valuable opportunity, it is your problem. Not ours. I am going to terminate this link, so it will be futile for you to continue trying to connect."_

 _"Ambassador, they're alive!"_ she blurted out, desperate to prevent him from going through with the threat. The pause on his end gave her reason for hope.

 _"You know this for certain?"_

 _"We didn't see them, but ARCIS infiltrated their home last night."_ Yasmin shook her head. _With somewhat more difficulty than I anticipated, but I don't need to tell_ you _that. "We found no sign of them, Ambassador, but-"_

 _"Then you have done nothing but waste my time yet again. Goodbye, Doctor."_

 _"Ambassador, wait! There's more."_

 _"Then I suggest you speak quickly."_

 _"They are hiding most of their contacts, but there is one who remains in plain sight nearby. He is the reason we know they're alive."_

 _"Why would they choose to hide all but one?"_

 _"I can't say for certain, except that his life seems to be more...separate from theirs. While the others appear to be fully integrated with the legendaries, this man is largely on the outskirts. It does not appear his family even has knowledge of them."_

 _"Do you intend to frighten him off like you did the rest?"_

 _"We are keeping an extremely careful distance, Ambassador. He is not only exceedingly valuable for his potential connection with the Phantoms, but he also holds a prominent position within the Federal Bureau of Investigation."_

Her correspondent chuckled. _"Such an ominous name, for an organization which no doubt accomplishes very little."_

She seized the small favor that seemed extended. _"We have not gone near his workplace or home. Getting the information we need was as simple as tapping into his vehicle."_

 _"His vehicle?"_

 _"That's where he converses with them – probably for the sake of privacy. We patched into his blue-tooth with the module you provided. I can tell you not only that the Phantoms live...but I also know where they're going."_

 _"I am not inclined to negotiate another deal with you, Doctor. These past few days have been one disaster after another, and my trust in you is utterly shaken."_

 _"They're already in Montreal! They crossed the Canadian border overnight."_ Giving up her best card wasn't planned, but it felt necessary. _"I don't know where they are exactly, because they haven't discussed that part. But all is not lost, Ambassador. If you can find it within yourself to give me another chance, you may discover we yet have some usefulness."_

 _"You will not be given another chance where my targets are concerned. Your people are not to set one foot in or around Montreal. Is that understood?"_

The harshness of the Ambassador's tone made the woman flinch, but she remained steady outwardly. _"We will make no move until you say so."_

 _"You will make no move at_ all, _"_ he corrected sternly. _"The legendaries are ours to pursue, and we will apprehend them without your assistance. There may still b_ _e some things we can do together, but I don't want to see you anywhere near them. With your continued interference, they would likely either end up dead, or buried so far in hiding it will take another four years to drag them out._

 _"I have not made a final decision about you, Doctor. But if we catch one trace of you or your organization in Canada, I will terminate more than this link."_

The promise sent chills down her spine, but she merely nodded. _"How will you track them when you are so far removed?"_

 _"That is not your concern, Ribiero. You are in the position of needing to prove yourself. I hope you can find some way to convince me it would be beneficial to keep you as a friend, but I don't have high expectations. Good day, Doctor."_

* * *

The only thing Nate desired was to escape the back of the van and get to his girlfriend. The stressful day of preparing to flee, coupled with the quiet infiltration of another country and separation with most of their family members had left everyone on edge.

The person he was currently most worried about was already waiting at their end goal. Anxiety for Reina had plagued Nate most of the day, and made him wish he could call her numerous times.

Nathaniel didn't know where they were heading, and at present, he didn't particularly care. Every time curiosity was roused over what was on the other side of tinted windows, the danger they were in quickly overpowered it. What could have been an amazing opportunity under better circumstances wasn't enough to make the teenager crack a smile.

It was difficult to ignore the glances that continually came from his dad's direction. _I didn't expect to have any say in what we did, or where we ended up. But to be eliminated from the discussion entirely? We're not kids anymore, even if that's how they choose to see us. I'm always telling Jayden to be patient. "Sure, give it time. One day, they'll respect us. They'll wake up and realize how strong they made us." I just didn't figure that day is probably another twenty years from now. At least I don't have to deal with my mom on top of it._ The women had taken a separate vehicle to get to their new home ahead of them. _It's even harder to ignore her than my dad._

The hurt was strong enough that he had no desire to speak about it. _Not while it's this fresh. Or with the others – well, besides Olivia, looking to me. Any bad attitudes on my part will automatically compound what my younger cousins are feeling. No. It's better to stay quiet until some emotions have died down._

Something flicked his arm, and Nate turned his head to make reluctant eye contact with his father.

"We're pulling into Saint Laurent," Mike told him. "Heff said our entrance point to the Underground City is a couple blocks out."

"I suppose there's a plan for navigating away from people," Nate muttered. _Not that I expect anyone to tell me._

"We're gonna use a service entrance," the older turtle returned. "It's early enough that most of the businesses are closed, but apparently it's still really well lit. We're taking the less...scenic route to be on the safe side."

"Long as _someone_ knows what we're doing, that's what matters." Bitterness came up, though Nate tried to contain it. _At least my cousins didn't hear it. I hope._

"Are you gonna give us a chance to make this up to you?" Mike asked earnestly.

There were several things Nate wanted to say to that, but he bit his tongue instead. His heart rate unconsciously accelerated even as the van they were riding in slowed down. _Knowing my family and our allies, all of these moves have been calculated and researched. They're aware of what they're doing. I have to keep my mouth shut for a while longer, and play along nicely. Eventually, I can tell them exactly how useless they made every one of us feel. For now, our safety means a lot more than my frustration._

Nathaniel jumped at the knock on the back door, though it used the same system which had been employed his entire life. He glanced around awkwardly, but if anyone else had seen him jerk in the dark interior of the van, they didn't say anything.

Greg's face was the first thing to appear on the other side. "Everything's set up, and we need to do this quick."

"Do _what_ quick?" Nate didn't mean to ask the question, but his mouth leaped ahead without him.

"Don's taking out some selective frequencies with his disrupter to kill several cameras, a handful of motion sensors, and a couple alarms."

Mike snorted. "Are we going underground, or trying to break into a bank?"

The sandy-haired man shook his head. "It's a hub for commerce, Mikey. Even a service entrance doesn't come unprotected. There are less people and opportunities for exposure, but these guys aren't stupid. That's why we need to get moving before Security has too much time to realize what's happening."

Nate climbed out of the van and circled around the car to the second, where a small huddle was already gathered around the entrance to the alley. Leonardo motioned for the teen to join them, then strode toward Nate's vehicle.

"We need to _move_ , Leo!" Donatello hissed after him.

"I know. I'm getting them," the blue-masked turtle called back. "Be prepared to take it out."

Nathaniel took a curious stance across from his purple-masked uncle. "It'll be a huge production whenever we want to go anywhere, huh?"

"Hopefully not after I've had a chance to integrate with their network," Donny replied without looking up from his tablet. "My plan is to design a back door, so my interference with their technology is much less noticeable. With the recent changes in the Underground City to be more energy efficient, there's even a chance I could use some of their new lighting features to our advantage. But that will take time, which we don't have right now." Don sent a harried glance over his shoulder. "I don't understand what could be taking this long."

Nate experienced an unexpected twinge of sympathy for his stressed out uncle, but possessed no words of encouragement. It also wasn't needed, not since Leonardo was currently leading the silent charge back to the alley with the stragglers.

"I'm _sorry_ , Leo, but do you want her waking up again?" Raphael's whisper was heated.

Nathaniel swallowed at the sight of the stirring ten-month old on his red-masked uncle's shoulder.

"No, but I prefer to get her away from other people as soon as possible," Leo returned smoothly. "I don't want to argue, Raph. Can we just go?"

The burly turtle gritted his teeth, but said nothing more.

Leonardo nodded to Donny. "Let it rip."

The young orange-masked turtle moved in right behind his genius uncle, interested to see what he would do. Donatello's fingers lit across the tablet before he dashed toward a small staircase that led to what appeared to be a cellar.

Don began to set his tablet down to deal with the door, but Nate held out a hand to take it from him.

"Could you give me a little light?" his uncle requested.

Nate tucked the tablet safely under his arm, and flicked the flashlight on his phone. _May as well make myself useful, since I'm practically on top of him._ His eyes widened while Donny attacked the knob with his tool kit. It wasn't the first occasion he'd watched the older turtle pick a lock, but it seemed to take less time than usual.

Nate resisted the urge to smile, but couldn't help commenting as he gave the tablet back to Donatello. "I think this is getting too easy for you."

"Everything's easy when you know what you're up against. Why do you think Kat, Timothy, Sayuri, and Brandon came out here so far ahead of everyone? They spent all day casing the best way for us to get in."

The teen's eye ridges rose. He'd found out their companions were long gone after he'd woken up that morning, but as he'd been avoiding speaking to any adults, Nate hadn't known why. It didn't matter very much at the time. _Not that it does now either. At least we've got people looking out for us, despite not agreeing with their methods._

Nathaniel silently followed Donatello into the unfamiliar space, and every sense was immediately heightened by the adrenaline flooding his veins. He heard nothing behind him, but when he looked back, saw a single file line of family members. In spite of the darkness, no one else bothered with flashlights. Nate kept his own trained downwards, to remain as unnoticeable as possible.

The only sound the teen heard was the occasional footfall, which he could definitely pin on Greg. He knew the man was doing his best to be quiet, but he simply lacked their unique skill set. _Can't blame him for being human._ Nathaniel smirked at the thought, but his heart skipped when a door closed in the distance.

He was further startled by movement off to his right, and jerked as a shadow started past him. The purple-masked turtle stretched out a hand to catch the man by the wrist.

"Heff, don't even _think_ about it," Don proclaimed dangerously.

"I'm not letting anyone find you here, Donny!" Greg whispered.

"Just shut it, and hold on," Donatello ordered, and threw a look at Nate. "Cut the light."

Nathaniel hurried to shut off the app, and held his breath when he heard approaching steps.

"Can you get a fix on it?" The nearby voice was slightly muffled, but still too close for comfort.

The young orange-masked turtle backpedaled slowly, tensing for the possibility of conflict. _I'm sure no one wants to hurt anybody, especially someone who's only doing their job. We can't. But the idea of people catching us isn't good either. We're already running. Where on Earth would we go from here?_

"I think it could be a breaker," someone called back. "I'll check the box, but we might need to call the Hub..."

Don drew out his tablet in slow motion, and with a few swift key strokes, the faint illumination coming from down the hall went out too. "I wasn't planning on taking all the power down, but we've got to keep them busy somehow. Guys, we _really_ need to get through here quickly." He urged the others.

"We're behind you, Ojisan," Nate told him.

"Hopefully they'll stick with the breaker theory long enough to check it out thoroughly. We have to move faster, in any case."

"Do what you have to, Don," Leo agreed, coming up behind Nate. "Do you have any sedatives on you?"

"A couple." Donatello sounded irritated. "As a last resort."

"Let me take them. You keep an eye on your program."

Nate fell back now that his Jonin was closer to the front. _No sense in me being in the way._

"Could you see anything up there?" Jayden popped up on his left.

"No," he replied. "We only heard the guys as they ran by."

"Dude. Someone needs to tell the cops that we're not the robbers," his mammoth cousin stage-whispered.

Nate bit his lip to keep from snorting openly. "It's not a game, Jay." He tried to project a serious tone.

"It it was, they'd be losing. We're hanging out here in one big cluster, and they still totally missed us. They need to go back to boot camp."

Charlotte ribbed her brother's side. "They're rent-a-cops, Jayden. What do you expect?"

"From the way our dads are acting? They could be the most deadly assassins known to mankind."

Nathaniel covered his mouth, and instantly shushed his over-sized cousin too. Jayden had the amazing effect of loosening up his rigid muscles without even trying, but there would be no relaxing yet. _Not until we get wherever we're going. And probably not even when we're_ there _. Our lives are about to be more confined than ever. Playing cops and robbers suddenly doesn't seem so bad._


	20. Moving In

Reina had been waiting on pins and needles for the others to arrive so long, she could have jumped for joy by the time the front door opened without any warning. The young woman found herself immediately counting family members, verifying that everyone was present, though she couldn't help lingering on Nate a few seconds longer.

"Shut the door," Luke ordered, running over to check the entrance himself, despite telling someone else to do it. From the way her father hovered at the doorway, it was clear the danger was far from past in his mind. "You're positive you weren't followed?"

Reina took note of Leonardo's incredulous glance, but it quickly shifted to a soothing expression. "Yes, Doc. No one saw us, and we weren't caught on any recordings. Don's technology took care of that."

"I'm sure you're tired." Luke made wary eye contact with the purple-masked turtle. "There's a lot to do, but it would be good for you to get some rest."

Donatello shook his head. "I need to get the foundation of my network erected first. I can't afford to take my time where our security is concerned."

"I'll give you some leeway, but you're _going_ to sleep before lunch," the doctor threatened. "Jen, can I trust you to make sure?"

The raven-haired woman nodded. "I'll enforce. And if I need back up, I know where to find him." She cast a wink at Jayden.

The young purple-masked turtle smiled faintly, but his gaze hardened when he found the older turtles looking to him.

Luke folded his arms in what Reina recognized as a self conscious gesture. "This is going to be a bit rudimentary for a while. Clearly what _used_ to be a hostel is a little more rundown than what I bargained for. It's not the Hilton, but...it could be worse, I suppose."

"You're never supposed to say that," Nate murmured, though it wasn't quite loud enough for everyone else to hear.

Reina circled around the group to get to the eighteen-year-old. "I'm glad you guys got here safe." She fixed him with a meaningful gaze.

Nate gathered her into a brief embrace, which she would have gladly held on to longer. The presence of several others is what probably cut it off sooner than she desired.

Jayden's trademark grin returned full force for her benefit. "You getting this place in shape for us?"

"That'll take more hands than mine, but I have had a few ideas today, " she confessed. "I need to get a hold of some paint."

Charlotte stared at the long hair-line fracture in the nearest wall. "It certainly needs your touch."

"Or a bulldozer," Jayden cracked softly.

Reina swatted the larger turtle's shoulder. "I'm already sketching it out in my head," the artist assured them. She looked across the room, to find the adults were discussing something quietly on their own. That was with the exception of Raphael, who was sneaking out of the room with the baby in one arm, and Karina on the other. There was also no sign of Olivia, but the young woman could guess where she'd disappeared to as well.

"Let them be." Nate motioned to the older turtles. "When they wanna tell us something, they will. Can you show us around?"

She nodded. "There are four levels, plus the basement. Do you want to start at the top, or the bottom?"

"How about we begin where we are?" Nate suggested.

"All right, gang, follow me." Reina pointed to the connecting doorway on the other end of the small space. "This first room we're standing in, I think it used to be where people registered after arriving. It's pretty tight, but my dad says there's potential to bring down the wall."

She led them into the next space, which was at least twice as large. "This was more of a common gathering area. But don't you see how much better it could be if the first wall was blown out?"

Nate snorted. "Your dad loves a project. If I know him, he's probably excited about it."

Reina forced a smile. _I'm sure he's too anxious to be excited about anything, but that's the sort of thing I'll keep to myself._ When Nate squeezed her hand, she saw the seriousness in his eyes, which belied the light conversation. _He knows it too, of course. Nate is simply attempting to make things feel more...normal. It couldn't be less impossible at the moment, but I sure love him for trying._

"Dining room isn't bad." She held open the next door, poking her head inside first. "Not quite big enough to handle a group our size all at once. But we could get used to eating in shifts."

Jayden snickered. "Sounds like a dream to me. The moms will never be able to keep track of when everyone's showed up. There's tons of potential to eat more than once if we play our cards right."

"You're gonna send the food bill through the roof," Tim finally spoke up. "But our moms probably wouldn't mind having more to do."

"Someone's bound to notice, Jay," Charlotte argued. "You won't pull a fast one on Karina. I can hear the conversation now-"

"''What about breakfast?'"* Jayden quoted with the appropriate Hobbit accent.

Charlotte gave him a stern look, but continued the game. "''You've already had it.'"

"''We've had _one_ , yes. What about second breakfast?''"

Tim shook his head with a small smile. "''I don't think she knows about second breakfast, Pip.'"

"'What about elevensies? Luncheon! Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?! She knows about them, doesn't she?"

Tim patted Jayden's shoulder comfortingly. "''I wouldn't count on it.'"

Reina exchanged a secretive glance with Nate, and was grateful for the genuine smile with which he returned. _It's going to be okay. It is. Everything else might be a bit broken down, but their spirits aren't. Not completely._

"Then we have the kitchen." The young woman cleared her throat with a small shudder. "Obviously, it's seen better days."

"Holy cow!" Jayden exclaimed. "Do you have magic in your brushes, Reina? 'Cause this room will need _all_ your super powers."

Reina cringed. _If only paint_ could _fix everything wrong with this outdated, cramped, sad excuse for a work space. First thing we'll need is a bigger fridge, if we can figure out how to make it fit._

"Yeah, this is...um..." Nate searched for something positive to say. "Cozy. And there's a ceiling...and hopefully working plumbing!"

The young woman chuckled in spite of herself. "Well...it's not Yousai, or anything like it. But we're alive and we get to be together, so there's that. I didn't manage to kill everyone after all." The failed attempt at a joke wasn't planned on her part, but the guilt poured out before Reina had a chance to think about it.

Nate's grip around her wrist tightened, almost too much. "Reina, this is not your fault," he pronounced each word emphatically.

She swallowed, desperately trying to curb the emotion which had been just under the surface the entire day, ever since learning the identity of their deadly pursuers. "You can't blame me for feeling the _tiniest_ bit responsible."

"Reina, don't," Nate said in her ear. "Don't do this to everyone. There are already enough miserable feelings to go around. If you fall back in the pit, a few of us are going down with you."

She hung her head at the orange-masked turtle's reference to the intense depression she'd experienced after Ravensrock. "I don't want to go back," Reina insisted. "But I don't know what to do either." She directed the statement toward everyone.

"None of us do," Tim pointed out. "Let's not pretend anyone's got it together. Let's just...try to be grateful for what we have left. We've got running water, right?" He quirked an eye ridge at the young woman, successfully drawing another laugh from her.

"It was probably designed in the 80s, but I'm fairly sure they were installing pipes back then," she replied impishly.

Nathaniel threw an arm around her shoulder. "Some of the best things in the world came out in the 80s." The warmth and security in his touch made the rougher details of their new "home" less important.

 _I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. We all have been. High highs, low lows...and not knowing what's coming around the corner. I wish I knew what to expect out of the next few months, but at least we're not doing any of it alone._

* * *

Charlotte mentally commanded herself to stay still upon the creaky frame of the bottom bunk bed which had probably housed more than it it's fair share of guests. Lying there was near torture for the young turtle. She was wide awake, and the pent up energy felt like fire coursing through her veins.

She wanted an escape from the dreadful events and fear that had driven them to run to their current basement dwelling in the hostel, but her wired body wasn't cooperating. Normally when this happened, Charlotte had options. There were sewers to run through, even if going to the surface wasn't feasible. There was also a dojo in which to strength train - her _other_ go-to outlet.

Here there were neither: the hostel was nothing more than an old building which couldn't muffle a single sound she made. _Especially the stupid bed I need to keep quiet so I don't end up bothering Olivia too. I can do this. I can. All I need is a few cleansing breaths. Relax. The fire is dying – glowing embers are going out. Everything is cool, calm, and serene. I'm floating on air, sinking into the depths. Sleep is coming, it's coming..._

As Charlotte inhaled deeply, a startling cramp seized her right leg so hard that she gasped. The ungodly pain was yet another side effect of not having the opportunity to properly "burn". The sixteen-year-old jolted to change positions and free muscles from the constricting pressure, and she growled softly as the bed shook under her motion. The purple-masked turtle groaned when she felt movement _above_ her as well, and covered her face with her hands.

"I'm trying! Shell, I'm _trying_ , Liv, but I can't settle down." She backed against the wall while still attempting to stretch out the offending limb.

"Charlie, it's okay," Olivia told her. "You need to take deeper breaths."

"I _did."_ Her return whisper was vehement.

Her older cousin ducked under the bunk bed beside her and experimentally grazed her calf. "Where is it?"

"Down."

Olivia's fingers slowly probed until Charlotte nodded, and then the red-masked turtle applied firm firm pressure with her thumb and fingertips in a circular motion. "It'll pass, Charlie. It all will," she added pointedly.

The younger turtle sniffed, leaning her head against the wall. "I can't do it. I can't do it, Liv. I am on _fire_. The energy is building up, and there's nowhere for it to go. Nowhere." Her breathing automatically quickened again, and her cousin's free hand grasped her shoulder.

"There are stairs. We have more than one way to burn."

"No," Charlotte insisted. "That'll wake everyone up. It's bad enough I'm bothering you. _You_ ought to be with Jake – he's your husband. Instead you're babysitting me."

"That isn't why I'm here."

"What do you call it then? And don't say I'm not bothering you, because I know better."

"Charlie, getting upset makes it worse. You know it's true. The first thing you have to do is settle down again. Breathe deliberately slow. Don't talk. Concentrate only on that, and I'll keep working on your leg."

Charlotte focused on inhaling through her nose, and exhaling longer through her mouth. She instinctively knew that Olivia was correct, but it didn't make it easier to shut down her rebellious body. "Why do you have to be stuck here? They should have left me by myself. That way I couldn't annoy anyone."

Liv flicked her shoulder. "You don't need to be by yourself. None of us do, especially now. I don't blame you for wanting some space, Charlie, but not because you think you're a problem."

"Stop being so nice to me. Go be with Jake. I know you want to."

Olivia's arm wrapped around her shell. "Sometimes, I crave him more than I do food and water. But here, tonight, I'm good, Charlotte."

"No, you're not. None of us are good."

"I guess that's true, in a sense. But things are gonna get better."

"Doesn't help right now."

"No, and I'm sorry. But the gym equipment has already been located, and they're picking it up tomorrow. I'm sure it won't be the fanciest stuff we've ever used, but it'll do the trick."

Olivia was trying to comfort her, but it only caused dread to bury deeper in her gut. "They shouldn't be spending money like that. Nobody can work. We're starting completely over with nothing but their savings, and thirty-three freaking people to support. How long can we last?"

"It isn't just savings, Charlotte; though you'd probably be shocked over the amount the combined family has been able to put away over the last couple decades. Doc and _your_ father still have money coming in regularly from patents, trademarks, and intellectual properties. Do you know how much it equates to?"

The purple-masked turtle rubbed her eyes and shrugged.

"Neither do I, but I know it's almost six figures on a monthly basis. Money has never been a hot topic of conversation, because it didn't need to be...and it still doesn't. Our parents know what they're doing, Charlie. And your dad has more tricks up his sleeve if we need a boost."

"How does that work with us not existing anymore? We're not even supposed to be on our phones much."

"What will worrying about it accomplish?" Olivia switched up her tactic to pure logic.

"Nothing."

"Exactly. So if you can hang in there a little longer, breathe through these troubled spots, relief is coming."

The younger turtle snorted. "Yeah. Relief in the form of a treadmill. Is it going to satisfy you any more than me?"

"It's better than nothing."

"Only just, Liv. I appreciate you wanting to make me feel better, but I don't think it'll happen. There's still time for you to go find Jake."

"Would you stop? I'm not going anywhere. I mean, I will go back to Jake once the room dividers have been erected, and there are more personal spaces available. But we can live without each other for a...little longer."

Charlotte ached at the wistful note in her cousin's voice. "You don't have to pretend you aren't missing him like crazy."

The red-masked turtle smirked. "Bet he misses me more."

Charlotte ducked her head shyly. "You're going to have to stop there."

"Why? You started it. You're the one trying to push us together. What exactly do you think we do behind closed doors?"

The younger turtle covered her mouth to muffle a jarring laugh in the nick of time. " _Olivia!_ "

"I rest my case."

"Fine, but what do you intend to do with an 'Energizer' who can't turn herself off?"

"Well, you're already breathing better. Maybe you don't need to burn out. We could try to keep coasting until you're nothing but fumes. Talking helps, right?"

"A little, I suppose. But this could take all night."

"Do I have somewhere pressing to be? Do you?"

Charlotte scowled. "I don't want you to suffer because of me."

"And I don't want you to be tortured by yourself. Let's keep this going, and find out if talking someone to death is physically possible."

The purple-masked turtle sighed. "Wish we had your guitar. I could listen to you sing and play for hours. But that would make too much noise as well."

"Maybe I'd twist your arm into singing for _me._ "

Charlotte eyed the twenty-year-old suspiciously. "When have I ever performed for anyone?"

"Don't pretend you can't sing, Charlie. I've heard you."

"You absolutely have not."

Olivia raised her eye ridges and leaned closer to her ear. " _I'm bullet proof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away. Ricochet, you take your aim, fire away, fire away..."*_

Charlotte felt heat seeping into her cheeks at once. "That was nothing! Everyone sings in the shower from time to time. It's like an unspoken rule. The acoustics turn us into temporary show-stoppers."

Liv's smile was maddening. "You don't have to sing, Charlie. But if you like to, you should, because you're good at it. I'm gonna learn those chords for Titanium."

"Good. You can sing it for everyone, and I'll keep my mouth shut."

Olivia laughed. "Then what will we do for the rest of the night?"

"Beats me, Liv. Weren't you going to try and kill me with your voice or something?"

"We have the option of discussing what it'll take to get you to sing for me, or we could go back to Jake. What's your preference?"

Charlotte dropped on her side with a huff. "I'd rather you knock me out. It'd be faster."

"You really don't wanna sing, huh?"

"Olivia, please? Are you trying to make the misery worse?"

"I wouldn't have to, if you promise to show off sometime."

"You need to drop it."

"How do you expect me to forget what I already heard?"

The younger turtle buried her face in a pillow and punched the side of the mattress. "I'll call Jake _for_ you if you don't quit."

"That's perfect. He'd love to hear you sing too."

"I'm going to sleep now."

"You do that, itoko, but I'll still remember Titanium."

"Good night, Olivia!"

* * *

 ***The "hobbit" quotes come from Lord of the Rings. I included the actual scene on my page, if you're completely clueless. :) Titanium belongs to David Guetta.**


	21. Tension

Raphael felt a begrudging sense of pride watching his purple-masked nephew unload on the new punching bag. The red-masked turtle and his brothers shared different strengths, but the brawn had always rested firmly in his department. Over the last few years, he'd come to terms with the fact that his genius brother's son was not only going to end up bigger than him, but stronger as well.

 _End up? Who am I kidding? The kid was pushing six feet by the time he was thirteen. We don't call him Kaiju for nothin'._

He silently studied his nephew's form a few moments longer. _Jay controls it well too, for the most part. Even with his cockiness, he seems to understand the danger in pushing it too hard. He could easily bust that punching bag if he did. Good thing he lucked out with Donny's genes, got few brains of his own. If he was_ my _kid, the hostel probably wouldn't be standing._

 _I think there's a good reason I've got a couple of girls. Not that Liv doesn't kick some serious shell. Girl can throw down with the boys._ Raphael cast an appreciative glance over his shoulder at the spar in progress. He marveled at the way his firstborn ducked under his purple-masked brother's hook, reversed in a back bend, and sprang up in retaliation so quickly it had her uncle backpedaling.

 _Takes some warrior to make my brother practically retreat, and she's still young. No telling what Liv will do when she hits her prime._

Admiration turned to irritation in a flash. He hated being relegated to merely observing everything going on around him. _Doc's gonna have to lay off me and Mike at some point. I mean, shell...we're_ fine _. If he don't sign our permission slips soon, I'm gonna work out whether he says it's okay or not._

His eyes drifted from the floor to the side-by-side treadmills which were both in use, though one was running much faster than the other. Concern pulsed sharply in the back of his mind for Charlotte, in spite of the ease with which she ran. _Being boxed in is gonna be the hardest on Charlie. I wish I could do something for her, but I sure can't think of what._ Tim was running at a respectable speed on her right side, engrossed in the activity and oblivious to anything else.

His older brother was slightly removed on the other side of the room, training Nate on his own. Raphael caught the familiar sheen of Arsiterite as it captured the light during a controlled spin. Leonardo had spent the last several years tutoring Nathaniel and Olivia in the use of the katana, but his work with the orange-masked turtle intensified after the teen accepted the position over his cousins.

Raph found himself comparing the youth to the blue-masked turtle, as he'd done many times before. _Both of them tend to see things more strategically than the rest of us. But Leo probably came out of the womb calling for someone to follow him, whereas with Nate, sometimes it seems like he'd rather stand back a while longer and just chill._

The young orange-masked turtle possessed a wicked sense of humor when the mood struck him, but he was also extremely different from his _own_ father. _Why would any of us expect out kids to turn out exactly like we did? Sharing DNA doesn't make 'em our clones, and being trained by us didn't create mindless robots. They're themselves, and there's nothing wrong with that...usually._

The thought faltered as he focused on Nate's face. The teen's outward expression was focused and professional. The forms Leonardo directed him in were executed with deliberate precision, and what appeared to be near perfection as far as Raphael could tell. The thing that disturbed the red-masked turtle was the indifference in his nephew's eyes. It was clear Nate was listening to his brother and doing what he was told, but tension rippled off the youth in tangible waves.

 _There's no way Leo doesn't see it if I'm picking it up from here. Surprised he hasn't tried to do something about it._ Raphael exhaled deeply and rested his chin in one hand. _Shell, this is gonna be tougher than any of us pictured. We've got to get over this hump with the kids. Olivia still ain't talking to me much either. Wish we could sit them down and set 'em straight, but that wouldn't have worked on me when I was their age. No more than I coulda handled being stuck behind four walls and told I couldn't go anywhere. What would Sensei have done? I gotta wonder._

 _Discipline and respect are important, but when somebody's world falls to pieces, I can't see sending them to their rooms until they've got a better attitude. I just don't know._

A knock at the door distracted Raphael from the riddle which had no obvious answer, and he was grateful for the interruption.

"First wave of lunch is happening now," Michelangelo informed the group. "Anyone at a stopping point?"

Leonardo strode to the middle of the room. "Jayden, Charlotte, Tim – I want you three to go ahead with Don. We'll regroup in another 90 minutes or so for katas."

"The rest of you planning to join civilization?" Mike asked carefully.

"I want a few minutes with Olivia and Nate first, then we'll be down."

Raphael understood his brother's request for him to remain without Leonardo being forced to voice it, and steeled himself for the possible confrontation about to take place. The younger teens appeared to sense it too, filing out of the room without a word or glance toward their older cousins.

Leo ambled over to where Raphael had been watching everything from a sunken-in love seat, and pointed to two nearby folding chairs. "You guys wanna bring those over?"

The pair did as they were told silently, taking a position across from the older turtles.

"I realize things have happened fast," Leonardo began without hesitation. "In the span of a few days, life as we know it has been transformed completely. Maybe permanently, though none of us want to think like that. With everything that's happened, the move, the danger, the...the forced retreat, emotions are running high. I would rather address some of the personal issues, if it's all the same to you two. Clearly, we won't get very far until we do." Leonardo stared at the stoic orange-masked turtle expectantly.

"Is this a command from my superior?" Nate asked softly.

Raphael glanced at his older brother for the reply. After a couple beats of silence, Leonardo shook his head.

"No, Nate. It's a request from your uncle."

Nathaniel slowly rose to his feet. "Then I prefer to respectfully decline. May I be excused, Jonin?"

To the red-masked turtle's surprise, Leo nodded.

"You're free, Nate."

" _Doumo arigatou.*"_ The teen bowed his head and left the room. (thank you)

Raphael sent his brother a sidelong look, recognizing from Leo's posture what the older turtle wouldn't speak out loud. Leonardo's one-on-one training with Nate had deepened their relationship, and thus made the rejection sting worse. "He'll come around, Leo."

"Sensei probably wouldn't have let him go," Leonardo said, half to himself. "But I'm not him."

"You don't _need_ to be him," Raph retorted.

His brother got to his feet. "I have to go do something."

"Do what, Leo?" Raph called after him.

His brother threw up his hands in frustration. "I don't _know!_ Something. I'll catch up with you later."

There was a foreign awkwardness in Leonardo's frame as he left the room, and it made Raphael want to chase the blue-masked turtle. An inner feeling told him not to, so instead, he fixed on Olivia. "You gonna 'respectfully decline' too?"

His daughter folded her arms. "It's the first time you've broached the subject, Dad."

"Well, what are we supposed to do, Kouen? We know all of ya are mad at us. How do we make it better?"

"This is far beyond anger, Dad. Everyone is depressed. Heart broken. Frustrated. Afraid! You can't take each emotion and attitude personally. No one is blaming you guys for everything. But could you try putting yourself in our shoes for one minute to see things from this perspective?"

"I _can_ put myself in your shoes, Liv, and I'll tell you everyone is dealing with it better than I would have at that age. But it doesn't give me a clue what we should do. I could apologize – say I'm sorry you weren't included in the meeting where we made the ultimate decision. But whether you were there or not, it wouldn't have changed nothing. The outcome woulda been the same."

"I'm sure it would have – but maybe the rest of us wouldn't feel like baggage," she returned bluntly. "Nate and I are adults, Dad. I'm married. And you still treat us like hatchlings who don't need to have a voice. How should that make us feel?

"Nate barely sees himself as our leader to begin with, and then you cut him out of one of the most crucial discussions this family's ever had? I'm not sure where his head is, because he hasn't talked to me about it either, but he's not the same.

"I can't tell you or anyone else how to fix this, but I know one thing that might help."

Raphael's eyes widened as he lunged for the glimmer of hope. "What, Kouen?"

She leaned forward and locked amber gaze with his. "You have to get us out of here."

"Liv-"

"Dad, let me finish. We can't stay cooped up behind these walls forever. We need to go _somewhere_. Those fancy sewers Victoria showed us pictures of. The back side of Mount Royal. The harbor. This lock down isn't good for anyone physically or mentally. I know it's only been three days, but for someone like Charlotte who has enough energy to power a nuclear plant, it's pure torture. You have no idea what she's going through. It's only gonna get worse, and the same goes for the rest of us."

"Olivia, you know it ain't up to me."

"You can talk to Leo."

"Sure, I can run my mouth – don't mean he's gonna listen."

"He listens more than you think. When you're calm, you can be extremely persuasive, Dad. I'm not demanding a miracle. I'm asking you to try, for us. Please."

Raphael swallowed nervously at the prospect. "I can't make you any promises for the outcome, Liv. But I'll give it a shot."

* * *

Raphael was surprised by the force of the nerves that struck him as he waited in the largest common area in the hostel – the fourth floor which had been commandeered as their training space with the blessing of the rest of the family. _Despite the shortage of room, they're giving us the best of everything. Doesn't seem fair._

His younger brothers were lingering with him, but they were still missing Leo. _Not like Fearless to be late, even if he ain't happy._ The blue-masked turtle also hadn't shown up for either of the lunch shifts, though Raphael had watched for him.

When he looked up from concentrating on the rug, he realized Leonardo _had_ just arrived without warning, appearing so suddenly that Raph swore he'd materialized out of thin air.

"Guys?" The oldest turtle seemed confused. "Where are the kids?"

"They're not here, Leo," Raphael said evenly. "I asked 'em to steer clear. I think the four of us need to talk before we can expect any of them too."

Leonardo looked irritated, but crossed the room to join them.

"You didn't eat," Michelangelo noted.

"I know," he answered flatly. "I will later. Is there some point we could get to fairly quickly? I don't feel like beating around the bush."

Raphael glanced at his purple-masked brother. He was counting on Donatello to give him a place from which to jump off.

"I've made good progress with my patch into Security," Don volunteered on cue. "The project will probably have to evolve on a continual basis, to prevent anyone from stumbling upon my own settings. I finished the mirror program today...mostly. I still need to run a few more tests to confirm the accuracy of the angles."

"Why are you focusing on 'mirrors' when you can just turn the cameras off?" Raph wondered, merely to get his brother to explain the system faster.

"Because security features falling on a regular basis would raise too much suspicion. The mirror phase uses intuitive technology to recreate the current view based off the most accurately matched _old_ data. It's basically the same 'switch up the feed' technique I've used for years, but it harnesses more realistic portrayals."

Donatello smiled as he rubbed his hands together. "There's another fun feature I'm eager to try out, which takes advantage of the evening light settings."

"Motion sensors, right?" Mike piped up.

Donny nodded. "It's an energy saving feature which was installed about two years ago. Once the Underground City shuts down, all but a few emergency lights do too, with the exception of fixtures which are activated by infrared heat signatures."

"Which...pretty much makes moving around in the open down here impossible," Leo filled in glumly.

There was a sense of glee in the genius' smile. "Until I have stealth mode operational, that is. What I'm looking at is an individualized unit which emits a signal that confuses or distorts the intrusive heat-seeking waves. I'm nowhere near operational; I've only begun running through some different theories. But I wanted to give you an idea of what I can probably achieve, given the time to complete experimentation."

"It sounds interesting," Leonardo allowed. "But where are you going with this?"

"Leo, we gotta make plans to get out," Raphael leveled with him. "Like Donny said, we can't go around in the open yet, not without turning off those cameras and lights, but we still have the service entrance..." He looked to his brother for more help.

"Now that I'm inside their system, the risk is lower," Donatello continued. "Not nonexistent. The threat of discovery from physical guards is still possible too, but we're in a better position than the other night."

"We can't take off just because we feel like it," Leo said wearily. "I hate this as much as everyone else, but there's a lot more at stake this time. I'm not comfortable with the risks."

"Are you comfortable with the kids self-destructing?" Mike challenged. "Because that's what will happen."

"It's been three _days_ ," Leo declared through clenched teeth.

"Three days, and Charlotte hasn't slept," Donatello told him. "Nothing I've tried has helped. Even the mild tranquilizer had no effect, and I don't _want_ to give her something stronger every night for the shell of it!"

"She ran over twenty miles before lunch," the oldest turtle argued. "I bet she'll have an easier time resting tonight."

Raphael shook his head. "It ain't enough, Fearless. The gym equipment won't keep them _or_ us in the shape we need to be in. It's okay for what it is, but if we don't get out in a bigger environment and move the way a ninja's _supposed_ to, our body's are going downhill. Period."

Leonardo eyed him warily. "You want me to go to the moms, the medical team, and try to get everyone to agree with this? It'll take ages to get them on the same side of the fence!"

"We don't need everyone to agree," Mike said. "But we do need you guiding the ship. We have to explore the sewers if we're moving down there eventually, right? Let's start there. Nice place to get our feet wet."

"And the kids come with us," Raphael added firmly, staring his older brother down to convey his seriousness. "It'll be an interesting outlet for them, and it could be the thing that reminds 'em we're still a team. One team."

Leo's head twitched, though he said nothing; a sure sign his brothers were getting through. "The moms have to go along with it," he said finally. "All of them."

The red-masked turtle smirked. "We can each handle our own girl, right?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Donny fidgeted uncomfortably. "You guys better say a prayer before I talk to Jen."

Leonardo sighed. "Need to say a prayer for _all_ of us. This has got to be the most impatient bunch on the face of the Earth."


	22. Explore

***My favorite part about the following was not needing to make up any of the environment. Andrew Emnon is not only responsible for photographing and documenting the historic sewer system - he created an interactive online program which allows you to take virtual underground tours. All I had to do was pick an interesting looking path, and let them go to town. If I could thank the man, I would.**

* * *

If Leonardo was being honest, he was just as relieved for a rapid decision from the wives as their kids had been. _I agree with Kelley's assessment that dropping off the face of the Earth is the way to go, but at what cost? If we keep going at this rate,_ someone's _going to break down and venture off on their own anyway. Better we do it together, in a more...controlled environment. And if this expedition works out, who knows? Maybe in a few days, we could actually go up to the city for a couple hours at a time._

Because of riding in the back of the windowless work van through Montreal, the blue-masked turtle could only use photos to imagine the sort of field trips they would take. The vast array of historic and modern architecture had him more intrigued than he was willing to admit.

 _I don't want to get anyone's hopes up yet. We're not free to run around like everything is normal. But from what I've read on Mount Royal, the historic district, the Botanical gardens, Olympic Park...we could spend weeks exploring above ground, and that doesn't take into account thousands of miles of the underground network._

He swallowed as intense curiosity surged. _I have to curb this a little. We're in no way prepared to have a sight-seeing free-for-all. We've got to take things slowly, one step at a time. And this is a great place to begin._

Leonardo's grin emerged from hiding as he crowded a little closer to his purple-masked brother, who was watching his tablet screen more than where he was going. He protectively caught Donatello by the arm when the younger turtle nearly missed the step going _down_ into the adjacent tunnel.

"Watch it, Don."

Donny's sheepish expression was clear in the light from his head lamp.

"Can you tell where we're going?"

His brother nodded. "We're coming up on the St. Charles Collector, which runs parallel to the original sewers constructed in the 1860's. We're about to enter an environment unlike anything else Andrew Emon* discovered in the city."

Leo cast a glance over his shoulder at the line of family members behind him, many of whom were shuffling their high-water boots in pure anticipation. He turned back to nod at his brother. "Let's go before the natives get too restless." His own brothers wouldn't tolerate a long layover at this point any more than the kids.

The blue-masked turtle wanted to pick Nate out of the pack, as he still possessed a strong desire to repair the disconnect between them. _Calley's right though...I have to be patient with him. When Nate gets hurt, he takes things to heart. It could be a while before he sees past it. He might not respond to me today, but he_ has _to feel better for being outside. I'm sure we all do._

The wider tunnel through which they'd been traveling for the last several minutes was narrowing sharply, and Leonardo took note of the changing shape of the ceiling with his flashlight. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch the surface of faded brickwork, marveling at the history contained in the walls.

The ceiling was low enough now, he was certain Jayden needed to duck. The arched walkway made the oldest turtle feel like he'd been transported to another world. That sensation coupled with new-found energy coursing through his veins made Leo feel like laughing for the first time in days.

"Don?" He looked back swiftly to make sure no one else was following close enough to hear him.

"Yeah?"

His brother still seemed distracted by the interactive map on his tablet screen, so Leonardo rested a hand on his shoulder to draw more attention. "Do you feel...different? Physically?"

Donatello sent a rapid glance to the family before fixing on Leo again. "Different how?"

"Like...more energy? More endurance?" He leaned in to reach his brother's ear and spoke softer. "I ran over fifteen miles on the treadmill this morning. I didn't even mean to! I had no intention of working that hard when we haven't been on a regular regime, but it was almost too easy. Are you experiencing anything like that?"

Admitting such a thing to his brother was dangerous, and Leonardo stood the risk of the entire medical team cracking down on him. _But it feels necessary, given the extraordinary thing that happened to both of us._

After another beat of hesitation, Don nodded. "Yeah...I mean, in a different way, but I know what you're saying. I haven't attempted any serious exercise because of being so busy with other things. All the technical work I've been doing to get a rudimentary lab up and running, hacking the security network, coding the mirrors program...They're a lot of tedious tasks which require time and focus for each individual project."

"And it's been easier than it should have?" Leonardo suggested.

He nodded once more. "My mind has been clear, my eyes aren't getting strained...and I haven't been tired for the most part either. I can feel Doc breathing down my neck like I'm doing too much, too quickly. But honestly? I don't have any ill effects from it."

"Do you think it's possible this is connected to the transfusions from the twins?"

"I don't know what else to attribute it to. As good as I felt when I woke up in the lab though, I'd describe what I'm experiencing now as more...heightened. I think it's possible that our blood cells could have been permanently altered."

"Would you say that's a good thing, or a bad thing?"

"There's no way to know for sure, Leo, because we've never dealt with it before. You might not like this, but we have to come clean with Doc and tell him exactly what's going on."

Leo grunted under his breath. "Neither of us wants anyone to have an excuse to hold us back, but it's the responsible thing to do, for sure."

"When we get home, we level with him. Get more blood drawn, and some analysis started."

"Does it worry you?"

"I wouldn't say that yet. So far what I've felt has struck me as odd, but not...It doesn't feel dangerous. Although, the idea of you going fifteen miles by _accident_ is a bit disconcerting."

"Don, look at me. Do I seem 'off' to you?"

"No, you don't."

"And you don't either. We've got to make sure Doc understands that."

Donatello shook his head vaguely, but it looked like his mind was already somewhere else. In the silence which followed, Leo could hear the sound of louder rushing water in the distance.

"Don, what is that? Do you know?"

His brother ran a finger over his tablet, highlighting a portion of the online map. "It's probably the Peel Basin. The channel flows a bit stronger here because it drains excess water off the Lachine canal."

"Is it safe to ford?"

"We won't have to walk through it exactly, not according to the photographer's notes. I feel like I owe this man something for his research. He did a lot of the groundwork for me." Don smiled, and turned around to address the rest of the group.

"We're nearing the Peel Basin Waste Weir channel. It's partially exposed to the street level, so let's stick to the shadows, and maybe turn off our lights when we get closer."

Raphael and Michelangelo came up behind the pair.

"How exposed are we, Donny?" Raph wanted to know.

The purple-masked turtle extended his tablet to alleviate his brother's concern. "We're only talking about small portions of the channel being completely open air, and it appears there's a nice cement walkway, so it won't be hard to navigate. Relax, Raph. We were still ninja the last time I checked."

Leo nearly snickered out loud at their burly brother's return scowl. As the blue-masked turtle felt the first strains of fresh air from the direction in which they were traveling, he sensed the anticipation building to a fever pitch in the young ones behind him. "Might be time to turn them loose."

Donatello glanced at him warily, but then shrugged. "You guys will probably enjoy this," he directed to the kids. "The Basin has built-in architectural details that could be fun to play with. Remember to stick to the darker areas, and not make too much noise-"

"Yeah, yeah, shadows, silence, we get it," Mike interrupted, and immediately brushed in between Leo and Donny to head for the sound of rushing water.

The orange-masked turtle taking off was like the firing of a starting gun for the kids behind them. Leonardo cringed as Jayden's joyful whoop resonated off the walls, and Raphael nudged his side.

"It's okay, Leo. Nate will rein them in."

Donatello laughed. "Hopefully we can count on _one_ orange-masked turtle to be the voice of reason."

Raphael guffawed. "Sure ain't Mikey. He's the biggest kid of all."

Leonardo folded his arms with a smile. "You don't want to catch up with them, Raph?"

His muscular brother noticeably fidgeted from one foot to the other. "Well...someone's gotta keep them out of trouble."

Raphael took off after the fleeing youth, while the remaining turtles traveled toward the channel at a more leisurely pace. As they emerged out of the tunnel, Leonardo cut his flashlight, and his younger brother flicked off the head lamp. The faint illumination that was cast from street lights above was plenty to see where they were going.

Leo was encouraged by the fact that he no longer _heard_ the kids, and had to look extremely hard to even catch a glimpse of shadowy outlines in the distance. There was a strangely refreshing quality to the running water and light breeze that made the turtle temporarily forget they were still underground.

Donatello hung back suddenly, double-tapping an area on his screen.

"Everything okay?" Leo asked.

"Yes. I just want to get a closer look at where we're heading. Kids need to be off the leash for a while, so I figured I could expand on the map while they run."

"I thought they could use it too..." Leonardo's attention was drawn to a dark shape crouching near the outlet, right under the ledge of a bridge. "I'll be back, okay?"

He moved toward the figure lagging behind the others. Leo already had a feeling about who it was, and his suspicion was confirmed when he came up on the young orange-masked turtle.

Leonardo cleared his throat awkwardly. "Hey. You all right?"

Nathaniel nodded. "I'm just savoring it. I know these excursions are going to be rare."

Leo settled down by the teenager so they would be on the same level. "It's not what any of us want, but we need to be on the safe side."

Nate turned to look at him. "The 'get out of jail free' card came up faster than I thought it would."

"We needed it, all of us," Leo affirmed. "Our allies weren't completely in favor, obviously. But it's hard to make everyone happy."

Nate resumed staring at the channel. Leonardo waited a few beats to see if the younger turtle would say anything else. When the teen didn't speak, he realized he was going to have to throw the ball in his court again.

"As hard as everything's been, the separation while remaining under the same roof is the most difficult part where I'm concerned . I wish you'd talk to me, Nate. I'd even settle for arguing at this point."

Nate cocked his head. "I've never argued with you. Don't you get enough of it with your brothers?"

The small jab gave Leo hope. "That's the truth. But I'd take fighting with you over being ignored."

Nathaniel sighed. "I don't know what you want from me. You're my Jonin, and I'll always try to respect your decisions, and do what you say. Regardless of how I feel, that won't change. Is that what you need to hear?"

"Not...exactly. I'm not worried about your obedience, Nate. I'm concerned about _this_." He motioned between the two of them. "I understand why you were hurt to be excluded from the meeting that preceded coming here. I hope you know it wasn't an intentional slight, but more of a...time saving technique." The excuse felt weak to Leonardo, but it was his only defense.

"Of course it saved time," Nate acknowledged without looking up. "Confirms where we stand too." The youth rose from his crouch and began walking again, but his pace was slow enough that it didn't seem he was trying to escape.

"What do you mean by that?" Leo asked carefully.

"I think you know, Jonin."

"If I knew, I wouldn't ask. I get that you're angry with us."

"Angry isn't the word for it."

"Then what is? Why don't you want to address anything?"

Nathaniel crossed his arms over his plastron while he picked up a little speed. "Because you hear it on a regular basis," he replied wistfully. "You treat us like children, which we kind of _are,_ I guess. Compared to you, anyway."

"Are you calling me old?" Leonardo tried to lighten the mood.

Nate didn't seem to catch any humor, merely shaking his head. "We've been in your shadows our whole lives. And we probably always will be. I feel like a stand-in. A substitute. You can't be everywhere at once, so...It stands to reason, you need another pair of eyes. It's okay with me. I don't need recognition from anyone. But I do have to know what I'm supposed to do, and if I _should_ be doing anything."

"You're not a stand-in," Leo insisted. "That isn't what I've been training you for. Nate, you, _all_ of you, are the future. Why do you think we work so hard to protect it?"

"And while you're working to protect us, do you think you're preparing us to _handle_ the future? You're our leader – what you say goes. But you aren't dealing with toddlers anymore. We're adults, and the twins and Tim aren't far behind. They're capable of more than you think."

"I know where their strengths lie, and yours."

"Do you?" Nate halted in his step. "Because it feels more like you give us tools, and then do everything in your power to prevent us from using them. This isn't about being rejected from a family meeting. It's a way of life that you and our dads have perpetuated for years. It has me afraid that...when the time comes to stand completely on our own, we won't be able to."

"You already have," the blue-masked turtle countered.

"Not really. Not where the younger team is concerned."

"What do you want me to do, Nate?"

"I can't tell you what to do, Jonin. I can't change the way you see us, or force you to treat us more like adults."

"What will it take to convince you I _do_ believe in you? Not only the team – but you, Nate. I'm not impulsive. I've watched and studied you for years. When I reached my decision about the leadership, it wasn't because of the events at Ravensrock. It was only the tipping point, the visual proof of everything I already knew was inside you. Your potential doesn't only lie in leading your cousins, but in one day guiding this entire clan."

"You say that, but you don't act like it," Nate disagreed. "And I have serious doubts about leading a team of my own, let alone the family."

"But you've already been doing it!" The frustration came out more than Leonardo intended.

"I try, Jonin. But until _you_ trust us, I don't know how you expect me to trust myself."

Leonardo wanted to argue with the statement, but reflected on it instead. _This issue didn't arise because of the upheaval, or our lives being transformed in a matter of days. It's been simmering underneath the whole time, and I think I chose to ignore it. Someone like Nate makes that easy to do. He doesn't want to cause waves, and tries to avoid problems. But he's clearly picked up on something I never intended, or thought about consciously._

 _We're protective to a fault – all of us cop to that. It can be nailed down to our own absurd experiences, and the desire to prevent the rest of our family from going through anything similar. But_ is _there a deeper motivation I chose to bury altogether? Is Nate right when he says we don't trust them?_

The force of a stronger breeze broke Leonardo's contemplation as the scent of seawater was carried with it. Through the massive cement columns ahead, he saw more lights of the city, and a larger body of water.

Nate was already moving toward it, so the blue-masked turtle trotted to keep up with him to where the channel met the Port of Montreal.

"Nate, I value you, and everything you are," Leo said finally. "I'm still processing some of the things you've said, because I'm honestly not sure about it. I know if there's a lack of trust, it isn't intentional. And you don't deserve it."

The teen exhaled softly. "I can't figure that part out for you. I'm a little busy working on _myself_."

"We still need to work together." Leonardo tentatively touched his shoulder.

Nathaniel nodded. "Together, and separate. I think we'll get there, eventually."

Leo closed his eyes briefly with longing. _I sure hope so, Nate._


	23. Multiply

Luke tried extremely hard to maintain a stern expression, but it required more effort than he could currently expend. "Far be it from me to try and tell any of you what to do-" The doctor paused at the snort the purple-masked turtle made _no_ attempt to conceal.

"Are we having an adult conversation now?" The blond man folded his arms severely, but it only had the affect of causing both of his unlikely offenders to laugh harder. _Oh, man. This is bad. I'm losing my touch where the guys are concerned. When did this happen?_

He rolled his eyes at the thought. _Somewhere between lying to our entire family, risking my life without telling anyone, and losing_ another _home._

"Doc, we're sorry," Leo spoke up. "It's just...you're talking to us like we're seventeen again."

"Maybe if you didn't act like overgrown kids, I wouldn't be tempted to treat you like them." At the note of true anger in Luke's voice, Donatello's demeanor changed instantly.

"Doc, we didn't mean to scare anyone," Don said hastily. "We did call-"

"Half an hour late," Luke accused. "You want to know what went through my head for those thirty minutes? Not that I feel like repeating it."

"Doc, we ended up deeper underground than we planned," Leo allowed. "We should have called sooner, but that was an oversight on our part."

Luke scowled. "Darn it, you guys! We've been through hell in the last few days, and it's not over. I have no right to control everything you do, but for the next couple months, could you maybe _not_ lose track of time? Save me a few heart attacks? I honestly don't know how much more I can take."

Donatello gave him a chagrined grimace. "Luke, it was our fault. We won't let it happen again."

The doctor eyed the pair of turtles he normally deemed the most trustworthy, and was satisfied it'd been an honest mistake.

"Weren't you going to tell us about the results of the blood you took from Caleb?" Don suggested hopefully.

 _Sure, Donny, change the subject. I'll let you get away with it, for now. Next time you scare us that badly for nothing, I'll rally the entire family against your shells._

Luke extended a print out to the purple-masked turtle. "I can't find any evidence of the foreign stem cells in Caleb's system. From what I can determine, his body is back to normal. With the exception of his eyesight, which is persisting in perfection."

"You think the correction is permanent?" Leo wondered.

The doctor shrugged. "I can't answer that. All we can do is wait and see what happens."

"What about us?" the blue-masked turtle pressed. "That's why we're really here, right? Besides the lecture." At Luke's sharp look, Leonardo smiled sheepishly. "Which we completely deserve," he added.

"Yes. The results are the larger reason I wanted your shells in here." Luke paused to flip around the screen of his scanner. "I've been comparing the samples I took from you last night, to those that were collected right after your transfusions. The findings are unexpected."

Donatello swallowed with visible nerves. "Unexpected how? Is something wrong?"

"Don, I don't know. We're in uncharted territory."

"Then what's unexpected?" Leo asked.

"After your initial transfusions, we continued to find traces of the alien markers in your subsequent blood tests. They peacefully coexisted within the normal parameters of your mutant DNA."

"Okay..." Donatello motioned for him to continue.

"The samples I took last night indicate a _higher_ concentration of the foreign stem cells."

Don's brow furrowed. "How could it be higher than right after the transfusions?"

"If I was to guess? I believe they're multiplying."

"Multiplying?" Leonardo choked on the word.

"I don't know what it means," Luke admitted. "I'm sure it could be the reason for your continued improvement in performance. I have no clue if it's permanent, or if there are other side effects. I can't tell you if it's entirely beneficial. Frankly, it scares the crap out of me."

Leonardo's half grin was infuriating.

"I'm not kidding!" Luke exclaimed. "God only knows what's happening inside the two of you. If you suffer another collapse, we don't have the means to support you yet! We've barely laid the foundation for a lab. Do you _get_ why I can't handle you disappearing into the night and not showing up when you said you would?"

The blue-masked turtle nodded emphatically. "Yes, Doc. But that's not why I'm smiling. Has there been anything in the twins' DNA which gave you reason to fear for their lives before?"

Luke considered the question. "Not really. It's been more perplexing than frightening."

"It saved our lives," Leo said slowly. "And now you're telling us the cells are reproducing."

"What about that is call for beaming?" the doctor demanded.

"I probably wouldn't, if I didn't feel this great."

Luke switched to Donny with annoyance, and realized the purple-masked turtle was deep in thought. "Don. Where are you?"

The somewhat glazed look in his eyes sharpened. "So the cells can be beneficial to both us and humans...but our bodies don't react to them the same way. In Caleb's case, they seemed to simply filter out, didn't they?"

Luke groaned. "It's impossible to form factual certainties when we have so little to go on. And I'm not about to authorize the use of the twins' blood on any of our other allies for the sake of curiosity."

"But you can continue to study both Caleb and the two of us," Donny countered. "I've been considering Yasir's original motivation and why he was so obsessed with creating a hybrid to start with. He told me once that his only interest lay in advancing his own kind. Yasir wasn't inventing a new creation for the shell of it. Whatever he wanted to accomplish with a hybrid, he meant for it to benefit the Elohim.

"The cells he implanted into Jayden and Charlotte had a positive impact on Caleb. But while the effects seem to be lasting, the markers themselves couldn't be sustained."

"Yet they're multiplying in us?" Leo pointed out obviously. "What does it mean?"

Luke shook his head. "It means I'm keeping a close eye on you for the near and distant future."

"And that's different how?" Leonardo teased.

The man rubbed his temples. "I'm glad you guys can joke about these things. I'm not there yet."

"We're not trying to make light of it," Donny told him. "We're grateful. It probably sounds weird with everything that's happened, but when I think about where we could be right now...A broken down hostel in an Underground City doesn't seem as bad."

"It's _not_ that bad," Luke agreed. "The hostel is structurally sound, and the major systems are in working order. It isn't functional for our unique family yet, but these are things we can fix."

"The plans are already coming together on that front," Don continued. "But there's something else we need to talk about."

Luke felt very self conscious about the glance the two turtles shared. "I hate it when you guys look at each other like that."

"We need to be serious a bit longer," Leo said pointedly. "Doc, we're concerned."

The man's eyebrows rose at the irony. "Really? What would you have to be concerned about?"

"We're concerned about you," Don clarified.

Luke immediately inched backward in his chair. Donatello's wince indicated he sensed the man's internal retreat. "You don't have to be worried about me."

The purple-masked turtle looked like he wanted to speak, but hesitated several seconds. "Doc, do you remember right after Ravensrock, the depression your daughter sank into?"

Luke nodded grimly. It was one of the most helplessly terrifying experiences he'd ever had, and he wasn't interested in reliving it. _What with Lendano being behind our current circumstances too, I was afraid of there being another round of depression on Reina's part. But from what I can tell, she isn't sinking. Either that, or she's gotten better at hiding it._

"Doc?" Leo's voice cut into his thinking, and reminded the man that the turtles were still there.

"Uh...yes. You were saying?"

"Luke, your girl has a lot in common with you," Donatello said warily. "Many wonderful traits...Everything from your ingenuity and creativity, to an absolute stubborn streak that never folds."

Luke managed a small smirk. "I imagine that's part of the reason any of you are still breathing."

"It has to do with it," Leonardo said. "But another thing you and Reina share is that you don't handle failures well."

The doctor looked away from his friends. He had to. "I'm grateful for your concern, and I won't deny you're right. But you guys can't fix it for me."

"Doc, nobody wants to push you but..." Don trailed off, and went on after another moment. "When you watched Reina go down, you didn't let it happen without a fight. You can't think we'll do any less."

"I appreciate it. But like I said, I don't think anyone can help me with this."

"You have to let them," Leo stated bluntly.

"It isn't that simple."

Don sighed. "Then what are we supposed to do? Keep our mouths shut and ignore it?"

"I don't know. But I'm still here, okay? And I'm not going anywhere. Maybe there's some enthusiasm lacking for this new wonderful life path, but I hope you realize I'm trying."

"No one thinks you aren't trying," Leo assured him. "We only want to be there for you. It's what families do. We don't expect you to be thrilled over our current situation. It's not fair to our kids, or you..."

"Or you," Luke emphasized. "You don't deserve this any more than the rest of us."

The self-conscious awkwardness returned to Leonardo's frame. "So many things originate with us, and trickle down to affect everyone we love. It's been that way for as long as you've lived among us."

"Yet, we're here," Luke said stronger. "And you know why, because we've told you a million times. This crazy, complicated, mixed up existence is better than anything we could have on our own. I get why you feel responsible for the bad things that happen, even when you're not committing any of the evil. But I wish you could also feel responsible for the meaning you bring into our lives. _That's_ why we stay. That's why we'll never leave, no matter the price of following you. Not having you would be worse."

Leo cocked his head and looked at Don. "Wasn't this supposed to be about him? How'd he do that?"

"He's just that good, Leo." Donatello turned to gaze steadily at Luke. "We're not going to bug you to spill your guts, Doc. But everyone needs help sometimes. All of us. You're not the lone wolf who has to find his own way."

Luke rolled backwards toward the desk. "That isn't how our family works. I'm not...cutting anyone off. But I'm also not ready for a group therapy session."

With another quick glance at each other, the brothers got to their feet.

"We won't go that far unless you give us a good reason, Doc," Leo told him.

"Thank you. And I need both of you to be extremely vocal about everything you're experiencing on a daily basis. I don't care how small. If it's unusual, I need to know about it. Deal?"

Donatello snickered. "God forbid it be about you for five minutes, Doc."

"My five minutes are up. You'll do what I say, or I won't hand out any more permission slips for field trips."

Leonardo whistled. "Those are fighting words, Doc."

"You guys think you have all the sway with your wives. I have power of my own, and I'm not afraid to use it. Are you going to listen, or do I have to enlist assistance?"

"Shell, Doc," Donny complained. "Who made you our principal?"

"You're the ones who agreed to my contract," Luke returned smugly.

"Yeah, well...It's been a few years," Leonardo challenged. "Those things come up for renegotiation, don't they?"

Luke rested his hands behind his head boldly. "You want to open up the table for new negotiations? Do you understand how much more stringent things could _get_?"

Donatello grabbed the blue-masked turtle by the arm. "Let's quit while we're ahead, Leo."

* * *

Luke heard someone come in the room, but didn't acknowledge them. He was engaged inputting his assessment into Donatello's "Journal", and wasn't interested in fending off any more advances for the afternoon.

"Luke."

The man cringed. He could ignore anyone for the time being, except for the owner of that voice.

"Are you coming up for air any time soon?" the woman requested.

He turned around slowly. "I'm sorry. The situation with Leo and Donny is evolving, and it has me extremely nervous."

Katherine gazed at him plaintively. "It's not good for you to work through everything alone. That's what got you into the _other_ mess."

"I'm aware of that," he returned stiffly.

"Then why are you doing it again?"

"Because I don't know how else to be, Kat! Should I sit back and do nothing? Wait for another disaster to strike before taking action?" He didn't mean to snap at his wife, and it was clear she didn't expect it.

"I'm not telling you to do nothing. I'm asking you not to do it alone." The evenness of her tone caused his own breathing to settle somewhat.

"Kat, I already got 'the talk' from Leo and Don earlier-"

"And yet, here you are. Are you surprised I came after you?"

"No, but it doesn't mean I'm ready to throw in the towel."

"Who's trying to get you to do that? Is that why you think I'm here?"

"You're concerned about your disintegrating husband, like everyone else."

Katherine stared at him for nearly a minute without speaking. "Would you get up please?"

It was phrased as a question, but Luke recognized the authority in her tone, and that there was no escaping it. The man rose from his chair, stretching his arms behind his back to alleviate some of the soreness from his position at the desk.

"Come here," she demanded.

He shuffled toward the bronze-haired woman, only holding her gaze because he knew she required it. There was borderline roughness in the hand that snaked out to pull him to her faster.

"We are concerned, Luke, but probably not in the way you think. You've always tend to identify your role in this family by what you do. It's part of the reason everything needs to be done perfectly in your mind. Because the minute the job isn't done 'right', you lose who you are to us."

Luke shrugged. "Medicine demands a high degree of accuracy, Kat. You can't blame me for shooting at anything less."

"I don't blame you. But you're not allowed to take responsibility for everything going wrong any more than we allow the turtles to."

"Some actions are my responsibility," he muttered.

Katherine caught him by the chin. "Are you sorry you risked your life by misusing an experimental drug?"

"Yes," he replied immediately.

"Would you do it again?"

He shook his head sharply. "I wouldn't. I won't."

"That's all I need to hear, and the only thing that matters. Stop this, Luke. Quit beating yourself up for the way you reacted. Feeling guilty won't change it."

"Clearly." Luke was surprised when his voice shook.

"Can we try this weird thing where we talk on a regular basis and maybe sleep in the same bed?" Kat suggested. "Heck, you could go wild and throw in a meal with everyone."

He made a face. "That tiny excuse for a dining room barely holds half of us."

"Hey, if we have to spread out over a couple rooms, who cares? A family dinner is what we need. I'll ask my sister to plan it."

"How will she get the stuff she needs?" he protested. "None of us are supposed to exist!"

"You don't think we're having everything shipped in, do you? Obviously we need to work on some new looks. Jazz is going to head up that department."

Luke stiffened. "Jazz? What about Karina? She's good with...hair and stuff."

Kat gave him a sly smile. "Because we're due for a little fun, and Jazz needs some too. C'mon, Luke. How bad could it be?"

The man face-palmed. "You're never supposed to ask."


	24. Fix

Jazz bit her lip, but the urge to snicker was entirely too great. "I _asked_ you about color, Heff. You assured me the 'sandy blond' thing was all natural. I don't see how you can blame anyone but yourself."

He shot her a dirty look and pointed at his fiery red hair. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted you with this. I would have been better off getting a box of my own."

"That's what got you into this mess, Greg," she argued. "You don't seem to grasp the chemical reactions hair experiences with color treatments, particularly those which aren't professionally done."

"Do you honestly lump yourself into that category?"

"Are you having a memory lapse, or do you really refuse to admit I asked if you'd colored? I wasn't just being curious, Heff."

"I think it's awfully suspect that you worked on five other people, and I'm the only one who turned out this way."

"You think I'd do it on purpose?" All trace of laughter was gone from her tone.

"Maybe you didn't, but what am I supposed to do now?" The man dropped heavily into a chair. "Not that it matters. There's nowhere to go and nothing to do."

"For now," she corrected. "C'mon, Heff, this isn't permanent. Your hair can be fixed, and our situation isn't gonna last forever either."

He looked at her with annoyance. "No one knows how long we could be stuck in this prison."

"That's true - but as someone who's actually _been_ to prison, I can tell you the hostel is a bit nicer, and the visiting hours are longer." She laughed at herself suddenly. "Not that I had visitors."

His expression was strangely wistful. "You should have."

Jazz waved off the comment. "It doesn't matter. That was so many years ago, it's ancient history. It hurt at the time, but there's no point in fighting for someone who's ashamed of you."

"We would have fought for you." Greg's face darkened as he glanced in the mirror. "Well, maybe not right now..."

"Heff, I can fix it, okay? It only means additional work."

He eyed her suspiciously. "I'm supposed to let you continue your magic? I'd feel more confident in Karina's hands at this point."

"She can cut your hair like no one's business, but she doesn't have experience with anything other than regular color from a box. This requires stripping and repair, Heff. Are you gonna let me help you, or not?"

He shook his head stubbornly.

Jazz was exasperated. "Listen, punk, you've got three choices. You can walk around with a burning bush on your head, risk your cover being blown while you end up in a salon for several hours, or you can man up and let me take care of it. What do you say?"

His glare intensified. "If you make it worse, so help me God..."

"Greg, I'm not gonna screw you over," she insisted.

"I don't understand why-" He shut his mouth when there was a knock at the door, and looked like he would crawl under his chair.

"You wanna hide from everyone for a couple days before letting me help?"

Greg huffed defensively. "It's only hair."

"You're absolutely right," she soothed. "And no one's going to make fun of you." _Much._

The knock repeated, and Greg squared his shoulders defiantly. "Come in!"

Brandon poked his head in the room curiously. "Wanted to check how things were—holy cra—I mean, wow, Heff." The man turned to Jazz cautiously. "Is it supposed to look like that?"

"No," she answered shortly. "But big shot over there refused to mention his own color ventures, so we have what's before you."

"Uh huh." Brandon's effort to keep a straight face was noticeable. "Well, it...it's certainly different. Not what Lendano is looking for."

"Oh, shut it," Greg retorted. "Jazz, you're fixing this sooner than later."

The irritated man stalked out the door, muttering something she couldn't quite understand.

Brandon continued standing clumsily in front of her with both arms resting at his sides, like the man didn't know what to do with them. His sleeveless shirt made muscles impossible to miss, but Jazz was working hard to ignore them.

"So...are you gonna be your own project too?" he asked.

She shrugged half-heartedly. "I don't need to go anywhere. I'm perfectly content to avoid the real world. Nothing I care about out there anyway."

"But you might feel like leaving the hostel at some point."

"It's called a _wig_ , Bran. You ever heard of one?"

He nodded meekly. "It would be hard to see you with normal hair again. If something isn't broken, it doesn't need to be fixed."

"Nope," she replied dismissively.

"Jazz, how long are you gonna be mad at me? I mean...I don't really blame you, but it'd be nice to get a time line, so I know what to expect."

The woman felt her cheeks flushing without her permission. "What am I supposed to do, Bran? I thought I've been civil the last couple days."

"Jazz, you haven't _been_ anything, except avoiding me. That won't make anything better, so let's talk this out."

"I was trying to do you a favor," she shot back. "Not talking is better than saying the wrong thing, right?"

"Not at this point," he said softly. "Jazz, all of this is bad enough without being blacklisted by you too. What can I do to make it better?"

"It doesn't work like that."

"Then tell me how it works, because I can't take it anymore...and it's got Lex on edge too."

Jazz sighed inwardly. "At least she has the opportunity to be anxious."

"Jazz, I _know_ I screwed up! I can't think of another way to acknowledge that. Now, how do I fix it?" His voice rose considerably with the question.

She ran her fingers through the lavender ends of her hair. "I don't think you can. I have to get over it somehow."

Brandon took a step closer to her. "You have to tell me what I can do."

"Bran, aren't you listening? You would protect our daughter, our children to your dying breath. I'd never question that. I've seen you take massive risks for as long as I've known you, and been right alongside you for many of them. But the idea of Alexis fitting into some boneheaded scheme and coming that close to a group whose _only_ motivation is to do harm? Of course I'm freaking out. You could be dead! All of you!

"We've left everything but each other behind, and it still might not be enough! I don't want to hold everyone prisoner, but the thought of them stepping outside even here makes me a nervous wreck."

"You think I'm not scared too?"

"What good does it do to admit it?"

"We don't have to throw a party, but we can't pretend like it doesn't exist. Jazz...is there something else bugging you?"

"Does there need to be something else? I feel like we have enough to go on."

The man grasped her shoulders without warning, pulling her closer to him. "You can tell me. Whatever I've done, however you're hurt, I want to fix it."

It was impossible not to meet his gaze with his face so near hers, but the golden brown eyes which saw right through her were the last thing upon which Jazz wanted to focus.

"What is it?" he persisted.

"I just...I want our home," she whispered. "Bran, my whole life has been a lesson in disappointment. Every new city and school, every time I had to leave people behind as a kid...I learned not to need that stuff. Friends? Wouldn't be able to keep them. My dad? Never cared to notice a single I did. He couldn't stand me, and I knew it. I was the black sheep he barely acknowledged to his army cronies.

"Got into MIT, and finally earned his approval for one thing in my life. Then I screwed that up too. After my parents disowned me when I went to prison, I swore I'd never get attached to anything again. Couldn't afford to, because I was bound to lose it. Then all of _this_ happened."

Brandon chuckled. "You say that like it's a bad thing.'

"But what happens when it's gone?" she demanded. "First, it's our home. But it _could_ have been you and our daughter. How's it gonna end, Bran?" Her eyes fixed on the floor. "I was just telling Heff this prison isn't permanent, but part of me would rather lock everyone away forever, so there wouldn't be as much risk. I know it's stupid. But once you lose everything multiple times...it's also scary."

He folded his arms around her, but she didn't quite relax in his grip. "I can't tell you we'll be together forever, because we won't. Even if something else doesn't get us, natural causes will."

"Thanks for the pep talk, Bran."

"Would you listen? I know you still have unresolved issues with your dad-"

"I really don't want to talk about him."

"You brought him up. If you need to, that's why I'm here."

She pushed him backward slightly. "You're only here because I like to look at you."

"I know I'm your eye candy, Jazz, but I like to talk sometimes too."

Jazz read the immense relief in his eyes, and felt guilty for dragging things out. "I'm sorry for being so mad."

"I just want us to be okay."

She shrugged. "I hope we will be." Jazz glanced down as she was struck by another sullen urge. "Hope we see our animals again someday too."

"Jazz, Hisui sent pictures to Kelley. They all made it to Wyoming just fine, and this separation isn't forever either. We'll find a way to get them to Canada eventually."

"Eventually sucks. I miss my dog, Bran. Who's gonna defend her from Tiger now?"

"I think Diamond can fend for herself pretty well, Jazz. Maybe they'll even learn how to get along a little."

"Hisui is good with animals, but she's not miraculous, Bran."

* * *

Rebecca caught herself fiddling with shortened curls for the hundredth time that day, and mentally commanded her fingers to retract. The cut by Karina coupled with the color from Jazz were extreme by her standards, but she had volunteered.

 _I_ should _be one of those who emerge from hiding,_ she reasoned. _I speak French, which means I can blend in like I belong here. And I've always been good at belonging,_ she finished sarcastically.

The woman felt a slight wind before a different hand was tousling her hair. "You could have startled me," she chided.

"Nah, you knew I was there." Mike's grin was irrepressible, and she instantly didn't feel as self conscious.

"Only because you let me hear you."

"I don't get a kick out of scaring _you_ ," he clarified. "But I'm still digging this." Michelangelo tugged a curl fondly, but Rebecca took a step back.

"Are you sure? Because I feel kind of ridiculous as a blond." The honey-gold color Jazz had chosen was far from ugly, but it also wasn't something Rebecca would have picked for herself. "I don't know if I can carry this look. Takes someone special to pull it off."

Mike gazed at her sternly. "Hey, you heard the experts. With your skin tone, you could rock practically any color you want. You _could_ even go back in for some orange highlights, like Jazz gave Lex this afternoon. I wouldn't hate it." The turtle winked, and Becky laughed.

"Much as I'd love to match you, Mikey, the point is to _try_ and blend in. I have a hard enough time with that as it is."

"Who needs to blend in?" He scoffed.

"I do, unless you want the wrong person finding out about me."

His face tightened with a growl. "You say things like that, and I don't want to let you out at all."

"Mike, you guys aren't hiding completely. We can't either. We have to keep some semblance of a normal life going. You like to eat, remember?"

"Yeah, but there are meal delivery services for that."

Becky giggled. "You expect Karina to cook from a box? Do _you_ want to?"

"No...but it'd be easier to hide everyone."

"We'll be fine, Mike. You guys did great underground a couple days ago. I loved seeing the Port with you last night...and aren't you still planning on hitting Olympic Park later?"

He nodded. "Kids want us to _really_ take off the leash though."

Rebecca gave him a pointed look. "I trust our son. Do you?"

"Of course," he said firmly, and resumed playing with her hair.

"Mikey, quit," she declared. "I'm still not sure how I feel about it. But don't tell Jazz or Karina. They do nice work."

Mike grinned once more. "You have to let it grow on you, Becky."

Don cleared his throat from across the room. "Either of you interested in eating?"

From the way the orange-masked turtle jerked slightly, it was clear his brother had startled him.

"You'd better move your shell then," Jenna warned. "There aren't any 'shifts' tonight. If you snooze, Jayden and Raph will eat everything."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Mike hooked an arm through Becky's and lightly pulled her toward the hall.

"I do like this color on you." Jenna motioned to Becky. "You look very fresh."

Rebecca started to object, but Mike spoke over her.

"Beck looks good in everything. What about you, Jen? You gonna be the girls' next project?"

The black-haired woman snorted, bumping Donatello's side. "Probably won't happen if my husband has anything to do with it. He fears change."

Donny protectively ran a hand over the back of her head. "No. I just love your hair."

"It would grow back, Donny," she replied. "Don't you think I'll ever want to cut it at some point?"

"Sure. But I'm hoping I'll be gone long before then," he joked.

Jenna froze and slapped his shoulder. "Don't say things like that! It's not funny."

He smiled sheepishly. "I don't mean it anyway. If you wanna cut it...well, it's your hair."

"Yes, it is...But I like how much you love it too," she finished coyly.

"Still here," Mike interjected.

"We don't care," Jenna said sweetly, sidling up closer to the purple-masked turtle to illustrate her point.

"I don't care either, because I've got a gorgeous, amazing girl of my own, and she speaks twenty-five languages to boot."

"Mike, you can't exaggerate with people who know me!" Rebecca reasoned.

His Cheshire smile was proof of the good the small escapes to the surface had done for her husband, let alone the others. When they emerged into the common area adjacent to the dining room, the scene almost felt...normal. Or it would have, if some of those in current company weren't sporting completely new looks.

But the laughter and body language was more relaxed than she'd witnessed in days. _Not since before we left for Washington. How did so much change that fast? I feel like I blinked, and everything is different._

A green hand squeezed her arm confidingly, and then half-dragged her to a table lined with Karina's and Victoria's generous offerings. _Well, not_ everything _is different, thankfully._

Becky reached for her own plate, but had only started going down the table when Karina entered the room with a platter of her famous Chimichangas. "I need one of those before the boys get to them!"

Karina tossed her own recent angular hair cut, flipping darker tresses that were tipped in the same honey-gold Jazz had used on her. "I have more where they came from, chica, believe me." She eyed Rebecca closely. "Are you working this hair yet?"

"I'm getting there," she said lightly.

"I know you're not into the attention, but there's something to the old adage," Karina whispered.

"What adage?"

"Blonds _do_ have more fun. I went darker and lighter, but I think I've gone up a couple degrees. How about you?"

Rebecca laughed louder than she intended. "I'll let you know."

Karina squeezed her shoulder and picked her out a Chimichanga off the top of the pile. Rebecca hurried to get out of the way of the impending stampede, going to the other side of the serving table. _In this family, dinnertime is a contact sport._ She caught sight of her son standing wistfully to the side, and smiled sadly. _But some are more patient than others._

The woman walked over to join him and provide some reassurance. "Don't worry, Nate. Karina said there's more where those came from."

He nodded gratefully. "I expected as much. She knows better than to run out early. I don't think the hostel would survive a riot." Nate shifted his plate from one hand to the other. "I'll wait for the next batch to come out. You wanna grab a seat?"

"You trying to sit with your mom?" Becky teased. "Where's your girlfriend?"

"Why can't I hang out with _both_ of the best women in the world?" He nodded toward Reina, who was already guarding a couch for dear life.

Becky laughed. "Who taught you to be this sweet?"

"I come by it naturally," he protested.

She couldn't resist casting an arm over his shell. "I couldn't agree more."

He laced his free arm around her side while walking Becky to the couch, and she sighed contentedly. _If a little more freedom makes everyone feel this much better...I say more power to them._


	25. Out

***Once again, didn't have to make up the turtles' environment. The real one is cooler. It's time to buckle up.**

* * *

Controlling her breathing in that moment was one of the hardest things the woman had ever done. The pure elation of her captors and excitement which fueled their departure left her stomach so tied in knots, she thought she'd be sick. _But there's no time for it now, not if we're going to accomplish anything._

The woman remained in the same spot in which she'd been lingering for the last few minutes, waiting for information it was necessary to obtain. _I don't want to stay here when we're already behind them, but if we don't know where they're going, chasing will be pointless._

She blinked rapidly to focus green eyes, smiling over the various figures in the room who paid her absolutely no heed. _Being underestimated is the greatest gift a person in my position can have. Celebrate and laugh it up, morons, because I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you fail._

Her eyes intermittently passed between two different computer screens across the way. She wasn't positive which of the techs was monitoring the progress of the extractors en route, so she had to watch them both. She squinted harder to enhance her vision, and could have cried for joy over the sight of a report being transferred into a messenger marked for the _Vaga._ The woman held her breath while perusing the coordinates being communicated.

She glanced around to make sure no one was watching. _Which of course, they aren't. Unless they have some pressing need for servitude, they barely acknowledge my presence. I wouldn't have it any other way._

With information memorized, the woman exited the room casually, and headed down the long hall for the nearest transporter. She wasn't entirely sure how the next part would play out. Her heart beat faster as the elevator carried her to a lower level she'd never touched with her own two feet, but intensely studied from manuals.

The floor came up sooner than she'd anticipated, as if the transporter was in fast forward. The woman _needed_ speed as time was of the essence, but she also had to figure out what to do next. _There wasn't a chance to plan it entirely, not when I had no clue how or when Vagari would move. Guess we'll be "winging it", as some like to say. If he's willing to go along with me, that is._

Her heart sped up faster when she stepped off the elevator, and hesitated beside the fuse panel opposite the transporter. She mentally rehearsed the correct combination for the power strip she needed, and sighed softly when the overhead lighting flickered and flashed. It was an odd effect which did little to prevent someone from physically seeing her, but she was more concerned with hindering the surveillance view than whatever else was waiting on the floor.

She sniffed the air experimentally. _Only one, it seems. He's surely not a difficult prisoner to contain. No more than myself...so they think._

The thought made her smirk while she innocently approached the curve in the tunnel, and rounded the corner to see a lone sentry. The weapon on his side didn't escape her notice, but his posture was relaxed and unguarded. When he saw her, he straightened from his slumped position against the wall.

 _"_ What are you doing here, slave? _"_

 _"_ I was sent _,"_ she answered vaguely. "To find out what you require _._ "

"I _require_ you to leave the area, as it's off limits to someone such as yourself."

 _"_ Truthfully...I hoped to find someone who was interested in striking a bargain. I'd wager no one's been able to make the prisoner talk yet."

His derisive laughter didn't even bother her. "A bargain, with you? Our prisoner is none of your concern. You're outside of your acceptable bounds, woman, and you'll be punished for it severely."

He strode toward her, but when she saw he wasn't reaching for his gun or remote, the woman sprang. She exploded from the ground with a power which hadn't been displayed for the newcomers. His shock barely had an instant to register before her compact frame connected with his torso, and she wrapped both hands around his throat.

By the time they hit the floor together, her death-grip was so tight he was already gagging. She braced her legs on either side to pin his arms, and savagely stared him down while he fought her hold. Slowly draining his life was all the guard deserved, but time was running out. She glanced at the fallen weapon within her reach, and released his throat. Her fist connected with his face hard enough to cause _her_ pain, and she scooped up the gun.

Shooting him in the head ensured a faster kill, and the woman left the soldier on the ground without any remorse. She rolled him over partially to search for his remote, and was dismayed to find it had been crushed beneath him. _That will slow us down_ more _. If I had three hands, it would have been one of the first things I grabbed. But I can't change it now._ She only paused a moment longer to yank the cord from around his neck which possessed a key, and then entered the room he'd been lazily "protecting".

The woman took a deep breath as she went toward electrified bars, and focused on the friend she hadn't seen in several days. " _Hey, bookworm_ ," she called. " _Get up._ "

The prisoner turned over with a start, and the shock in his features demonstrated he'd already recognized her. " _What have you done?! How did you get here?"_ His voice was nearly gone, and his body bore witness to atrocities she didn't want to imagine.

" _What's more important is why_ they're _here,"_ she corrected. _"You know what the Vagari are doing, don't you?"_

Her friend shook violently while he forced his way upright. " _Yes. I know."_

 _"They found them. They're on their way now. But I know where they're going. The question is whether or not you'll help me."_

 _"We are not strong enough to stop them."_

She shook her head. " _Not in a fair fight. But if we could catch them by surprise? Maybe even warn the others? I know our chances are small. Some hope is better than none, isn't it?"_

 _"Yes...I agree."_

 _"Then you're coming?"_

 _"Let me out, hamna*, and I will stand with you." (_ sister)

The woman dangled the cord over the door, slid the attached disc-shaped key into the slot, and entered in the override. Her companion was in obvious pain as he shuffled out of the cell, but she bit her tongue to keep from asking what the Vagari had been doing with him.

" _How did you accomplish all of this?_ "

She took no offense to the amazement in his tone. _"I was nothing but the freak they didn't think could_ _speak their language. They had no clue I was reading any of the material they left within my reach."_

" _We must do something about our trackers_ ," he mentioned.

The woman touched the too-tightly fitting cuff on her wrist. " _I couldn't get a remote. I know how to disable them manually, but it will take a little time. We're already so far behind the extractors..."_

 _"If we skip the normal precautions, we may be able to make it up,"_ he suggested softly.

" _That could kill you!"_

He shrugged. " _Let us not pretend this venture will end any other way. I am still going, regardless._ "

The woman folded her arms with a severe look.

 _"It is my choice,"_ he insisted. " _And it also happens to be the only chance for_ life _I have left. You cannot believe the Vagari see value in someone who refuses to do what they say."_

 _"They hurt you badly, didn't they?"_

 _"We have got to_ go _. Are we not already far behind?"_

With difficulty, the woman nodded. She hated his blunt assessment of their chances, but she had to agree. _Still, we_ c _an't do nothing. They're worth it, no matter how this ends._

* * *

Cutting through the trees at top speed without making a sound wasn't difficult for Jayden, but withholding the excited cry which bubbled up inside was another matter. He managed to temporarily satisfy himself with a huge grin, and the knowledge that Olivia had no clue how close he'd gotten.

His red-masked cousin was notoriously good at disappearing, and she was also the one who gave him the least credit where stealth was involved. _She'll pay for it tonight. I can be quiet when I wanna be – and right now, I_ really _want to._

Jayden glanced over the side of the ridge upon which he was running to catch another glimpse of trailing mask tails, the braided ends flying out in a straight line behind her. He was confident she didn't know he'd caught up, or that he was about to turn the game on its head.

The purple-masked turtle snickered to himself as he prepared for descent, counting down in his mind to increase the dramatic flair. _C'mon, Liv. Just stick to this route, don't deviate, and I'll be good to go. I'll show you who can things seriously._

He was set to launch when he heard the faintest rustle of leaves. Jayden jerked his head and looked over his shoulder to pick out a brief glimpse of another shadow. Despite their similar physiology, each of the turtles were built differently, and he recognized Tim from a mile away. _Not this time. It ends now._

He clenched his jaw to withhold a shout, and took a bounding leap downhill to cross directly into his cousin's path. The purple-masked turtle's aim was perfect, and the thrill was heightened by her surprised yelp. Jayden finally laughed out loud as he pinned Olivia with little true effort on his part.

He couldn't resist smirking either. "Who's a thunder-shell, Liv?"

"Get OFF me, you giant lug!"

"I wanna hear you say it first."

Tim ran up behind them, heaving with the exertion of his last mad dash. "I'm sorry, Liv – he was too far ahead."

"Then you should have yelled or something!" she snapped. "Kaiju, get off!"

"I'm waiting to hear the words."

"I'll make you regret it," she returned dangerously.

He chuckled as he flipped backwards off his cousin. "You don't have to admit it out loud, Liv, but you know the truth deep down."

"I know you're an overgrown excuse for a-"

"Hey, guys," Nate cut in smoothly, materializing in way that none of the other youth seemed to master yet. "Might wanna take it down a few notches. We're lucky to be out here at all."

Jayden folded his arms with a grin. "Not my fault Olivia can't admit defeat."

Nathaniel glanced between the pair. "You pull of an ambush?"

"Totally owned her. She never saw me coming."

"I saw him coming," Tim protested.

"And yet, you were a day late and a dollar short." Jayden turned his head upon the sensation of someone fixing on his back. "Game's over, Charlie. C'mon out – I already won."

"Which makes it about three dozen to your _six_ ," Olivia returned heatedly. "Your track record is so sad, I can't believe you'd spend this much time celebrating."

"You don't take losses well, Liv. You should work on t-"

"Wait," Nate spoke up suddenly.

"What?" the purple-masked turtle demanded. "You don't want me to have any fun either?"

"Jayden, be _quiet_." There was a flatness to the orange-masked turtle's voice which wiped the irritation from the younger one's face.

Jayden stood still and listened as his cousin appeared to be doing, but he heard nothing except the wind.

Olivia moved slowly toward Nate with deliberate steps. "What is it, Chokkan?"

"C'mere," Nate whispered, motioning to the rest of them. "I want to move."

"Why?" Charlotte pressed softly. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure. But nobody talk – we need to listen. Let's take the high ground back."

Jayden was mystified, but filed into a line behind Olivia, all former mirth a distant memory. His fingers grazed the handle of the _ono_ strapped to his back. It certainly wasn't time to draw the battle ax without a sign from Nate, yet his cousin's current behavior was more indicative of a potential threat than merely being accidentally spotted. He shook off the tremor that ran through his legs, attributing it more to anticipation than fear.

Nathaniel hesitated on the edge of the treeline, gazing into the surrounding darkness like he saw something the rest of them couldn't. Jayden shuffled his feet, but obediently waited for his orange-masked cousin to do something. For all his own scanning, the younger turtle saw nothing unusual in the landscape, but a snap of a twig on his right sent Jayden spinning.

 _That_ was when he noticed a glint - what was definitely the reflection of moonlight against metal. A soft gasp beside him caused Jayden to shift his twin's direction, only to see an identical flash from the opposite side. The turtles automatically drew together, and Jayden turned in a tight circle to confirm the strange figures were converging from several directions at once.

He didn't bother looking to Nate before snatching his ono, gripping the four-foot shaft against his plastron.

"Nate." Olivia's whisper was strangled. "Do you think it's _them_?"

Jayden whipped toward the older turtle for his answer. Nathaniel was a long moment in replying, though the drawn Arsiterite blade spoke for him.

The orange-masked turtle turned in slow motion to look at each of them in turn. " _Run._ "

"Itoko, we can fight!" Liv was the first to quietly object.

"Olivia, my phone is dead," he informed her grimly. Jayden hadn't even realized Nate was gripping the cell in his other hand. "Everybody run. We head East."

The purple-masked turtle was dreadfully disappointed to sheathe his ax, but followed when Nate darted into motion seconds later. Jayden kept a careful eye on his older cousins leading the pack, but couldn't resist snagging the phone off his own belt. He tapped the display, but the screen remained dark. When he pushed the power button, nothing happened either. _It was fully charged when we left tonight. No way did it just die!_

Their dads had dropped them off at the park several minutes beforehand, with instructions to meet them at the East entrance in two hours or so. Jayden fingered his watch to check the time, but the digital display didn't respond either. "Chokkan, I think my watch is gone too!" he called, leaping over a tree root that nearly tripped him up.

"Why do you think we're _running?_ " Nate returned without looking back.

"Do you really believe it's Lendano?" Charlotte's voice was surprisingly steady.

"I don't know! It's not normal, whatever it is. And with our technology failing-" The orange-masked turtle cried out and lunged left to avoid a shaft of gleaming metal which shot through his path.

Olivia lowered her head like a charging bull to meet their pursuer, but a hefty fist swatted her into a tree so hard, her shell probably left indentations. Jayden surged forward to meet the enemy, and their collision sent shockwaves through his frame. The attacker stumbled backward, and Jayden grinned as Olivia popped up at his side, seeming no worse for wear.

"Don't get in my way, Kaiju!"

He snorted while gearing up to tackle the thing.

"Guys! Don't engage them!" Nathaniel ordered.

"We might not have a choice!" Tim said from the back.

When Jayden looked for his blue-masked cousin, he saw the danger to which Tim referred in the form of several dark shapes on their tails, including a couple which appeared to be _flying_.

Jogging backwards, Jayden shoved his younger cousin in front of him so he'd be bringing up the rear. "Chokkan, I think these guys are a little weirder than we thought!"

"We can't let them stop us!" the eighteen-year-old shot back. "Keep moving!"

Jayden growled in frustration over the retreat, but couldn't completely disagree. He'd heard stories about the technology on Ravensrock, and it left a heavy pit in his stomach. _They also took our dads recently...but that doesn't mean we don't have a shot._

Despite the paranoia that made him want to look over his shoulder every five seconds, Jayden was grateful to be the rear guard instead of trying to figure out where they should be heading next. When he felt wind picking up against his shell, he withdrew the ax from its holster.

Jayden spun his weapon and leveled the shaft against a hard surface directly behind him. He heard the clang of metal upon contact, and felt cold armor brush his shoulder. The sixteen-year-old threw himself into a forward roll, and turned his ax to use the blade properly.

Although his blow leveled the adversary, he was shocked when the ax head didn't appear to pierce armor. There was no time to waste for a stronger attack, lest he lose the rest of his cousins. The lights Jayden could see up ahead confirmed they were approaching the edge of the park. _It makes sense to stay in the trees for cover, even though these...these things already know we're here! I don't know what makes Nate think we should come out, but that's why he's in charge, and not us._

The peculiar outline of the Olympic stadium rose from the surrounding buildings like a modern sculpture, and it seemed Nate was guiding them directly for it. Jayden looked back, and was shocked to see their pursuers hesitating on the border of the treeline. _What are they doing? What kind of game is this?_

When his attention returned forward, he realized his cousins were halfway down the block without him. He pumped his legs to catch up, and cast another hopeful glance back. To his dismay, whatever had caused their attackers momentary pause was past, and metallic figures were trailing them once more.

Jayden put on another burst of speed, but turned his head several more times to try and gauge how many were following them. _Dad! Where are you guys? You've got to be close by. That's what Nate has to be counting on._

The ninja inside him was desperate for face-to-face combat, but the unknown factor of what they were dealing with made flight an option with which he was willing to cooperate. He started when the street lamps illuminating the sidewalk were extinguished, and almost halted atogether.

"Jayden!" Charlotte's voice cut through the distraction. "Come on!"

He hadn't realized they were getting further ahead again while he tried to assess the enemy numbers. Jayden hurried to reach them, just as the orange-masked turtle scaled a cement barrier, and leaped onto the edge of the low domed roof that hung over the giant sports complex.

His cousins rapidly followed the same path, and Jayden sprang to join them. Dashing across the surface of the stadium felt like doing little more scaling a hill, but the dread of what was at their backs made it impossible to enjoy the familiar action. Jayden almost ran into Tim before realizing the others had come to a sudden stop near the center of the dome. He opened his mouth to protest, but within seconds noticed the barrier blocking their progress.

The purple-masked turtle tensed, backing up against the shell closest to his. He knew it was his sister without seeing her.

"Okay, guys," Nate said evenly. "We're not going down like this."

Jayden smirked into the faces of their pursuers, which he now estimated to be closer to fifteen. Even the fact that they had him beat for height wasn't intimidating. Fear had been stronger when they were simply trying to escape. Now that it'd come to hand-to-hand fighting, boldness emerged. He tested the flat edge of his ax against his palm. "All right! Who wants some?"

"Stay together!" Nate urged. "Don't let them separate us!"

"Won't happen, Chokkan." Olivia sounded confident, though Jayden couldn't see her.

The purple-masked turtle glared at the three figures encroaching upon his personal space. "Respect the boundaries, or you're gonna lose some limbs."

He darted sideways when one of them pounced toward his legs. The move prevented the gleaming stranger from getting a hand on him, but it also opened up his cousins' flank to attack. Jayden reasserted his protective position with a snarl, flinging his ax into the back of the shadow descending on his sister. Once again, he sensed the blade didn't quite penetrate, but flung his ono around to meet another trying to get an arm around his thick neck.

Jayden chuckled darkly while driving the ax into the figure's chest plate with greater effort. He felt the blade at least get embedded that time, and he yanked it free as his attacker tumbled backwards several feet from the power of the blow. A sound like the sharp snap of a whip resonated in his ears, and was followed by a thin cord wrapping around his bicep.

He jerked his arm to break the inconsequential tether, but was stunned by the sensation of ice suddenly flowing through his veins. He tried to retract his limb, but the cold feeling created a numbing effect which spread so quickly, Jayden had no time to cry out. The turtle saw a metal-wrapped fist flying toward him, but could do absolutely nothing to avoid it.

* * *

 ***I hope you're good and stretched out, because we're officially done warming up. Yeah. That's all the last 25 chapters have been. Please check out the design of Olympic stadium on Legacy of Loyalty. It will explain how easily they accessed the roof.**


	26. Separated

To Nate, time seemed to stand still upon the massive hit that sent his cousin hurtling from the dome. The orange-masked turtle immediately snapped back to himself when one of their assailants flew after Jayden. Nathaniel took off like a shot on the enemy's heels, launching from the edge of the roof to tackle the winged shadow.

The excess weight caused the figure to dip lower over the parking lot, and Nate reacted by rapidly wrapping his legs around the pursuer's torso. He plunged his Arsiterite blade directly through its back to dispatch the threat before the thing could throw him or attack Jayden.

As the sword penetrated, the accompanying scream was so startling that Nate almost lost the grip with his legs. In the breadth of the moment it took to withdraw his katana and leap off the crashing enemy, Nate had made an important discovery: whatever he'd just struck was living, breathing flesh and blood.

The revelation created more questions than it answered, but he had no time to focus on any of them. Nate hit the ground on his feet a couple seconds ahead of the plummeting stranger, and only hesitated an instant to nudge the prone body with his foot.

There was no movement on the part of the attacker. Curiosity demanded a closer look at the long-limbed creature, but there was a much more pressing need. _Jayden! Where did he end up?_ He didn't call his purple-masked cousin's name, for fear of drawing more assailants that direction before reaching him.

With katana still in hand, the orange-masked turtle rapidly scanned the parking lot and surrounding area. _He couldn't have traveled that far. I have to find Jayden before something, or someone else does._

Nathaniel melded into the shadows as he began a swift circuit of the lot, noting for the first time that it was much darker than it should have been. _The lights are out_ , he realized. _Nothing is on from the street lamps to any of the buildings. That doesn't make any sense. Did something take out the entire power grid? Was all of this because of_ us _?_

There was no answer for that, yet.

Nate squinted in the darkness at a vehicle a few feet to his left, which bore evidence of significant damage to its front end. His heart skipped a couple beats while he sprinted toward the truck for a closer look, gaping at the shattered windshield and dented hood. Around the passenger side, he found his cousin sprawled on his plastron.

"Jayden!"

Years of first aid training warned him not to try moving the younger turtle yet, but Nate dropped to his knees to search for life signs. Probing his neck revealed significant bleeding, but he also located a pulse. _That's a good sign for starters, but there's no telling what kind of internal injuries he could have. I can't afford to screw this up._ He threw another glance at his worthless cell phone. _It_ would _happen the night our dads let us go our own way. I can't wait to try and explain some of this._ He shook his head at the sarcastic thought. _I wish that was our worst problem._

Nathaniel cursed the darkness and his inability to figure out how deep or serious the puncture was. _I have to treat it like a big problem, to be safe._ He dug into his belt for a packet of QuikClot and ripped it open with his teeth. He was reaching to apply the hemostatic agent, when a streak of light out of the corner of his eye caused him to jump off the pavement, startled.

Nate spun in time to watch the object shoot across the sky over the eastern end of Olympic park, and crash to the earth in a fiery display.

* * *

The moment Nate had gone, Olivia backed closer to her remaining cousins. She cast a distracted glance at Charlotte and inwardly sighed. _Charlie probably could have kept going all night and escaped these things if it wasn't for the rest of us. I wish she would have run._ But the death grip the purple-masked turtle had on her naginata was admitting no part of surrender or retreat.

Olivia spun her sai in aggravation over the encroaching enemies. As of yet, their blades had been unable to penetrate robotic armor. _That's some flipping upgrade they've had. Where's an EMP when we need one?_ She dodged sideways to avoid a monstrous fist. Being glued to her cousins' sides gave her limited room for maneuvering, but the giant's blows weren't proving difficult to predict.

The simple bobbing and weaving under and around his attempted thrusts allowed the red-masked turtle to remain beside the others, while also frustrating her opponent. She braced for a counter-strike, and watched for the opportunity to open up. Eyes locked on her target while she waited for it to try striking her again.

After ducking this time, Olivia exploded from the roof with a jump kick which connected viciously with its chest plate. The thing stumbled backwards but didn't go down completely. She snarled while following up with a spinning kick, delivering a thunderous heel strike to the figure's head.

There was a brief sense of satisfaction when it crumpled, but it was shortened by the impending doom she felt bearing down on her exposed shell. Olivia hardly had a chance to spin before the whistle of a chain looped around her stalker, and pulled it up short.

Olivia seized the chance afforded by Tim's kusarigama to thrust an uppercut toward the attacker's throat. _Their necks are vulnerable if they're anything like the kind from Ravensrock, which they don't seem to be,_ she finished regretfully. She landed the first punch and continued with three more, alternating fists.

When the thing pitched sideways, she made quick work of untangling the chain of her cousin's weapon, and shot Tim a grateful glance. The blue-masked turtle was engaged with the sickle end of the kusarigama, fighting off the robotic advance with a ferocity Olivia had rarely seen the youngest turtle display. Unfortunately, the blade had no effect on any of the armor, regardless of the pride she felt over him.

"Tim!" She lunged back to her cousin, dropping the weighted end of the chain at his feet. "Thanks, itoko."

"Stick with us, Liv; safer on our part, more dangerous for them." Charlotte didn't even sound winded. "We can outlast them!"

Olivia felt her first smirk emerge. _They may be bigger, but she's right. We're better, especially if we work together. We've also got a few more tricks none of them can anticipate._ "I think we can throw these things off, guys. Little misdirection will work wonders." Charlotte's long reach with the naginata would come in handy too. "Let them get closer," she encouraged her cousins. "Just hang back a minute and allow them to come. Then you can show them how a ninja finishes things, Charlie."

The three pulled together and Olivia lowered her sai, nodding at Tim to appear docile. Charlotte fingered the wooden surface of her naginata, though she kept the end with the blade trained on the ground. Liv mentally counted six attackers, though there was no telling how long the others would hold back. _They're relentless – but it's a good thing we've got our own Energizer bunny. If they wanna go down in waves, it'll suit the rest of us just fine._

 _"_ Steady, itoko. It'll be all right," she told Charlie.

Her purple-masked cousin nodded grimly, but Liv saw the anxiety in her face. _She's worried about her brother. He's in good hands with Nate. They'll be fine, and so will we._ She opened her mouth to tell Charlotte about what looked like a perfect opening, but her cousin was already reacting.

Charlotte's naginata spun in a wide arc, connecting with one attacker after another in one of the most graceful displays of blade wielding Olivia had ever witnessed aside from her Jonin and orange-masked cousin. _I could work with a sword for another twenty years, and never look as good. Jonin should have thought about training_ her _on katana._

Olivia was poised to take advantage of the temporarily downed assailants, but a tremendous bolt of light cut her off mid-jump. She backpedaled against her cousins, gasping at the eruption of flames from nearly a half block away.

The reaction from their attackers was even more shocking. Their attention was drawn to the commotion, but the respite was short-lived. Liv braced herself for another frontal assault, but she wasn't prepared for the small, yet brilliant flash which emitted from one of their hands, or the strange buzzing quality in her head which accompanied it.

In a second, her muscles turned to jelly and legs gave out beneath her. Pain pulsed in her head, along with muddled confusion that made it impossible to focus on what was happening. Then arms were grasping her shell from behind, and encircling her plastron.

She squirmed in the unfriendly grip which definitely wasn't one of her cousins, but the iron hands restraining her were too strong to compete with still tingling muscles. Vision blurred as wings shot out on either side of her, and Olivia realized what the thing was attempting. A surge of desperation lit through her brain once they were airborne, cutting through fog just enough to gain control of her arms.

Her hands flailed backwards, groping for anything she could take advantage of. Fingers caught the familiar shape of a neck, and she dug in her nails to twist her captor's throat. Among the rushing wind, Olivia sensed what was definitely _bone_ breaking in her grasp.

She didn't have time to be surprised by that, because she was suddenly hurtling through thin air, unable to see where was going. All Olivia had the chance to do was curl her head into her chest and cover it with her hands, before colliding with the roof so hard it took her breath away.

While heaving for air, Liv's distorted vision could hardly make out the dark shape descending over her. She rolled to the side to try and gain her feet. The effort was only partially successful, as Liv made it to her knees. But the swooping creature wasn't attacking her. Rather, the thing landed briefly beside the fuzzy outline of her would-be kidnapper, and threw the creature over its shoulder instead.

Liv remained on the ground to watch him take flight, foggy thoughts trying to process exactly what had occurred. _That_ was when the red-masked turtle realized she was completely alone.

* * *

Nate glared at his phone. He was willing to admit they were a little too wrapped up in their technology, but he desperately _needed_ his dead device. _I'm gonna have to find a phone somewhere else._ He cast a look back at the Biodome connected to the stadium. _If there's no power, they probably don't have any working land lines either. Doesn't mean there's not a chance of finding an operational cell phone somewhere inside..._

Nate looked down at Jayden. Upon closer examination of his cousin's neck, he was sure it wasn't broken, and less afraid to move him. There were ways to transport his 6'6" cousin, but the potential seriousness of his injuries required a little more care than he could administer on his own.

Nate stiffened when he caught sight of shadowy movement circling overhead, and gripped his katana stronger. He was prepared for another assault when the creature dived toward the parking lot, but it stopped short by the one the orange-masked turtle had stabbed.

Nathaniel watched it take back off with creased brow, but the departure did nothing to slow down his heart rate. _What_ was _that? What was any of it? And where are the others?_ He stuck his head around the relative cover of the truck, and scanned the roof-line of the dome for his cousins. He couldn't pick up any sign of movement either above, or in the parking lot below.

Nate dropped back into a bewildered crouch at Jayden's side. _This is crazy. I've got to find a phone, get help for Jayden, and locate the others. Not necessarily in that order._

 _"Nate!"_

A nearby cry made him lunge to his feet.

"Nate, c'mon! Where are you?!"

He was tempted to tell his red-masked cousin to quiet down, but the terror in her voice merely caused him to call back. "Olivia! I'm over here with Jayden – he's hurt!"

From the way she staggered toward him, it was clear Olivia was injured somehow too. Nathaniel ran to meet her and braced an arm around her side.

"Liv, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

She wheezed before replying. "No. It wasn't...I didn't..."

"Liv, you've got to breathe. Let me help you."

"I don't need help!" she exclaimed under duress. "The feeling is coming back."

"What feeling?"

"I'll explain later! Where's Jay?"

"Around the truck."

His arm never left her side as they half ran/half hobbled back to the vehicle. Olivia went very still when she caught sight of the purple-masked turtle on the ground.

"Oh God...how bad is it?"

"I can't tell. He might have hit an artery, so I packed in QuikClot. I've been searching for broken bones, but didn't find anything. I'm sure he has a head injury. We need a phone, Liv, and we need our dads. Where are Charlotte and Tim? Were they looking for us too?"

She stared down at the pavement without replying, though her shoulders trembled.

"Olivia? Where are they?"

"They're gone." Her voice was so constricted, he hardly heard her. "Those things, they...they took them. One tried to steal me at the same time, but I got my hands on his neck." She whirled around and grabbed his arm. "Nate, they're not robots!"

"I know," he answered faintly. "I killed one too." The news of his cousins made his legs so weak, he thought they would collapse.

"I lost them, Nate. I lost them!" Olivia shook harder with the confession.

"Liv, you didn't lose them," he declared, straining to force power into his voice. "I left you."

"To save him!" She jerked a hand toward Jayden.

He shook his head. "I still left you."

Olivia sniffed, obviously fighting back tears. "Are we gonna stand around and fight about whose fault it is, or are we going to do something?"

Nate took a couple of deep breaths to control the urge to panic. "We can't stay here. Olivia, how are you hurt? I need to know now."

"I...I'm not sure. They did something weird, after the...crash. There was a bright light, and then my head almost went blank. My legs failed. I could barely move. But it's already improved. I can keep going, Nate. I know I can."

"I need your help with Jayden," he said apologetically.

Liv scowled. "The mountain _would_ have to be the one to go down. Where are we going?"

"I don't want to leave the area, because our dads are probably still around here somewhere."

"Can we be sure of that? Those things that attacked us, what if they got to our dads first? How would we even know?"

Nate winced. "We wouldn't. But I'd rather operate under the assumption that they're out there searching for us, until I have reason to believe otherwise."

"Then what are we doing?"

He glanced over his shoulder at the dark buildings. "I think we should head for the Biodome. Get indoors and undercover. The power's out, so we shouldn't have to worry about cameras or alarms."

"And if those things come back? Should we risk getting trapped indoors?"

"Liv, that's _why_ I wanna go there," he returned, trying to remain patient. "We're exposed here, no matter what we do. Jayden's dead weight, and we have to protect him. Hiding is the easiest way to do it."

"All right," she allowed. "But how do our dads find us?"

"Uncle Don has a scanner," he pointed out. "And if their electronics failed like ours, they'd still expect us to be in the area. Maybe there's a working cell phone in there. I'd rather take the risk inside, than wait here for another attack."

Olivia nodded. "You're right, Chokkan. Let's get Jayden."

"Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Nate, what choice do I have? I let two of our cousins get stolen from right underneath my nose. I'm sure as _shell_ not letting anything happen to him!"

"Liv, you were outnumbered and...at disadvantage by whatever tech they're using."

"You're not gonna make me feel better, Nate, so don't try." She clenched her teeth tightly through another tremor. "We need to move, don't we?"

The orange-masked turtle pulled one his mammoth cousin's arms over his shoulder, and waited to make sure Olivia could handle Jayden's weight too.

"We'll take it slow," he told her.

Liv had nothing else to say, merely stared straight ahead with a mixture of grief, anger, and desperation.

 _I hope we're doing the right thing. Our dads_ have _to still be out there. I don't know what we'll do if they aren't._


	27. Meet

Nate wanted to take the time to find a quiet entry point, but the sound of sirens nearby made him feel as skittish as Olivia looked. _Shell, I don't want to stay in the area any more than she does. If Jayden wasn't hurt, or we knew where our dads were, I'd run at the first opportunity._

He cast a longing look down at a manhole cover. _If only we_ could _go underground. This is such a nightmare. If we don't find a working cell phone in the Biodome, we might have to split up to track one down._

As they crept up on the right side of the building, he felt another pang of doubt. "This is nuts, isn't it? Sticking so close to where they last attacked us. They might still be in the area. They could be anywhere." Nate hesitated, peering over at the road. "I don't know. Maybe we ought to take a car or something..." He finished the statement weakly, because even when they were desperate, stealing wasn't something he had any desire to do.

"I think, given your history, taking a car would be a bad idea," Olivia said softly.

He rolled his eyes. "Shipyard is going to haunt me for the rest of my life, isn't it?"

"I hope tonight doesn't." She sounded both weary and deadly serious. "I also believe that carrying Jayden too far in the open is a bad idea. We're better off doing what you wanted to begin with, which is sticking to the Biodome."

"If you say so. Are you feeling okay, Liv?"

"No, but most of it isn't physical."

"We're going to get them back," he said firmly. _I don't have to know how yet. I just know we_ will _._

Nathaniel pulled up short when he heard a car, and hissed a warning to Olivia. They both flattened against the ground and waited until the vehicle had driven by before rising again.

When the orange-masked turtle regained his feet, he spied a door attached to the museum with a stick propping it open. He felt slightly bewildered while he approached the entrance, and carefully scanned inside. The hall was completely dark, with the exception of faint moonlight coming from the windows.

He stood still, listening intently for the tell-tale signs of life nearby. Nate heard voices echoing quietly from further away, but their proximity suggested the turtles had time to move. Decision made, he hurried back to his cousins.

"C'mon, Liv. There are men here, but if we're careful, I don't think they'll notice us."

"With the way the evening has gone..."

"Don't jinx us. Let's go."

The red-masked turtle willingly followed him into the hall with Jayden, but stiffened upon hearing voices too. "Where are we going? Figure it out fast!"

He resisted the urge to remind her he'd never been there before. "We're improvising. We need to find a little more light. Let's keep our mouths shut until we do."

Whereas the shadows were normally a welcome companion, he was eager for a better look at Jayden, and some clue of the layout. It also presented a greater risk of discovery, but he was less concerned about security guards than the assassins that were possibly still in the area.

Nate silently headed for a source of light in the distance, pacing himself to keep in sync with Olivia. They hesitated together on the pass-through to a large foyer, whose skylights allowed more of the room to be visible.

Olivia pointed toward a wide pillar in the center of the room. "Looks kind of important. Wanna see what it is?"

Nathaniel had to squint to read characters which were probably normally lit up, but he recognized the form of a map in seconds. It took another moment to notice how close Olivia was to his shell, trying to read over his shoulder.

"Aren't there a bunch of animals here?" she asked pointedly.

He nodded. "They have several exhibits representing different parts of the world."

"Then shouldn't there be back up generators for when the power goes out?"

"Definitely."

"Well, where are they?"

"Beats me, Liv. Probably the same place as our phones."

"Is there anything useful on the map?"

He shrugged. "The rainforest speaks to me. It'll have great potential for hiding."

"How far is it?"

Nate twisted to scan the space. "If that desk over there is the ticket center, the rainforest exhibit should be around the left corner."

Olivia nodded her agreement, and they resumed carrying Jayden between them, forced to drag his legs slightly because of the height difference.

The map was hardly required from the obvious signs directing them where they needed to go. Passing into the exhibit itself felt like stepping into the wild. Despite the man-made features, the darkness coupled with trees and authentic sounds of nightlife added to the realism of their surroundings. The uncertainty of what was going on or would happen next left Nate with a deep sense of foreboding. _I don't know how long we'll be able to hang out here._

He hesitated by a sign dimly lit by cascading moonlight. "The room is broken down into sectors. The path to the left leads to more mature vegetation. I figure that will be the best place to hide."

"Until the power comes back. Nate, we could get into real trouble here."

"I know. Do you have another plan?"

"Of course not. And even if I did, I'm sure it wouldn't work."

"Olivia, don't," Nate urged.

"It's true, and you know it. If you'd been the one left on that roof, you wouldn't have let our cousins get taken. _You_ would have thought of something."

"Liv, please? We need to work together. I can't do this on my own. It's been a wretched night, and it isn't over. It's impossible to predict what will happen next. That means we've got to be ready for anything, and not beating ourselves up. I don't think there's anything you _could_ have done."

"Maybe not me, but you..." she began, and then trailed off. "Sorry. Okay, I'm shutting up."

Nathaniel wanted to encourage her, but words weren't coming. _No point in faking it. She'll see through me anyway._

Their silent trek led them along the edge of the thicker tree line, until Nate decided it was time to abandon the walk-way to lose themselves in the forest.

"You mind if we stop for a minute?" Liv suggested. "I want to check Jay."

The orange-masked turtle nodded, crouching near the ground to keep watch while Olivia bent closer to the younger turtle. "How's his pulse?"

"Rapid. He's colder than he ought to be. Nate, he's probably going into shock."

Nate sighed inwardly. _We might not have time to wait for the others to find us. Between the possibility of Jayden getting worse or the power coming back, this is feeling like less of a good idea. We may end up being forced to separate so I can-_

The crunch of footsteps several yards away made the thought fly out of his head. He rose very slowly from his low position, waving to Liv for silence. The red-masked turtle didn't move, but her amber eyes were abnormally wide when Nate inched back toward the path.

"Nate," she whispered fiercely. "You can't go alone. What if something happens? What if you need help? I'm coming too."

He squared his shoulders for a fight. "Olivia, no. Someone's got to be here forJayden."

She scowled. "Well, why don't you keep an eye on him and I'll go? I _am_ still older than you."

"You also already took a hit from weird technology, and we're not going to argue about this. I'm invoking my right to tell you what to do. You're staying with him."

Olivia opened her mouth to protest again, but then clapped it shut. "You'd better come back then, Nate. If you don't, I will hunt you down and kick your shell."

Under normal circumstances the threat would have made him smile, but as of now he could only nod grimly. "I'll be back, Liv. Whoever it is, I don't want to let them get too close. I'll lead them away, then make my move if necessary."

"Better know what you're doing, Chokkan."

"I'll be fine," he promised. "Stay under cover."

Nate took a deep breath while he crept carefully through the brush, intentionally skirting the outside edge of the trees furthest from skylights. His katana remained in the sheath, but every few seconds his fingers twitched, and the orange-masked turtle was tempted to draw the weapon. _Steady. Slow breaths. It's not time to overreact. Got to be quiet and patient. Get a jump on him before he has the chance to catch_ you _._

It wasn't hard to follow the trail of their stalker. Not only was the figure stumbling around as loud as a herd of wild elephants, his labored breathing called out to Nate like a fog horn. The stranger's height and build gave him away as being similar to whatever they'd run into outside.

 _Wonder if he was hurt in the original fight._ Nate couldn't decipher what might be wrong, but the creature looked more vulnerable without reinforced armor. _It appears to be alone, injured...maybe disoriented, the way he's flopping around. This could be a gift in disguise, and I'm not going to waste it. But I have to make sure we're further away from Olivia and Jayden before I attempt anything. It could still be a trap of some kind._

Nate picked up a rock and hurled it several yards to his right, to find out how the figure would react. The shadowy outline whipped around like he'd been shot at and strode about a dozen feet, before pausing to look around again with apparent confusion.

He watched his stalker pitch forward when he took another step, and was convinced the injury was real. _I can do this._ Nate quietly stole through the trees lining the center of the exhibit, slipping directly beside the figure so they were only separated by a couple feet. _Guy is oblivious. Or out of it. Doesn't matter – he'll help us, one way or another._

Once he'd gotten past him, Nate intentionally snapped a stick to gain attention. _C'mon, puppy. Come get the bait! Nice doggy._ He waited until he heard footsteps in the brush, and then began loping through greenery at a moderate pace. Nate had the sense he could easily outrun the character in his condition. _But I don't want to lose you. You're the best thing I've got going for me. So stay on my tail, keep those legs chugging, and I'll let you take another rest in a minute._

The turtle had to check himself when he realized he'd gotten a little too far ahead. He backtracked a few feet and shimmied through the branches of a broad-leaf tree to locate his pursuer bent over at the waist. _Shell, is this guy gonna keel over on me? Looks like I have to take a different tactic. If he's that bad off, I need information now. Especially if there are more of them hanging around in better condition. Okay, no more messing around._

Nate hopped down from the branch without making a sound, and drew his katana while approaching his prey's left flank. He studied the wheezing figure for a few more seconds before throwing caution to the wind. With all the boldness he could gather the turtle stepped out of foliage into the moonlight, pointing the tip of the blade to his follower's chin to force up its head

The startled figure jerked, and Nate nearly cut him on the spot. He reacted quickly enough to maneuver the katana away from an artery, but tapped it against the stranger's throat for good measure.

"Don't do that again, or I'll have to hurt you," he warned coldly.

The thing gasped softly. "You _are_ here. I hoped to fin-"

Nathaniel cut him off with another threatening prick. He was surprised to hear his target speak English, then irritated for assuming it couldn't. "I know exactly what you hoped to find: an easy target. I'm sorry to disappoint, but you really shouldn't have come alone."

"Y-you have the wrong idea," the stranger faltered, backing away from the blade.

Nate stayed with him, indenting the edge harder against his neck. "This is your last warning. Move again, and I _will_ cut you." He swore the figure trembled.

"You must give me a chance."

There was a desperate note in his tone which lent Nate hope that the creature could be reasoned with. _I have to give him the right incentive._

 _"_ Walk with me," the turtle ordered, motioning his free hand to the dirt path which led to the right. He never removed the katana from his prisoner's throat.

"There is not much time. You do not realize the danger-"

Nate stopped short to withdrew his blade, and drove the tall figure into a tree with the full strength of his upper body. "After that attack, you think I don't get the _danger?_ "

The stranger uttered a string of sounds, none of which qualified as words. "They...you were already found?"

The turtle growled as fury and frustration boiled over. "I'm _not_ in the mood to play with you. I want to know where my cousins are! You have two choices: you can help me, or you can die. Personally, I'd rather kill you where you stand, but if there's any chance of you trading mercy for my family, I'll do it."

He cringed under Nate's weight, but didn't dare squirm this time when the blade was returned to the side of his neck. "I cannot tell you what you want."

"Then you're choosing death."

" _No_." The syllable came out stronger, but was accompanied by a deep cough. "You do not...understand."

"I think maybe _you_ don't," Nate returned coolly. "Let me break this down for you. In the last two weeks, my dad and uncles were nearly killed, we got kicked out of our home, and then forced to flee the country without ANY say in the matter! Now tonight we were attacked on _my_ watch, one of my cousins is badly injured, and two more are completely gone! I'm not going to negotiate with you unless you tell me where they are!" By the end, he'd lost control of volume and was close to allowing the katana to sink deeper.

"Nate!"

The urgent shout nearly gave the young turtle a heart attack, but then he sighed with immense relief. "Jonin!" he yelled back, not caring who heard. "Jonin, I need you!"

"Stay where you are!"

The intensity of emotions that rolled over him upon hearing his leader's voice made Nate's shoulders sag slightly, but he didn't remove his blade from the captive. He glared at the creature he had pinned, and was shocked by the relief in _his_ sigh.

"Blessed El." The stranger finished with a groan. "Leonardo, will you _please_ inform your offspring that I am not a threat?"

There was so little power in his voice that Nate was positive the others couldn't have heard it, but the use of his uncle's name nearly did the turtle in. In his mind's eye he saw himself ripping out the throat of his hunter, and _had_ to withdraw the katana to prevent it from taking place.

The moment his blade lifted, the frightened prisoner collapsed from tree trunk to the ground. His shallow breathing transitioned to sounding both rapid and shorter, as if he were hyperventilating. Nate crouched near him warily with the sense that he could be faking it, but a stronger feeling that something was significantly wrong.

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"Your father...will tell-"

"Leonardo is not my father. Who are _you?_ "

The creature's arms clutched the earth, as though searching for support. "Better...if I go..."

"You're not going anywhere," Nate insisted. "You're gonna tell me who you are, and what the shell you want with my family."

"If...if you find _her,_ she will tell..."

"Find who?" Nate bent over the struggling figure. "All I want are my cousins. I don't have to harm you, and neither does anyone else. Just tell me where they're taking them. Tell me how to get them back!"

"You cannot," he returned faintly.

Fury reignited within Nathaniel, but he had no time to react before a rush of much louder feet than normal preceded the arrival of the older turtles.

The teen jumped to his feet and shuddered gratefully upon seeing his dad and uncles in what appeared to be perfect health "You guys are all right? I'm sorry! We're in so much trouble but I...I don't even know where to start!"

Leonardo laid a hand on his shoulder to quell the shaking. "Start with who you have cornered here."

Nate shook his head, returning the blade to the figure's neck. "I don't have a clue who or _what_ it is, but he knew you by your voice."

The blue-masked turtle cocked his head. "He knew me?"

The youth nodded and stepped aside to give his uncle access to the prized prisoner. Two separate flashlights ignited the small clearing, and gave Nate his first real glimpse of the stranger. The staccato breaths had subsided, and now it seemed the creature's chest barely rose at all. Leo leaned down in slow motion with one of the oddest expressions Nate had ever witnessed.

" _Bahri?_ "

* * *

 ***That's right, people. We're going there, as some of you suspected. Don't know what I'm talking about? You may wish to backtrack in my series to read The Chosen. Not completely necessary to understand everything to come, but it will give you a greater appreciation for certain characters and their history. Oh. And it's _still_ worse than you think it is.**


	28. Friend

***Answers will be revealed gradually, some sooner than others. But I can finally publicly thank Erin for not only being my sounding board through this process, but reprising her role as creator and expert of the Elohim/Annunaki language. It was extremely difficult to keep the premise of this fic under wraps. Without her to dump on, I probably would have exploded.**

 **Thanks also to another certain someone (who shall remain nameless, for the sake of her safety), because she is partially responsible for inspiring me to write this follow up.**

 **I'm well aware this isn't everyone's cup of tea. Far too complicated and winding. But I am who I am...and I rarely do simple. I don't regret it either. I needed this. Won't say anyone else does, but I'm grateful for friends who still enjoy after many years.**

* * *

Donatello glanced rapidly between his orange-masked nephew and the old friend lying on the ground, with the strange sense he was hallucinating. From the way his brothers froze up too, he wondered fleetingly if time had suspended altogether.

Leonardo blew that theory a couple of seconds later. The blue-masked turtle reached for the teen's wrist, carefully guiding the tense katana away from the alien's throat. "Nate, it's okay. He's a friend...though I can't tell you what he's doing _here._ "

Nathaniel trembled as he took a step back. "He's your friend? You sure about that?"

Leo nodded, and bent over the elohim for a closer look. "Don, he's hardly breathing!"

The purple-masked turtle strode to join his oldest brother and gingerly pressed a hand to the alien's chest. He listened to the soft wheezing strains of his lungs for a few moments before looking up at Nate. "What happened?"

"I didn't do anything to him!" the young turtle returned defensively. "Not to say I don't want to."

Donny shook his head. "Nate, Bahri is gentle. He'd never hurt anyone."

"Well, _one_ of them hurt your son!" Nate exploded, and seemed to instantly regret it.

Donatello's breath caught in his chest like a vise was squeezing his lungs. "What are you talking about? Where is he?!"

"There were more of them?" Leo inserted before Nate could answer any questions.

"Where's everyone else?" Raphael cut in. "What the shell _happened?_ "

Michelangelo shouldered past his red-masked brother to get to his son's side. "Okay, hang on, bros. One thing at a time."

" _Where_ is Jayden?" Don persisted.

Nate swallowed. "We need to catch up with Liv – they're not far away."

Donatello noticed his younger brother hovering protectively next to his son, but he was far from finished challenging him.

Leonardo motioned to the red-masked turtle. "Raph, help me with Bahri; we have to be quick!"

The two combining forces to deal with the alien left Donny to trail behind the orange-masked turtles with a sinking feeling. _I knew something was wrong, the second the phones went down. Add in the weird activity on the implants, and it spelled certain disaster._

The odd interference on his scanner had lifted, but the tracking capabilities were still hindered. _At least I got the hit off some of them, but why everyone isn't showing up is beyond me. Bahri appearing on top of it all makes for the most ridiculous night we've had in a while._

Mike was saying something to the teen which Don couldn't hear, and Nate merely shook his head in response. Donatello squinted in the dim light to decipher his nephew's body language. The sagging shoulders, persistent tremor, and paranoid glance backwards were indicators of a traumatic event which hadn't been clarified. _But they're alive. We can deal with everything else._

No one was trying to mask their footsteps, so Donny wasn't surprised when an agitated Olivia suddenly appeared on the path in front of them. The ferocity in her gaze melted to relief, followed by...grief?

"Uncle Don, you gotta come," she urged, though the girl didn't meet his eyes.

"Take me to him!" The purple-masked turtle rushed to follow the youth when Mike and Nate practically dove out of his way.

"He's here, Ojisan, r-right through here!" Olivia stammered, crashing through brush with unusual difficulty.

Donatello made a mental note to question her on it later, and continued through to the small clearing. Upon seeing his son's unmistakable frame, he collapsed at his side and shoved the flashlight to Olivia. "Hold it for me, please!"

She obediently gave him the requested light so he could get both hands on the sixteen-year-old. Don was immediately drawn to Jayden's neck, and peered closely at the gauze packed wound. Satisfied that the source of bleeding was properly addressed, he moved on to examine his skull, and traced his jawline.

"What...happened?" The question felt loaded, even as it left Donny's mouth.

"We were attacked," Nate supplied. "In the park."

Donatello looked back to find a nervous semi-circle of his family waiting for Nate to continue.

"Did you kill it?" Olivia exclaimed, pointing to the alien his brothers had only just put down.

"No, Olivia! They'd probably be ticked if I had," Nate muttered darkly.

"Hold it!" Leonardo cut the kids off with quiet urgency. " _Who_ attacked you? Aliens like him?"

The youth exchanged a look before Nate continued. "Well, yeah, but they were in armor with...wings. When our phones and watches went out, I knew something was up. We tried to run, Jonin. They hesitated when we headed for Olympic stadium like they wouldn't follow us. But then they did."

"We thought they were with Lendano," Olivia explained. "Our blades weren't piercing their armor. I saw Jayden take his ax to a couple of them, and it didn't even make a dent!"

"We fled to the roof," Nate spoke up. "I was hoping to stall them by fleeing across the buildings, and track you down in the area. But then we were surrounded, and had no choice except to fight. Jayden was trashing a couple, until one of them...they did something to him. I've never seen Jay freeze up that way. He took a bad hit and got knocked off the roof. One of the...aliens went after him, and I pursued. I stabbed him in the back, and the Arsiterite made it through his armor. When he screamed, I realized it wasn't a robot."

Nate exchanged another incredibly anxious look with Olivia, and Donatello took note of the glaringly obvious holes in the group. "Where are Charlotte and Tim?"

Liv took a step forward. "We stood together. It...it felt like we could win. B-but...they...I lost them," she finished, stricken. "I'm sorry! I lost them!"

"Olivia, you didn't do anything!" Nate insisted. "It wasn't a fair fight..."

The younger turtle's words buzzed to nothingness as Don's brain stopped without his permission. He was still attempting to process the news when Leonardo's voice snapped him back.

"What do you mean they're lost?"

"They took them!" Olivia's voice trembled the words. "They had me too, but I broke its neck. I couldn't get to them!"

Don opened his mouth, but was incapable of forming words yet. He saw his red-masked brother engulf his daughter, and watched the youth disintegrate in his arms. His gaze flicked to the oldest turtle, who was staring into space without any true focus.

"It wasn't her fault!" Nate declared. "I wasn't there, and the aliens cheated! Used some device that messed with her head and destroyed muscle coordination. The blame is with me."

"No one is blaming you." Leo's tone was faint, but his eyes sharpened when he glanced down at Bahri. "Don, we've got to get him talking. He's the only one who can shed light on this. How's Jayden?"

"For being thrown off a roof? Not as bad as it could have been. Something probably broke his fall-"

"A truck," Nate verified.

Don nodded. "I think his shell took the initial impact. Bad news for the car – better for him. I can't tell how deep the gash in his neck is, and I'm not tempted to delve into it yet. You did a good job with the bleeding." He took a deep breath as grief and anxiety hit in a stronger wave. Focusing on the task at hand had become infinitely more difficult.

"Donny?" Mike laid a hand on his shoulder. "What can we do? You have to let us help."

"There's not much more we can accomplish for Jayden here," he answered tightly. "We have to get him home, have Olivia checked out, and...address everything else."

His younger brother's hand remained on his arm, but the purple-masked turtle wasn't in any frame of mind to accept comfort. "Is Bahri still breathing?"

Leo shuffled over to the alien and leaned over their old friend. "He really doesn't sound good, Don. Would an oxi help?"

Donny shrugged clulessly. "We'll have to try, but their physiology isn't like ours. Their lungs have a different capacity. If I recall correctly, they experience a weird reaction to the nitrogen in the air we breathe. Whereas our lungs only take in oxygen and dispel the nitrogen, the Elohim's try to convert both gases. There's some method they use to help acclimate to our atmosphere, but I can't remember ever hearing what it was."

Donatello stared down at Jayden, and slowly got to his feet. "I don't think we ought to chance staying here, in any case. We need to regroup and get back to the others." When he sensed someone directly behind him, he thought it was still Mike, but Olivia was the one who addressed him.

"I'm sorry. I wish it was me instead of them. I _never_ wanted it to be them!"

Don took a shuddering breath and summoned all the compassion he could muster. Setting aside his inner turmoil was difficult, but for the moment, necessary. "Olivia, it isn't your fault. I don't wish anything had happened to you, and your cousins wouldn't either."

"No," Leo agreed. "They wouldn't. I don't have a clue what's going on, but I know it's not over. Nate, Olivia, look at us. We traveled all those light years to Zuhur, and lived to tell about it. It's a testament that no matter how..." Leonardo trailed off suddenly, brow furrowing.

"No matter how?" Olivia repeated.

"Shh," the blue-masked turtle hissed. "There's something out there." He kept his voice low.

Raphael's sai were in his hands in a flash. "Best news I've heard so far."

"Raph, wait a second!" Leo commanded softly. "You're not going to charge off and spook them. It could be a security guard-"

"Fat chance of that, or we'd have heard more," Mike pointed out.

Leonardo gave their youngest brother a dirty look, and motioned to Olivia to kill the flashlight.

"So if it ain't a guard, there's only one other reason they're here," Raphael stated dangerously. "They deserve a proper welcome."

"Just wait!" Leonardo repeated.

It was all Donatello could do not to join forces with his muscle-bound brother to take on whatever lurked in the darkness. His fingers grazed the staff strapped to his back, and he pondered beating said "visitor" until _they_ were longer breathing. The dark thought merely flitted through his mind, but the desire to carry it out was so strong, he let go of his bo with a wince.

In the brief moment he chose to close his eyes, Donny missed an event unfold in front of him altogether. His first clue that anything had happened were surprised gasps, followed by the crashing of tree branches over their heads. Raphael cursed loudly while flinging himself at the trunk as if he would tear the tree down with his bare hands, but Leonardo curiously stood back.

"Raph, hold on," he half-pleaded. "That...wasn't an elohim."

"Don't make it anything we want stalking us!" he snarled.

Leonardo barely grazed his shell, and then pulled him away from the tree. "Come down," he called up into the branches. "Come down, and we won't hurt you. Unless you're friends with our enemies."

Donatello felt breathless while waiting for what would come next. As he watched, a shadow dropped from a point nearly twenty feet above them, and landed like a cat on the forest floor.

"Your enemies have always been mine," she answered proudly.

Don thought he couldn't be more shocked than he'd been by Bahri, but the woman commanding their attention proved him wrong. " _Kamryn._ " He was the first to sputter her name.

Her smile in the moonlight was grim. "Knew it had to be you. I could never forget that smell anywhere." Her reminiscent expression transformed in a moment's time. "We have to get out of here! Everyone is in danger! I'm grateful I found you first, but-"

"You didn't find us first," Olivia interrupted warily, unsure of the newcomer. "We got attacked already, and they have my cousins. You say you're enemies with them?"

Kamryn's glowing green eyes turned on the red-masked youth, taking in her form with surprise. "Turtles, is this your...?"

"My daughter," Raphael filled in. "And those idiots made off with two more of our kids, Kamryn! What the shell is happening around here?"

The woman was visibly shaken. "My friends. I tried...I thought I could...We were too late. I'm so sorry."

"We know you're not behind this," Leo said quickly. "But you've got to help us, Kamryn."

"What is this, the case of the Overlords strike back?" Mike piped up.

Kamryn shook her head vigorously. "No. It's much worse."

Raphael folded his arms. "What's worse than _them?_ "

"Vagari," she answered, as though the single word explained everything.

"You're going to need to elaborate." Leo was stoic, but Donny knew he was losing patience.

"I will, but first you have to get rid of your phones."

Donny didn't expect that. "Our phones?"

"The Vagari have your signal, Donatello. If the drones catch the slightest hint of it, they'll have this place surrounded before anyone can get away."

The purple-masked turtle massaged his temples with one hand, and retrieved his cell with the other. "We'll have to destroy them, guys," he recommended. "Though I don't know how we'll get a ride without our phones, and we _have_ to get home. My son is hurt, and I have no clue how to help Bahri."

"Bahri?" Kamryn sprang toward him. "You found him? Where?"

Donny stepped aside, motioning behind his brothers. "He's having trouble breathing. I wasn't sure if..." He didn't finish, because the woman bounded to the elohim and threw herself on top of him.

Donatello went to join her while Kamryn hurriedly rummaged through a pouch on her side, and came up with an object as thick as a magic marker. He wasn't shocked when she jammed it into the alien's shoulder, but couldn't predict the wild gasp with which the elohim responded. Don stood back to allow them more space while Bahri fought to regulate his airway.

"Easy, easy," Kamryn soothed. "Don't force it. You'll be okay. Nice and slow."

The alien's breathing was shallower than Donatello was comfortable with, but it was an improvement from minutes before. For an instant the elohim seemed to focus on Don, before his eyes rolled back again.

Donatello dropped beside them. "What's wrong with him?"

"We didn't enter the atmosphere properly. There wasn't time. We were already so far behind, if we'd waited the extra seventy-five minutes for acclimation, we would have been too late. As it is, we still were." She looked to the other turtles mournfully. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't going to let it!"

Leo came alongside them. "You have to catch us up, Kamryn. Who are the Vagari?"

"I want to explain everything, but we're not safe here. We need to move. I'm certain their drones are still in the area."

"What kind of drones?" Don asked. "What are we looking out for?"

"They're tiny...roughly an inch in diameter, but durable."

"So, about the size of a bumblebee," he murmured. "Great. That won't be hard to miss in the dark or anything."

"I can hear them," she informed him. "They produce a high-pitched sound outside a normal range, but I'm able to pick them up."

Donatello gazed hard at the woman beside him. Kamryn had been so young and unsure when he'd seen her last, but her "gifts" were full of promise. It was impossible to determine how much she'd grown in their years apart, but her heart was clear as though the sun had burst in the room. There was no question they could trust her.

He glanced at Leonardo for his assessment, and his brother nodded like he'd read his mind.

"We'll work together to get out of here, and you'll have to come home with us," Leo said decisively.

"How are we getting there?" Mike wanted to know. "Maybe we could go under the street, cover ground a little more safely?"

Kamryn jumped to her feet. "Like the sewers? No, the drones are already combing them! You'd be safer standing in the city square in broad daylight! At least, if Vagari are still trying to avoid notice."

Leo shook his head. "That's a switch. How do you know all this?"

"Because I was their prisoner, or so I let them think. I also led them to believe they _made_ me go on this journey."

Donny was thoroughly confused. "What are you saying? You wanted to get caught by them?"

"I wanted to prevent exactly what's happened, but it isn't too late," she told herself. "They don't have all of you."

"Is that their intention?" Leo demanded.

"Yes – and they're not going to quit."

"Neither will we," the blue-masked turtle returned shortly.

Donny brushed a hand over his son's forehead, even as he pictured his baby girl in the hands of evil beings Kamryn called _worse_ than Overlords.

The immensity of the dilemma wasn't something he wanted to think about, much less explain to the rest of the family. His desperation to get home was tempered by the sudden dread of facing his wife, and he felt selfish for it. _Why did it have to be_ them _?_


	29. Assistance

For years, Kamryn had dreamed of what it would be like to be reunited with the turtles, but the evening wasn't living up to lofty anticipation. It was an odd feeling to be giving them direction, and the burden of responsibility made her even more nervous.

She peered at the blue-masked turtle out of the corner of her eye. Raphael and Michelangelo had taken on Bahri to free up Leonardo's hands, while Donatello and one of the other young ones ( _Nate_ , she recalled) carried the massive teen Kamryn had a hard time believing wasn't a full grown adult. _But then, if he's one of the twins, Yasir interfered with his DNA._

Chills ran down the woman's spine at the thought of the turtles' children as prisoners at the mercy of the mosters she'd recently become associated with. _The Vagari won't kill them outright. They worked too hard to get this far. But what they end up doing could be worse._

She felt dark eyes studying her, and glanced back at Leonardo.

"I have so many questions," he said quietly.

"I know you do – and I was in the right position to receive some knowledge. Unfortunately, I'm still at a disadvantage where the Vagari are concerned, having only just met them."

The turtle's vacant look told Kamryn his mind was elsewhere. _Probably on his young son, who was ripped away from him. I don't know how_ any _of them are functioning._

"I'm truly sorry," she whispered. "If we'd had a way to warn you, if we could have come faster-"

"Faster? You already told us you cut out an important step that could have killed you."

"Bahri was the one in danger. I'm not accustomed to the nitrogen in your air content, but I should be fine since I'm sort of human."

"You're _completely_ human."

Kamryn made a scoffing sound. "Not all of me. Anyway, even if I'm negatively impacted, I'm sure it won't be anything as severe as what Bahri is dealing with. He knew that too, or he wouldn't have suggested trying it. I shouldn't have agreed, but since we weren't together, there was no way I could prevent him from directly entering Earth's atmosphere."

"What do you mean you weren't together? I thought you escaped at the same time."

"We split up in two different pods. That way if one of us got shot down, the other would still have a chance of making it. I _did_ end up getting hit, but fortunately I was close enough to Earth to bail out in the those woods."

Leonardo pulled up short, and she stopped beside him. "Why would you go through all this?"

She held his earnest gaze steadily. "Do you have to ask?"

"I shouldn't, but it's been such a long time...I think deep down, none us expected to see you again, let alone on our planet."

"Can't say I expected it either, though it was one of my most favored dreams. But that was before...before the Vagari."

Leonardo glanced swiftly over his shoulder, as though checking if anyone else were listening. "What kind of threat are we dealing with? I know you don't want to address specifics yet, but I need to gauge how much trouble we're in."

 _I'm not sure you want the honest answer._

When she hesitated, he went on. "Will they hurt our kids, Kamryn?"

The woman shook her head sharply. "That isn't the purpose."

"What do they _want?_ " The force of anger made his voice a little louder.

"They don't have a singular mission, Leonardo. Their goals are many, but for the moment, your family is at the forefront. I'll tell you what I know, I promise. But right now, I need to listen for drones."

The blue-masked turtle grimaced. "It isn't fair to ask you to unload on cue." He looked down at his watch. "Someone is outside waiting for us as I speak. We were supposed to be picked up already. We've got to get in touch with our friends."

Kamryn dropped low in the foliage, and the oldest turtle sank beside her. "I can't tell you what to do, Leonardo, but if we get picked off by their network, whoever is out there waiting will be exposed too. It seems like you'd want to avoid that."

Leo nodded. "We''ve still got to communicate with them somehow."

"I'll get you a phone," she volunteered.

"How?" His tone was guarded.

"I can pass for a normal human," she reminded him. "If I stick to shadows, they shouldn't notice my eyes."

"You're not seriously suggesting what I think you are."

"I may be an alien, but I can fit in with these people."

"Given the way the night has gone, I don't like the risk it poses."

"Would you rather grab someone yourself?"

He winced. "Don't think it hasn't occurred to me. But we don't make a habit of attacking innocent people."

"Then you need to let me help." Kamryn straightened up from the forest floor.

From her position, the woman could see the door leading to the hall. She felt like a coward, but the anxiety over abandoning the exhibit made her pulse rate increase. The relative safety of the rainforest was preferable to whatever was outside. _Yet, it's only an illusion. We're no safer here than we are anywhere else._

Kamryn was startled when dark fingers grasped her shoulder.

"You might have come this far on your own, but you're with us now," Leo assured her. "We'll figure everything out."

 _No matter how hard I tried to protect them, it was always going to end this way. They are greater heroes than I could ever be._

Leonardo turned to stifle someone else, and Kamryn was startled to realize how closely Raphael's daughter was following them. She hadn't noticed the youth was there. _I didn't hear her, not that it should surprise me._ Despite her enhanced senses, the turtles were capable of accidentally scaring her. _Obviously their children are no different._

She swallowed as she resumed heading for the way out, and felt a twinge of burning in her lungs. It wasn't as uncomfortable as it had been when she was running, and it definitely wasn't worth complaining about.

The woman froze when she felt the reverberation of footsteps coming from the foyer, and immediately waved a warning to stop. She backed up toward Leonardo when the sound came closer, turned her head to inform the others, and found they'd already vanished from sight.

"Kamryn!" Donatello hissed.

The woman dove back into the bushes, burying herself nearby a familiar pair of amber eyes. The youth's stare was so intense, Kamryn flinched and nearly jerked away from the red-masked female.

"What did you mean about being 'sort of' human?" Olivia asked softly.

Kamryn glanced through the small breaks of the foliage in which they were hiding, bracing for what could be coming. "I was one of Yasir's projects, for many years. You were told about him?"

Olivia scowled. "Guy who messed with the twins?"

Kamryn nodded. "He messed with me too – spliced my DNA with a jaguar. I look mostly human from the outside, but inwardly at the cellular level, I'm not normal."

"So you're kind of a mutant then?"

"You could say that. If it wasn't for-" Kamryn shut her mouth suddenly as the door swung wide open, and one voice called out to another.

She backed up in slow motion from the path, trying not to make a sound. But as nervous as the pair of approaching men made her, she would have gladly dealt with them rather than the high-pitched hum which trailed behind. The woman resisted the urge to cover her ears while the drone put on a burst of speed to circle the exhibit.

The guards were speaking casually to each other in another language. Their presence was more irritating than threatening. _I wish they'd leave entirely and take their little "friend" with them._ She was sure the men were oblivious to the alien technology, and it was unlikely the turtles knew anything about it either.

Kamryn eyed Olivia, and crawled closer to the red-masked turtle. "Stay down, all right? Those men are being followed by a drone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm going to tell the others." She was preparing to search for the rest, when Leonardo appeared without any warning beside her.

"The guards are making a wide circuit. We should go now," he told her.

"Hold on. There's a drone too."

Leo growled softly.

"Do you have a way to get your brothers' attention?"

"I have a flashlight, but it won't communicate that kind of threat."

Kamryn lifted her head to eye the exit. "If they see you move quickly, they will do the same?"

He nodded.

She hesitated, listening. "The drone is not on top of us. If we move quickly enough, it may not pick up your heat signature at all."

It wasn't necessary to say anything else. Leonardo was already on his feet, making for the path so fast Kamryn had to dash to catch up with him. The woman was too nervous to look back, but by the time she'd made it to the hall, several shadows flanked her other side.

Leonardo was looking around the opposite corner. "At this point, I'd rather break down a door and worry about compensating the museum later. We have to get out before Greg tries something desperate."

"Why'd you pick him to come get us?" Raph complained. "He's probably planning a shakedown as we speak!"

"As if _anyone_ expected the night to turn out this way!" the oldest turtle shot back.

"Guys, stop." Donatello's voice of reason was softer than theirs. "Leo, Nate said one of the guards mentioned Police. There's suspicion of strange activity in the area...which tells us they saw _something_. We need to go before the circle closes in on us."

Leonardo nudged Kamryn's shoulder. "What do you hear? What do you smell?"

She paused to collect her senses and silence the anxiety pulsing in her chest. The woman took a step into the empty foyer on the other side of the hall, and scanned every direction.

"They were...clustered. Several men were here together, only a few minutes ago. I can smell their residue. Then the split up, and went different directions."

"Having her is probably better than a CSI," Mike asserted.

She turned to the orange-masked turtle. "A what?"

"Nothing," Leo clipped. "Can you hear any more drones?"

"I don't," the woman confessed. "But I am certain there are more than one in the building."

"As long as you can give us advanced warning, I think it'll be enough. Are there any paths that seem safer to you?"

Kamryn walked the perimeter of the foyer, focusing on each hallway in turn. "The south feels the...cleanest. I came in the north, and I believe it's the quickest way out, but I don't think we ought to go that way now. It's only a feeling."

Leonardo nodded. "I prefer to stick with your gut. Stay up front with me, Kamryn, and don't let your guard down for a single second."

As their huddle started down the south passage, Donatello spoke up again.

"I'm just...curious. You said they can track the signal from our phones?"

She nodded with certainty.

"Then if one of our people was out on the street looking for us right now, calling like crazy...they'd find them the same way?"

The woman froze. "I hadn't thought about that."

Leonardo cursed under his breath. "We've got to get a phone, even if it means borrowing without consent."

"No, Leo, we need to take action quick before anything else happens!" Raphael exclaimed. "I say we freakin' run and be done with all of this!"

Kamryn inserted her frame between the pair. "I will get you a phone. Don't risk exposing yourselves. Come on." She took a decisive right turn, surprising even herself with the unexpected change in direction.

The woman reached out with her senses to locate anyone nearby, silently tracking further into the heart of the building than she had any desire to go. It seemed counterproductive when they needed to get out, but finding a phone had become the top priority.

Kamryn was sure of the bodies they were approaching before she saw the door of a room propped open, and caught a glimpse of large beams of light inside.

"They must be working on the generators," Donatello mentioned. "Kamryn, are these Vagari behind all of the power failing?"

"It's their doing, I'm sure."

Donatello took a sharp breath. "It's weird having layers of technology back, when the electricity is still hampered. I suppose restoring the larger systems will take more time, but the idea that they can cause this much interference is disturbing-"

"We need to separate them," Leo interrupted. "I don't want to involve any more people than necessary."

"You won't have to," she said more confidently than she felt. "The rest of you get out of sight, and I will acquire someone's attention."

"Not by yourself," the blue-masked turtle returned, and motioned to the others. "Go on. We'll handle this."

Raphael muttered something darkly, but Kamryn was too busy working herself up for the task to determine what he said. The woman took a deep breath and peeked into the room. She spotted a man using a large flashlight to study a complicated looking switchboard on the wall.

"Excuse me," Kamryn called timidly, causing the figure to spin and exclaim something she couldn't understand. "Sorry, I don't know what you're saying. Um...can you..help me...?"

Another light bobbed her direction from across the room, followed by a second voice with more of the foreign language.

The original man approached her with a bewildered expression. "You are not employee." He stared her down judiciously.

Kamryn shook her head, exuding a helpless persona. "No. I think I'm lost."

"You are lost? What do you here after closing?"

"Someone chased me. I was hiding, afraid. I just want to go home. Do you have a phone?" She prayed he understood what she needed.

Suspicion remained, but it was being tempered with sympathy. "Yes, but I must show you out. Guests are not allowed after hours. How did you come so far?"

"The door was open. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do anything wrong. Am I in trouble?" Kamryn searched for the blue-masked turtle as the man escorted her down the hall, but didn't see any sign of him.

"Not in trouble with me," he told her.

Despite no visible proof of Leonardo, she _felt_ him nearby, waiting. _I don't know what he wants me to do, so I'll let him handle it._

"What happened to the lights?" she asked innocently.

"We are fixing, and you need to go home." The man reached for his belt, and handed her a device.

Kamryn stared at the thing with curiosity, but didn't know what to do with it. "Thank you," she said, stalling for time. "I'm sure this will help."

The technician gave her a stern glance. "I will not tell the police you are here, but you must not trespass. Someone else catch you...there will be much trouble."

"No, I understand. Thank you very much.

"I show you outside, and you ca-"

In the blink of an eye a dark hand materialized from the shadows and clapped over the man's mouth. The turtle drew the stranger close to his plastron with his other arm, and once he was in position, pressed his fingers around the side of his neck beneath his ear.

Kamryn stared wide-eyed as the man went limp in a matter of seconds, and Leonardo carefully set him down.

"Give me the phone, quick!"

She handed it over without a word, and watched the turtle bring a colored display to life with a swipe of his fingers. Kamryn eyed the man on the floor who very well may have been sleeping, and turned back to Leo when he began softly speaking.

"Heff, don't say anything, just listen! We're in trouble. The kids were—no, _listen!_ I couldn't, our phones are compromised. Yes, all of them! As soon as you hang up, text the others to get rid of theirs too. I can't tell you that right now. I need you to take the van to the east end of the Botanical Gardens, and wait. Don't get out, don't hold on to your phone. Wait. Understand? We'll meet you there as soon as we can. Bye."

Leonardo set the phone down beside the prone man, and tugged Kamryn's wrist to get her moving. "He'll be fine, Kamryn. I only applied a pressure point – he won't be out too long. If you knew how to contact our man, I would have let you take care of everything, but we're kind of in a hurry. Especially since I had to do _that_."

"You can't be faulted for taking drastic action at a moment like this."

"Doesn't mean I like it."

She followed the turtle's silent return to where they'd left their companions, but a sound behind the woman made her heart skip. _I'm not dealing with this. We need to go! I have no time for a tail._ She grabbed Leo's arm. "Hold up a minute."

He stopped, though he didn't seem happy about it. Kamryn listened closely for the approaching high frequency, then abandoned the logical side of her brain. Her body responded by instinct, first crouching and then lunging at the offending object flying their direction. Even _her_ eyes might have missed the minuscule device in the dark, but the sound guided her to the source like a magnet. With a cry she crashed into the wall with the captured droid, crushing it in a determined grip.

In a flash, Leonardo yanked her upright. "What was that?"

"Drone! I got it."

"Good, but someone probably heard you."

"I'm thinking we should go," Donatello said behind them. "Like _now._ "

"I got a hold of Heff – he's going to meet us. We'll have to settle accounts with the Biodome later. Nate, give us an exit!" Leo commanded.

Kamryn was puzzled by the order, until she caught the flash of Arsiterite in the moonlight. Watching the orange-masked turtle carve an opening in the floor to ceiling window pane was as surreal as being in the presence of friends she'd been separated from for nearly two decades.

 _It didn't go as planned, but all isn't lost. The turtles used to talk about impossible missions. When it comes to their children, I know they're up for another._


	30. Fill In

***This was more painful to revisit than when I originally wrote it. Makes me feel horrible, but since I am 138 chapters deep, it's too late to change it.**

 **For the sake of understanding, I want to address a couple names to make things less confusing. Some of the following titles refer to an alien race as a whole, specifically the Elohim and Vagari. The other two terms you'll see interspersed refer to organizations within the race, such as Overlords, and Nalikjan. They are not separate creatures, but rather groups comprised of the same aliens. Kinda like...how we view different political parties. Hope that makes sense.**

 **I also forgot to remind everyone that Kamryn doesn't belong to me. She was created by my friend Erin, and her backstory aligned so well with what I was doing in Chosen, I requested to use her. The rest is history.**

* * *

Leonardo couldn't remember ever being so glad to see an innocuous old work van with tinted windows. The blue-masked turtle headed directly for the driver's side and knocked the required five times. The door was flung open with such surprising force, he had to backpedal to avoid being struck.

"Don't get out of the car!" he hissed. "Heff, we need to go now!"

The man didn't listen. "Wait a minute!" Greg was half way around the vehicle in time to catch a glimpse of Kamryn heading for the back. "Who's _that?_ "

"Greg, we don't have time for questions."

"Are we picking up a hitchhiker? At a time like this? You've got to be freaking kidd-"

Desperation caused the turtle to seize the man by the shirt collar and physically lift him off the ground. "No questions. Get us out of here!" He lowered his startled friend back into the driver's seat.

"Yeah...okay."

" _Drive!_ " Leo commanded, and slammed the door behind him. He heaved a deep breath as he circled the van and hopped into the open back end.

Raphael came up immediately. "How'd that go?"

"Easy. I didn't tell him anything. This isn't something I feel like repeating more than once." Leo collapsed against the side wall with an angry huff.

"Leo...we're gonna get them," his red-masked brother told him.

He understood full well that the muscular turtle _needed_ him to agree, despite the uncertainties they were facing making it difficult to express confidence. Leo cast a look at Kamryn, and then a prone Bahri. "I don't know what to do from here," he said honestly. "It might have been easier if these Vagari had simply taken all of us...but in the spirit of friends who clearly went out of their way to help our family tonight, I have to believe we're not finished. "

"Yer darn right we're not!" Raphael insisted.

He squeezed his brother's shoulder. "Thanks, Raph." He peered down to see his niece trembling on the floor with her face hidden behind her hands. He mouthed a silent question to his brother, _She okay?_

Raphael shook his head in frustration, and leaned close to his ear. "How can she be? If you guys were ripped away from me in a scene like that, I woulda gone ballistic! She and Nate handled things well, considering. I tried to tell her that, but Olivia doesn't wanna hear it."

Leo's gaze shifted across the back end to the young orange-masked turtle. Nate was huddled in the corner as far away as he could get from everyone else, but his expression was completely blank in the van's cold domed lighting.

 _It's not fair. Why did it have to be them? Why couldn't they have come for_ us _? Not that it would have ended differently. We were already kidnapped by aliens once. At least Nate and Olivia managed to keep their shells on our planet, which puts them way ahead of where we were._

Leonardo wanted to tell Nathaniel exactly that, but the teen seemed no more receptive for encouragement from the blue-masked turtle than Olivia appeared. He turned to look at Michelangelo, who was fussing around the elohim without a distinct purpose. _Probably only a distraction from everything else._

Mike caught his glance, and waved at him to come over. Leo crawled carefully across the moving van to get to his side.

"Look at him, Leo. Somethin' ain't right with Bahri. He seems half dead."

"He was a prisoner, Michelangelo," Kamryn offered quietly. "I couldn't get near Bahri on the ship without raising suspicion, not until the end when I broke him out. I have no idea what the Vagari were doing before that, but it was not good."

Leonardo studied his old friend, and inwardly agreed. Though the food on Zuhur was never to any of the turtles' tastes, the Elohim appeared to thrive off it. Bahri had never appeared worse than he did now, not even after being attacked by the Ruairi and left for dead. It only made rage pulse harder in his veins, and his fingers unconsciously curled into fists without a target. _Yet._

"Jayden?" Don's anxious tone immediately got Leo's attention. "Hey, Kaiju. Can you open your eyes?"

Leonardo headed toward his purple-masked brother, but kept a short distance so he wouldn't get in the way. "Is he waking up?"

"Yeah, I think so." Donatello didn't take his focus off the teen. "Jay?"

"Dad?" The youth's voice was low. "Where are you?"

"I'm right here. It's all right, Jay. Don't try to move."

"I can't," he croaked. "I don't...feel anything."

Leonardo saw the brief alarm which crossed his brother's face, but Donny contained it well.

"I'm gonna help you test it, Jayden, okay? Don't panic." Donatello fingered his shoulder with moderate pressure. "You feel that?"

"No. Dad...w-what's going on?"

"We're still figuring that out." Don traveled down the length of his arm, pausing at one of the oddest abrasions Leo had ever seen. It seemed to puzzle the purple-masked turtle too.

In the shadows Leonardo had mistaken the marking for an ordinary bruise, but under closer scrutiny the wound appeared to run a thin, deep track that reflected a yellowish tint.

"What made that?" Donatello wondered.

"Let me see," Kamryn urged, half-stumbling as the van lurched while she hurried to them. Upon her own inspection, the woman sighed with relief. "Scutica. It's a tool their extractors favor, though, they weren't supposed to use it on him. The command to avoid such weapons was so emphatic, they must have been desperate."

She pulled up her pant leg to reveal a similar white scarring pattern on her calf. "I felt it the first time a few days ago. The wielder harnesses a powerful current through a line which wraps around the prey. It targets and overloads sensory nerves. Causes loss of feeling, paralysis, and unconsciousness, if applied long enough. The impact can last anywhere from three to thirty-six hours...so I was told. I was able to move again in about four. Your son should be all right."

"Who're you?" the dazed teen asked.

Donny bent over his son's head. "Jayden, this is an old friend of mine from...Zuhur."

"Zuhur?" His unfocused gaze shifted to the ceiling. "Am I dreaming?"

"I wish you were," Don told him, and fixed Kamryn with an apologetic look. "With the exception of seeing you again."

"I would prefer not to have seen you under these circumstances," she returned sadly.

"Where are the others?" Jayden mumbled. "Charlie...Nate...Liv and Tim?"

Donatello's shoulders slumped. "Um...maybe you ought to get some rest."

"Why?"

"You seem tired."

"I _am_ tired."

A stricken look crossed the older purple-masked turtle's face. "Then again...you shouldn't be going to sleep on me with a head injury either."

"Well, which is it?" The sixteen-year-old's exasperation was so innocent, Leonardo almost snorted.

"Let's...uh...you want to play a game, Jayden?"

"Are you only asking 'cause you know I'll lose?"

"You used to like my riddles," Don pointed out.

"Yeah, when I can bounce ideas off Charlie. Where is she, Dad?"

Donatello made nervous eye contact with Leonardo, and fidgeted with arms over his plastron. "She wants you to figure this out on your own."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Have to fend for yourself at some point, Jay."

"Why would I when there are so many smart people around?"

"Just try and play with me," Don encouraged. "I'll only ask one question."

"What do I get if I win?"

"You can ask _me_ a question."

Even in his loopy state, the teen appeared unimpressed. "For real?"

"And the joy of knowing you can beat me by yourself."

"Mmm. Maybe I can play."

"Okay, Jayden. I want you...to guess what I've got in my pocket."*

The sixteen-year-old's laugh resounded through the back end. "My _precious._ "

Donatello rested a hand on the youth's shoulder. "Can't fool you."

"You went easy on me," he protested. "Charlie will say the same thing, soon as I find her."

The purple-masked turtle glanced at Leo one more time. "We can talk about it later."

* * *

There was a pit in Leonardo's stomach the size of an asteroid by the time they'd made it back to the safe house. _Not that anywhere feels safe._ Part of him didn't want to knock on the door, or be forced to explain things he didn't yet understand.

But Leonardo didn't have a chance to get a fist on the entrance before it was yanked open with sudden violence. Jazz met him with hands on her hips and blonde hair practically standing on end.

"What is the _deal?_ "

"Jazz, we need to get inside, _now_." He tried to keep his voice steady, but it shook despite the effort.

The woman stepped to the right to allow him in, but then peered at the darkness beyond him. "Leo, what's going on?"

"I don't really know, but you'll have to back up to let everyone else in. We have...guests. You'll remember them."

"Guests?" she repeated while shifting backwards. Jazz stared on silently while Olivia shuffled through the door, but the next figure to walk in caused the woman to flatten against the wall with a startled curse.

Kamryn smiled a little sheepishly. "Hi, Jazz."

Jazz spun toward the blue-masked turtle for an explanation, but he could only shrug.

"We weren't expecting her any more than you." Leo turned to Kamryn. "You should probably hang back for a minute, because none of our people will be ready for this. Give me a chance to explain a little, and then-"

Jazz cursed again while lunging forward this time. "Is he _alive?_ "

Raphael grunted in irritation as he and Michelangelo were forced to pause with Bahri between them. "Yeah, and he's kinda heavy. Would you let us through the freaking door?"

Jazz watched aghast while the turtles carried the elohim into the first common area. "What did...how...When did they...?"

Leonardo shook his head. "I know nothing, Jazz. Hopefully Kamryn will clear up a little, but we need the whole family together first."

"Oh, they're together," she returned, agitated. Jazz's mouth dropped a third time when Donatello and Nate entered with Jayden. " _No_. Is he all right, Donny?"

"Yeah, sure," the teen replied casually. "I'm fine..."

"...No, guys, it's okay!" Mike's voice rose from the next room, preceding a rush of footsteps.

Leo wanted to bury his head in his hands or bang it against the wall. There was no easy method for getting through introductions and a recap of the evening. "Come on," he told Kamryn, catching her by the sleeve. "This may be a little jarring, just to prepare you."

He entered the common room with the extremely nervous woman in tow, and raised his voice to get attention within the rapidly deteriorating scene. "Guys, I need quiet!"

It took a few moments for voices to cease, and movement to halt. Brandon was bent over Bahri like he was seeing a ghost, and Jenna appeared transfixed on the woman beside Leo.

"Kamryn?" Jenna ventured toward them slowly. "What's going on here, Leo? Did they find you, or did you find them?"

"Who is _them?_ " Luke demanded.

"Uh...everyone, this is Kamryn." Leonardo tried to sound nonchalant. "She was the trainer who helped Don on Zuhur."

Caleb shouldered his way to the front. "You're telling us they're from-"

"Yes," Leo filled in quickly.

Caleb looked back at Bahri. "And he's..."

"An elohim – one of the good ones. Bahri was my first real friend on Zuhur."

Karina cleared her throat. "And why exactly are they _here?_ "

"Because they risked their lives for us tonight, and Bahri is still in danger," Leonardo answered.

"If you guys will help me get Bahri upstairs, I want a closer look at him and Jayden," Don mentioned from the doorway, where he and Nate had halted with the young purple-masked turtle.

Jenna was the first to respond with a strangled gasp, but Luke was directly on her heels. "Donny, what happened to him?" The woman looked like she wanted to scoop the massive sixteen-year old up herself.

"Nothin', I'm okay," the youth answered, still dazed. "Can't feel anything, but it's not so bad..."

"Don, talk to us!" Luke ordered. "How is he hurt?"

"It's not that simple, Doc. You have no idea-"

"Why are we missing people?" Marcus inserted suddenly.

"Greg is dealing with the van," Leo said hastily, but knew what was coming next.

Calley approached from his left. "And the kids? Leo, where's Tim and Charlotte?"

He met his wife's eyes guiltily and wished he could crawl into a hole. Leonardo was wholly aware that everyone in the room was waiting for him to speak. "They were taken."

Before anyone could utter a sound, Jenna clawed at Donatello's arm. "Who took them, Donny? Don't tell me it was Overlords. Don't you dare tell me that!"

Leo suddenly couldn't breathe. He'd failed to grasp the impact the news would have on the woman who'd already been traumatized by an alien enemy.

"It wasn't Elohim, Jen," he replied tightly.

"But they are related," Kamryn admitted weakly.

 _That_ revelation was news to all of them.

"No." Jenna's voice was so soft Leonardo barely heard her, but it returned in full force. "NO! Tell me it's not true! Tell me they're all right!"

"What's mom upset for?" Jayden mumbled. "I'm tired, Dad. I wanna go to bed."

"No, not yet," Don urged his son, and fixed his wife with a look of pure defeat. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Jen, I didn't...we didn't see this coming, nobody knew!"

Jenna pitched forward with a sob, hitting her knees on the floor. Timothy and Victoria were on either side of her in an instant, trying to guide the distraught woman to the couch. "I'm not leaving my son!"

Another cry in the background had Leonardo cringing. He could see his red-masked niece falling apart again out of the corner of his eye. The turtle forced himself to look away while she was surrounded by her parents and Jake.

Leonardo had rarely seen his purple-masked brother as torn as he appeared in that moment either.

"I'll catch up on everything later," he told Leo. "Once the others get Jayden and Bahri upstairs, I'll send them back for the meeting."

Luke was glued to Don's side. "You're not handling this by yourself. Is anyone else in need of attention?"

The blue-masked turtle searched out Olivia once more, but it didn't seem like the time to sic the medical team on her.

As the injured and Jenna were ushered out of the room, Leo took notice of the blond woman who hadn't left _him_. He didn't want to face his wife and see the pain in her eyes which clearly reflected his own. He couldn't figure out what to say, so he simply allowed Calley to cling his side, though he couldn't manage much force in return.

"It's not your fault," she whispered.

"You can tell me that all night, and I won't be able to agree."

"I'm sure you're not alone , but if you can somehow put the blame where it lies, maybe the others won't have such a hard time doing it."

Leonardo knew the woman was trying to comfort him, but her presence had the opposite effect. The longer she held on to him, the weaker and more overcome he felt. _Breaking down is not on the agenda yet. Not with everyone here, waiting for some scrap of an explanation._

The soft exchange of voices across from him was what alerted Leo to Greg's arrival from parking. He didn't know what Brandon had just told him, but Heff was bracing a hand against the door for support.

When Raph, Mike, and Nate returned to the room, Leonardo reluctantly separated from his wife and turned to Kamryn. "What's happened on Zuhur? Who are the Vagari, and how are they related to the Elohim?"

The woman seemed extraordinarily uncomfortable under the watchful eye of so many strangers, but after a deep breath, she took the plunge. "They are Annunaki. All of them. They are different factions of the same original race."

Mike wandered toward her. "What do you mean? What factions?"

"I'm not the best one to ask, because I don't know their history. I'd never heard of the Vagari myself before a few days ago," Kamryn said haltingly. "I was told the Annunaki began as one. But there was a split about five hundred years ago, which resulted in their race breaking up into three separate entities. The Elohim, you're already familiar with. The Vagari are who you've met this evening. As for the third, I don't know what they're called."

"It's true. It's really true," Greg declared.

Before Leo could blink, his red-masked brother strode across the room to slam their friend against the door.

"Did ya think we were making it up?!"

Brandon latched onto Raphael's right arm even as Leonardo darted to his other side.

"Raph, easy!" he ordered, shooting a concerned look to their gasping friend.

It only took a moment for his brother to come to his senses. "I'm sorry, Heff. I didn't mean to hurt you."

It was a few more seconds before Greg could produce a sentence. "Seeing them here...makes it more real for the rest of us."

"I'm sorry," the turtle repeated.

Leonardo turned back around to face Kamryn. "But what's happened on Zuhur? What about Ghyath and the Nalikjan? Is any of it intact?"

Kamryn was visibly grieved by the question. "Yes and no. The Vagari's first move on Zuhur was to apply a coward's weapon against a meeting of the leadership."

" _What_ leadership?" The blue-masked turtle wasn't sure he was ready for the answer.

"Kenric, Shukri...Ghyath. Among others," she said faintly. "There were no survivors."

The sudden pain in Leonardo's stomach made him double over. He heard his red-masked brother shout an obscenity in the background, followed by a tremendous crash. The oldest turtle raised his head in slow motion to see Raphael shaking beside the deep hole he'd just put into the drywall.

Leo knew he should speak, but there were no words. Only the last memories he possessed of some of the most loyal and courageous friends he'd ever had. He rested his head in one hand for the small cover it provided against rising tears.

"I don't know how many are left," Kamryn went on. "But you are remembered fondly by the Nalikjan. They will help you, given the opportunity."

Leonardo needed another minute to collect himself. "Do you have a means to get in contact with them?"

"I possess a beacon they can track, though I have no way of calling them. But there is a human on this planet who can."

"How do you know? Who is it?" Mike tugged at her arm insistently.

Kamryn seemed to find it easier to focus on the turtles. "The Vagari and the Elohim still use the same dialect. I led these newcomers to think I couldn't understand, so they would speak freely around me. I don't know if they believed it, or simply didn't care what I heard.

"The leadership aboard the convoy which traveled here, they spoke of a doctor on several occasions. A woman. They are using her for information. She has the means to get in contact with them. If the coordinates are adjusted, we could use the same communicator to reach someone else."

"So we have a human traitor," Leonardo said thoughtfully. "Do you know who she actually is?"

"They call her Ribeiro."

Katherine was across the room in seconds. "You're sure about that name?"

Kamryn faced the woman squarely. "Yes, I'm positive. I wouldn't forget something like that."

"I don't want to get my hopes up over nothing," Katherine said to herself.

Leonardo inserted himself between the pair. "What hope?"

"There was a person of interest who came up in our investigation of Lendano...or Venturis. Whatever they're calling themselves. Dr. Yasmin Ribeiro," Kat explained.

Leo wasn't sure his stomach could take any more revelations. "Then we have to track down Lendano."

"They're going down all right, Fearless!" Raphael snarled.

Leonardo sighed. "I don't care about those low life traitors to the human race, Raph. We have to get our hands on their technology! We've got to figure out what we're dealing with, and try to find help."

"Bahri can tell you more about the Vagari," Kamryn told him.

 _He has to wake up first,_ the turtle thought impatiently. _That better happen sooner than later._

* * *

 ***Don's question in his "riddle" was yet another Tolkien reference. Sorry if it went over your head. :)**


	31. History

***Bahri is going to seriously irritate you in this fic, but go easy on him. Poor guy didn't ask to be my lightning rod. I vented through him more honestly than I expected to. I'm not good at communicating in real life. Everything I can't say out loud...I expressed through him.**

* * *

Michelangelo wasn't technically supposed to be in the "lab" since he hadn't slept for more than four hours, but Marcus hadn't bothered kicking him out. _Not yet anyway,_ Mike clarified. _Gotta be careful to stay out of his way, or that could change._

He'd been sitting adjacent to his purple-masked nephew for the last several minutes, and thought the teen seemed to be resting comfortably. _But Jayden's not the real reason I'm hanging out, at least, not completely._

Mike's eyes drifted over to his elohim friend, whose plight was a bit more obvious. _But this is sort of pointless. I can't help anyone, and Bahri's in no condition to talk, even if he wakes up. So what am I doing besides breaking Doc's darn rules?_ The orange-masked turtle slumped in the desk chair and swiveled in a circle. _I have no idea._

He sighed and looked over his shoulder at Marcus, who appeared nearly as aimless as the turtle felt. "You sure you ain't ready to eat something?"

"Not unless you feel like watching me throw up, Mike."

He nodded. "I get that. But you're being kinda irresponsible."

Marcus raised his eyebrows. "I am?"

"Yeah. You're supposed to enforce the rules, aren't you? What am I still doing here?"

Marc shrugged. "Everyone else breaks the rules. What difference does it make?"

Michelangelo whistled. "Dude, seriously?"

"I don't know, Mike. Maybe I don't want to be alone any more than you do."

The turtle stared at the floor. "How'd we get here, Marc? Things were good, weren't they? I feel like we blinked and our whole world ended."

"Not the end," the man corrected quietly. "Not when we still have options."

Mike snorted. _Options. All we've got are two old friends who would have given their lives for us, but now they're stuck too. Not much else either of them can do. We know who's got the technology we need, but not where they are, or how to find this communicator. Calling any of those things "options" is a serious stretch._

He didn't want to repeat the thoughts out loud, so he chose to say nothing. _I don't have the energy to fake it for anyone, regardless of-_

The sound of a shallow cough drew Mike's attention back to Bahri. For an instant he was hopeful the elohim was merely waking up, but after a few seconds, his struggle for air was apparent. He rose to go to the alien, squeezing his shoulder.

"Bahri, slow down. Take it easy." The rapid nature his breaths had taken on didn't seem to be helping matters."Slowly," he emphasized to the floundering elohim.

"Mike, let me in there," the doctor instructed.

Michelangelo ducked to the right while the dark-haired man plunged one of Kamryn's instruments into Bahri's chest. He watched silently while the alien's breathing deepened slightly, but sounded more ragged than before.

"How many of those magic shots does Kamryn have?" Mike asked.

"To my knowledge, there are only a couple left," Marc said apologetically, and glanced down at Bahri. "I hope they're enough."

The elohim's frame stiffened at the unfamiliar voice, and he opened blood-shot blue eyes with a start. Marcus immediately backpedaled from the alien, but Mike put himself into Bahri's range of vision.

"Easy. It's okay, Bahri. You're all right." He glanced at Marcus. "He wouldn't hurt you, even if he _could_ , Marc."

The alien in question squinted to make him out. "Who...where _are_ we, terrapin?"

"We brought you home, or whatever you wanna call it," Mike finished bitterly.

Bahri was confused by the sentiment. "What?"

"You're safe, I think," he told him. "At least, you've got nothing to worry about from _our_ family."

"Your family?" Bahri echoed, eyeing Marcus again. "Who are you?"

The man took a couple of steps forward with trepidation. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Marcus Sloan. You can call me medical support."

"Yes..." Bahri seemed to be thinking. "You are the surgeon? For orthopedics?"

Mike nodded with a half grin. "Good memory, Bahri."

"If you...say so..." The elohim gasped as he tried to shift positions.

"I don't advise doing that yet." Marcus stood by the alien, but didn't touch him.

"I need to sit up," he insisted. "It hurts so much."

"What hurts?" Marc shifted into investigative mode."I heard you were put through the wringer. We didn't find any fractures, but we could have missed an internal injury."

Bahri's breath hitched painfully. "It is the pins," he murmured, rolling toward the edge of the mattress with a groan. "They are still in."

"Pins?" Marcus hovered protectively close to the elohim. "You've got to tell me what you mean."

"They are fused with my spine," he explained.

"Okay, Bahri. Why don't you let me take a quick scan? It's not invasive. I won't hurt you."

Bahri shared a meaningful look with the doctor. "You have the terrapins' trust. I will not fight you, human."

"That's good, but you can call me Marcus. 'Human' is a little generic for my taste."

"I did not mean to offend you."

The man waved him off. "I'm not offended. You're friends with my friends, so we don't need any formalities, right?"

"I agree, doctor."

Mike nearly snorted at the alien's inability to call Marcus by his name, until the elohim's brow screwed up again.

"That's plenty far enough." Marc stopped him. "I can get a clear shot of your back from here."

Michelangelo edged nearer to his friend, intentionally diverting his attention. "You get to hang out in our neck of the woods this time, huh? That's different."

Bahri gave him a weary glance. "I do not care for your atmosphere."

"Sorry about that, dude. Nothing personal from us Earthlings."

The elohim smiled weakly, but the expression was short-lived when he was rocked by what appeared to be the worst spasm yet.

"Oh, wow." Marc's tone was flat while he stared at the screen of his scanner. "That looks painful."

Bahri turned his head to the doctor. "It is. Hu—I mean...Marcus. May I lean further forward?"

"Does that help with pain?"

"It will ease some of the pressure."

The man nodded. "You want to help him out, Mikey?"

The turtle moved in to provide additional support for the alien. "I can handle your weight, Bahri. I won't let ya fall."

Bahri skipped a few breaths while Michelangelo assisted him in maneuvering upright.

"Would you like to try some water, Bahri?" Marcus offered.

"Yes," he answered with a shudder. "Michelangelo, you will not let go?"

"Nope, I got you," he assured him. "What's up with the pins you mentioned?"

"They will not come out," Bahri returned. "It requires a particular tool with a magnetic base."

"Somebody did this to hurt you?"

The alien nodded hesitantly. "It was Vagari. I was only on this journey for one reason. They wanted information on Earth, and..."

"Us?" Mike demanded.

Bahri nodded with another grimace. "Yes. But I would not tell them anything. I refused, terrapin."

Mike swallowed through the anger welling up and squeezed the alien's side he was supporting. "You're really brave, Bahri."

"No," he declared. "I am not."

"Are you kidding?" the turtle challenged. "You risked your life to come here, to help us. You coulda saved your own skin, but you didn't. Because you're stronger than any of those idiot Vagari figured."

"I am not strong or brave, Michelangelo. I am not anything. Not anymore." The devastation in his friend's blue eyes was so intense, the turtle could hardly bear to look.

"That's not true, Bahri," he managed.

Marcus returned with a sports bottle and offered the straw to the elohim, who peered at the object as though perplexed. "Have you seen one of these before?"

"Former human captives on Zuhur constructed something like them, but I never tried one myself." Bahri appeared relieved for the change in subject.

"Well, it isn't hard," Marc encouraged. "Certainly not painful like the nitrogen in our atmosphere. Close your mouth around the top and suck."

The elohim dutifully obeyed, but the action was half-hearted, like he couldn't have cared less. When Bahri had taken enough to satisfy Marcus, he glanced back to Mike. "I must speak with you and your brothers. There are things you need to hear."

The turtle nodded. "Yeah. Kamryn filled in some of it. She told us about Zuhur." Even the referral to events was enough to make tears threaten yet again.

"So you know," he responded blandly.

"Bahri, I'm sorry."

The elohim was quiet for a few seconds. "I was supposed to be in that meeting. I was delayed, in helping another. I should have been there, but I was not."

"If you had, you'd be dead too," Mike said gently.

Bahri's gaze pierced through him. "I wish I was."

"Don't say that." Mike embraced the elohim's shoulder tighter. "It's not over yet."

"You do not realize how serious this is."

Michelangelo switched to Marcus. "Would you get my brothers and Kamryn please?"

Once the man left, he leaned closer to his friend. "I know you're hurting real bad, Bahri. But you came this far-"

"I was dragged this far."

"They didn't bring you to Earth."

"No, Kamryn did, and for all her effort and our risks, we were not successful. It was for nothing."

"What you did was not _nothing_."

"What good is there in trying when you know you will fail, Michelangelo?"

"Nobody would have thought we could win against the Overlords," Mike reminded him. "We really didn't either; those pillars of fire did the job. Don't you remember it at all?"

"I remember – but it is different this time."

"Why is it different?" When Bahri didn't answer, he nudged his side. "C'mon, tell me. Why's it different?"

His friend at least looked up. "Because everything I thought...that I believed, is flawed."

"What does that mean?"

"It does not matter, terrapin. I am not sure if I can be of real assistance, but I _will_ tell you what I know. I doubt that anyone can compete with the Vagari, but you and your brothers will try either way."

"You're not inspiring much confidence," the turtle complained. "You don't think we're up for it?"

"Is it not to disparage any of you, Michelangelo. But you do not understand who they are."

"And you're going to tell us."

"I will, at least, as far as I know. My knowledge is limited to historical information. Before a few days ago, I had no personal experience with Vagari either. Once we are together with your brothers, I will start at the beginning."

* * *

Bahri wanted to close his eyes. He wished he could surrender to the overwhelming desire for sleep, but felt he owed his friends more than that. There was no truly comfortable position in which he could lie, but Donatello had performed some adjustments to the back of the bed that made his current state slightly bearable.

He was the one who'd called for a meeting, but now that the brothers were before him, it was harder to begin than expected. The elohim read the impatience coming off Raphael in waves, but the grief emanating from Leonardo and Donatello was harder to witness.

Bahri exchanged a glance with Kamryn, but her sympathy did nothing to help matters. _She means well, but feeling sorry for someone who is so weak is not a gift. I am accomplishing nothing here. It will not become easier by waiting._

"So many things have happened in a short amount of time..." He faltered.

The red-masked turtle snorted. "Tell us about it."

"Shut it," Leonardo commanded fiercely, and returned an imploring gaze to Bahri. "Please go on."

"It is difficult to determine what to tell you first."

"Who are the Vagari?" the oldest terrapin asked. "Kamryn told us they're related to the Elohim. "

He nodded. "Yes. We are of the same race."

"What happened with these factions?" Leonardo pressed.

"And why are they worse than the other psychos?" Raphael added tersely, receiving a sharp look from the blue-masked terrapin.

"Most everything I can tell you comes from reading. It was roughly five hundred years ago that the Annunaki were still one, guided by a family who led our race for more than a thousand years. That was until three brothers came of age, with extremely diverse ideals."

"Triplets?" Donatello suggested.

"As different from one another as night and day. There was so much friction and division between what each of the brothers wished to pursue, and who the people wanted to follow, it nearly came to civil war. The brothers took emergency action to avoid loss of life, which resulted in the split.

"The Annunaki disbanded into three distinct groups: the Vagari, the Elohim, and the Legatus. Each sect is characterized and heavily influenced by the brother they chose to serve. You remember the Elohim, or Overlords, as they came to call themselves. Their focus was largely upon advancing our race through genetics, continually improving upon existing DNA, and searching for the ideal biological candidates through which they could perpetuate 'perfect' genes.

"The Elohim are patient and methodical, not necessarily 'born killers', as your people would say. It was written that they were the ones who engineered the split between factions to begin with. In time, they learned to use violence as a tool to further their purposes.

"The Vagari are...something else altogether. They are also bent on advancing their kind, though their means is primarily through force. They are conquerors, focused on domination. They have a twisted perception of the original calling from El, which was a directive to serve and protect creation.

"But where the Overlords preferred to be worshiped by those under them, Vagari desire to destroy or suppress other lifeforms. The Overlords had to breed warriors, whereby Vagari seem to come by violence naturally."

Leonardo sighed heavily. "So why now? Why did they suddenly show up?"

"I do not know. But I have a feeling it is not as sudden as it appears. Their strike came swiftly, but...There is reason to believe this was planned in advance."

"I got the same feeling," Kamryn mentioned. "It wasn't an impetuous move on their part. Some things they said about the Ribeiro woman, it led me to think they've been up to trouble for a while, years even."

"Years." Mike shook his head. "Well, yeah, I guess it makes sense. Remember when Lendano came on the scene, _also_ out of nowhere?"

Leonardo clenched the arms of his chair tightly. "Do you have any idea what they want? Why would they take our kids? According to Kamryn, their goal was to get all of us."

"I cannot say for certain, though I imagine it has to do with your genes."

"But genetics was the Overlords' thing," Donatello spoke up.

Bahri shrugged. "I have not been inside their heads, terrapin. Only in their cells."

Leonardo's demeanor softened. "Right. Mike said it sounded like...Bahri, were you tortured?"

"I refused to do what they wanted," he replied evasively. "Vagari do not take kindly to dissension."

The red-masked terrapin scowled. "They won't take kindly to my fists either."

Leonardo swiftly glanced around the circle at his brothers. "We didn't get a chance to thank you for what you did."

"You owe me no thanks. Were it not for Kamryn, I could not have done a single thing. As it is, I still do not believe I assisted in any way." Bahri tried to take a deeper breath, and cursed lungs that still burned with a fury. "I want to help, terrapins, but I do not know how. I could not glean much from the Vagari, as they were more intent on getting what they wanted from _me,_ than giving away information."

"Are we the only reason they're here?" Donatello questioned. "Or is there something else?"

Bahri sank heavily against the bed, unable to hold up his weight in spite of the pain which resulted. "You speak of Earth."

Leonardo leaned closer. "When they 'dominate', what does it entail?"

"It depends on the planet, Leonardo. If it is a young world with few technological advances, they are sometimes satisfied to enslave the population and merely take over control. Earth falls as a class three type on their scale: having unlocked the power of the atom, but not yet broken the space barrier for regular travel."

"And what do they do with a class three planet?" Raphael demanded.

"It is my understanding that anything beyond a class two is considered a threat, and conquered accordingly," Bahri admitted softly.

Raphael cursed and pounded fists on his knees. "Fearless, what are we gonna _do?_ "

The blue-masked terrapin rubbed his eyes briefly. "I don't know. I can't do anything right now, except focus on one thing at a time. Our next step is to find Lendano. After that? I don't have the faintest idea."

* * *

 ***Life is full of layers. The Vagari are no exception. Bahri's explanation, while truthful from his perspective, is seriously lacking in content. There is much more to the history of WHY the Annunaki splintered, and the motive for their current actions. And it matters, a lot. Once again, though, all will be revealed in time.**


	32. Awake

Tim woke with a gasp, as though he'd been startled out of a dead sleep. His natural impulse was to rise, but he found the normal action impossible. An immediate red flag went up as his tried to adjust and make sense of his surroundings.

It was too dark to see beyond indistinct shapes, and it was even more difficult to _feel_ anything. The loss of the sensitivity traveled beyond his body's mere inability to move, and was dramatically affecting the intuition he'd never quite been able to turn off.

The terror which welled up at the knowledge of the hindrance surprised Tim. _How many times have I wished it would disappear, and now I'm on the verge of a meltdown because I can't feel anything? Seems like I won't be happy either way._

When the young turtle shut down the abrasive tongue lashing he _wanted_ to give himself, he realized why it was so upsetting. _I don't know where I am, what's happened, or if everyone else is okay. A little understanding_ _would go a long way._

He didn't need empathic abilities to hear the soft _whoosh_ of air entering the room from another source. Tim twisted his head in time to see light from beyond the doorway briefly illuminate a tall, broad-shouldered figure.

The stranger made eye contact with him, then looked down at an object in his hand. He said something under his breath which Tim didn't comprehend, then tapped part of his device which caused it to light up.

"I saw you were awake." The newcomer pronounced each word precisely, as though the syllables weren't used often. "You realize it's no use to fight." He touched a band on Tim's arm that the turtle hadn't noticed yet. "With no trouble, you will be allowed to move. But if you resist, this is how you'll stay."

The longer Tim stared at the figure, he felt a sense of warmth returning, a second awakening of sorts. In a flash, he recognized that the thing addressing him wasn't human, even if his features were reminiscent of one.

"Who are you?" Tim attempted to project calm, though he was certain he sounded nothing like his father.

The stranger bent closer to him with a odd smile. "You'll learn later. For now, I only seek cooperation. Do I have it?"

The turtle considered refusing outright, but it didn't seem like the best strategy with his current disadvantages. "It doesn't appear I have a choice."

"No, you don't. Still, you would be surprised how many try to resist."

Tim continued staring at the being, searching for more details about him. "What is it you want from me?"

"That's not a discussion for us to have. Would you like to sit up?"

"I would," the teen replied guardedly, veiling anxiety to the best of his ability.

The creature made another adjustment on his screen, and Tim was relieved to have some feeling return to tingling limbs. He waited several seconds for muscles to coordinate with one another, but when he could finally get his arms underneath him, it still felt like trying to lift a house.

"It doesn't have to be all bad if you behave reasonably."

Tim eyed his captor. "Will you tell me where I am?"

"I fear you couldn't grasp the answer...Although, your father would."

The teen stiffened. "What _about_ my father?"

"He was a passenger once, as you are now."

Tim was weary of the conversation already, and the lack of answers he'd received. _But I don't need him to tell me everything. I can figure some of it out on my own._ It was rare for the young turtle to intentionally reach into the depths of his sensitivity, but it was the best solution for his current predicament. The danger emanating off the stranger to his left was so obvious, he didn't need intuition to inform him of it. In his mind's eye he glimpsed several more individuals, clustered like hornets. _And I'm in the middle of their nest. But what else?_

He breathed deeply to concentrate, a feat which was complicated by the threat standing beside him, watching. Tim's vision went dark for an instant, and he thought he was falling unconscious. But rather than losing touch with reality, he felt _more_ aware of the intense vacuum in which he was ensnared.

"You're an alien," he proclaimed, though he hadn't planned on announcing it.

"Aren't we all?" The figure sounded amused.

"And we're in space."

His "companion" bobbed his head slightly, and hit another button on the device which brought up a couple more lights. The alien's short hair looked almost white, though Tim deemed he wasn't elderly. His irises were so pale they seemed to lack color at all, but the young turtle was more distracted by the tufts of wings folded against his back. "So you see how useless it is to fight. Where would you go, terrapin?"

"It does seem useless," he agreed, giving away no hint of defiance.

"Interesting. Our research of your kind led us to believe you'd never acquiesce so easily."

"You caught yourself a kid." Tim was quick to downplay his maturity. _The less he sees me as a threat, the more opportunity I'll have later._ "What do you expect me to do?"

"You behaved like an animal when confronted."

"I had my cousins with me." _Are they all right? Are they here too? Okay, I can't panic. Focus._ He reached deep within once more, and pushed his center _out,_ searching for the vibrant flames of family members he would recognize in his sleep. _Is anyone here? Where_ are _you?_

"I expected you to have more questions."

Tim loathed the interruption. "You don't mean to tell me anything, so why ask?"

"You are, as you pointed out, merely a child. I'll tell you what I think is best."

Willful pride rose. "Yet your kind had to resort to cheating in order to catch me."

"Cheating?" The concept sounded foreign to the alien. "My people don't see it that way. We have many tools, and will not hesitate to use them. You see this as cheating?"

Tim huffed softly. "Do you honestly claim to fight fairly?"

The creature cocked his head. "We were not _trying_ to be fair, terrapin. You have such strange ideas."

"To you maybe," the youth returned sullenly. _Please shut up so I can concentrate! Am I actually alone? Did they go after our dads too? I've got to figure this out._

"Speaking with one of you in the flesh is so different than I imagined it would be."

 _If you'd stop talking, it would be great._

"You are a more curious specimen than predicted."

 _Specimen? I don't like the sound of that. But I have to play along with him right now. Even if I could get free from this band thing and overcome him...He's right. I'm in flipping space! There's nowhere to go. I don't expect this guy can be reasoned with, but if he only thinks of me like a little kid, there's still a chance of having an advantage._

"You are probably lonely, but that will not last."

Tim jerked hard at the statement, and the alien rapidly depressed a button on his device. Searing heat lanced through the turtle's muscles with paralyzing fury. "I didn't do anything!"

"I don't trust you, terrapin. I can't afford to – not with what we already know, and witnessed earlier."

 _Shell. Leading him on won't be as easy as I'd hoped._

"What do you mean, I won't be lonely for long?"

"Our mission is incomplete."

 _They don't have everyone. Do they have anybody besides me?_

"However, someone else will finish what we began. We are going to make a jump shortly, and you'll find the experience less stressful if you're in a suspended state."

"Suspended?"

"Relax," the alien soothed. "As you said, you really have no choice in the matter."

When the alien lifted his chin to slip a mask over his face, Tim felt a chill in spite of the heat still invading his veins.

"The journey must be completed in stages, and then you'll both have the opportunity to get to know us better."

Tim's heart rate increased as what little he _had_ been able to see was darkened by the mask. The alien's words sunk in as he tried to control the urge to panic. _There's no telling what he means to do with me...Us?_

Breath was stolen from his chest when he captured the fleeting image of a familiar soul, the anxiety in her presence reaching out to him like a slap in the face. The personality of his purple-masked cousin was unmistakable, though he'd never sensed fear of that magnitude from her before. Her terror combined with his anxiety, to the point where he started to scream, right before a light flashed from the mask covering his eyes, and he knew nothing more.

* * *

Raphael felt guilty as he watched his old friend with a tinge of suspicion, but his frustration was long _past_ the boiling point, and had finally run over. The elohim was supposed to be resting, but a question had been burning within the red-masked turtle since that afternoon. _Leo's elbow stopped me from asking then, but I don't think I can take it no more._

Raphael turned to Bahri from spacing out, and found the alien already gazing back at him.

"That look still has the power to make me uncomfortable," the elohim told him.

"Guess I haven't lost my touch," Raph said stiffly.

Bahri nodded sadly. "You are angry with me."

The turtle winced. "No, Bahri, I'm not mad at ya. I just don't understand this, okay? We were with your kind for months. You took us everywhere, even your most sacred hideout on Zuhur. We went into battle together. But there's so many darn things you never told us. Maybe it shouldn't bother me, but it does."

"The odds were already stacked against us, terrapin. The hope of victory against the Overlords was slim. Do you think mentioning old stories about a faction we had not been in touch with for five hundred years would have helped anything? Do you remember me saying that I _have_ no knowledge of the Vagari. with the exception of our records?"

"Yeah, I guess. But what about after the battle, before you brought us home? You coulda given us some clue we might need to duck and cover."

"I did not perceive them as a threat, Raphael. And to be truthful, after the way things ended at Zockimel, I felt confident. I thought nothing would ever be able to harm us again. But I was wrong," he finished more quietly. "They resurfaced when no one was looking, and we were not protected. To think, I actually believed..."

"You believed what?" Raphael asked when he didn't continue.

"That our repentance was enough. We tried to make things right, but now it comes to this...and it seems every work was worthless."

The turtle's brow furrowed as he leaned closer to his friend. "What are you saying? You called it quits on God?"

"I have not 'quit' anything, Raphael, no matter how much I want to. But we tried to follow El, and He could not be bothered with the Vagari, or us. The worst part was witnessing the shattering of all that had been restored. I think it would almost be better if none of it had ever happened."

Raphael's eye ridges rose. "None of it? Like, you wish the Overlords were still in charge? That you'd never met any of us?"

"I do not mean that exactly. It is difficult to explain. When one is given hope, the desire is to hold on to it, yes?"

"Yeah..."

"What if the hope that changed your life, that _gave_ you life, gets broken? What then?"

Raphael didn't expect the turn the conversation had taken, and it left him flustered. "I think...you gotta look for new hope."

"What if there is none? And what if believing things can get better, only results in a worse collapse when it all fails as it was already going to?"

The turtle was speechless for nearly a minute. "I understand what you..." he began, but then stopped. He really _didn't_ know what his friend had been through in the last few days, and the words he'd been about to say felt like empty encouragement.

"I'm sorry, Bahri. I know you're hurting, and I can't do anything about it. I...I can't bring anybody back. But if they _were_ here, I know they wouldn't want you to give up."

"But they are not," the elohim said faintly. "And I cannot think of one reason to trust in hope."

"You're with us," Raph pointed out. "Isn't that something?"

"Not under these circumstances. I am glad to see you, but I feel like...I think your kind would call me a harbinger of doom."

Raphael was extremely irritated with his inability to get through to the alien. _That_ was when he realized Bahri's hollow expression was reminiscent of what they'd experienced with Brandon after his capture by the Akiudo. _Aw, shell. He's not gonna snap out of this just because I want him to._

"There's nothing I can say to you, Bahri, except we're not throwing in the towel. You don't feel like fighting right now, and that's okay. It is. You're still gonna make it."

Bahri broke eye contact to stare down at folded hands in his lap. "I remember once, watching a video from your internet, which featured a large feeding frenzy of sharks. It reminds me of the time I am living in now. In these last few days, I have been attacked by the most ferocious beasts I have ever encountered. They are ripping me apart, but I cannot get out of it. And part of me does not want to escape anymore. I no longer wish to fight or struggle. I just want to be free."

"But you made it out, Bahri. You _are_ free."

"No. They are still here, Raphael." He tapped the side of his head. "I am still their prisoner. I am still being eaten alive. My only desire is for it to end."

* * *

Raphael was walking in an aimless circle in the basement, because he had nowhere else to go. He'd been mulling over the conversation with Bahri for several minutes, and it'd left him more discouraged than he was the night before.

"Tortuga?" a voice called down the nearby stairs. "Are you coming up?"

The red-masked turtle turned on heel and looked his wife's direction. "I don't think so, Kari. I'm not hungry."

The Latin woman padded down the steps, only creating the slightest of creaks. "You don't have to ground yourself, though. I've barely seen you today."

"Well, I was sleepin'," he defended. "And then we were with Bahri, and other...stuff. I ain't avoiding you, Kari. I'm thinking, and I can't do it around a bunch of people."

She took a sharp breath. "Besides the obvious, what's wrong?"

He focused on the floor, and Karina tentatively drew his face toward her.

"Tell me."

"It's Bahri," he confessed. "He's not good, Karina."

"I thought his breathing was improving."

"It is, but that ain't what I'm talking about. It's like going through it with your brother all over again."

"What do you mean?"

"He's suffering. The depression on him is so heavy, you can walk in the room and feel it. And there's nothing I can do. He lost his best friends, was tortured day and night...On top of that, he still came here to help us. But I can't help him."

Karina wrapped her arms around his side. "Brandon was in rough shape. It wasn't easy. But he survived, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but this is different. We need _his_ help, Karina. Nobody wants to push Bahri, but we have to get through somehow. We don't have time to wait for him to get better. We gotta take action _now_."

"You know you can't force it, Tortuga. But he's talking to you?"

Raphael nodded. "Talking, yeah...but he doesn't seem to hear a word we say."

"You need to focus on listening. If he's willing to speak, it's your job to be there for him."

He grunted angrily. "I don't get this either. Why would God go to the trouble of delivering them from the Overlords, only for the Nalikjan to get screwed by the Vagari? How does it make sense?"

Karina shook her head. "There's no real answer. Being a good person and trying to do the right things, it doesn't guarantee a life without trouble. Our world, the entire universe I ought to say, is flawed. As a result, people suffer, whether from their own actions, other people, or natural disasters. The cycle has been repeated too many times throughout history to count. It doesn't mean there's no hope."

"I'm down with that. But how am I supposed to convince Bahri that everything he believed in isn't wrong?"

"You probably can't convince him, any more than you could 'convince' Bran not to be afraid of water. I think you have to remind him that he isn't alone, and there are still things in the universe worth fighting for. His planet and people for one."

"According to him, Zuhur isn't the only planet in trouble," he mumbled. "There's so much crap to wade through, I get a headache just thinking about it, Kari. One of our geniuses has to find a way to track down Lendano soon, because I don't know how much more I can take."


	33. Avoid

Nathaniel wasn't aware someone was talking to him until said person tapped his shoulder. The eighteen-year-old blinked and then gazed dully up at Alexis. The girl held out her hands plaintively, but he still had no idea what she wanted. "You're gonna have to run that by me again."

"Your parents won't lay off, Nate. It'd be easier to simply give in."

The orange-masked turtle slumped further back in his chair. _Is it too much to ask to be left alone for a few more hours?_

In the day following the attack, he'd spent 20 of those hours in his bed, though he'd probably only slept for about five. The blissful refuge had lasted until his father came to retrieve him for a meal. The half eaten sandwich still felt like lead in his stomach.

All Nate wanted to do was escape again, but his mom had requested he stick with his cousins for a while. _I feel like I'm being punished. I don't_ want _to talk to anyone._ Truthfully, he could barely look his loved ones in the eye, including his girlfriend.

"I've already done what they asked," he said softly. "I ate something."

"Hardly," the fourteen-year-old complained.

"Lex, leave it alone."

"We can't," she said matter-of-factly.

"But you should," Nate returned sharper.

Jonathan cleared his throat. "Alexis, maybe you ought to lay off, y'know? He _is_ already getting it from the others."

The dark-haired girl cast an annoyed look to her cousin. "That's what he'd like sure, but it wouldn't be good for him."

"He doesn't need everyone ganging up on him," Jon argued.

 _Apparently, what I need is people talking about me like I'm not here._ Nate rolled his eyes and got to his feet. "You guys wanna do me a huge favor? Let me out of this room without telling anyone. Can't you cover for me this once?"

Alexis crossed her arms with exasperation. "How does it help to be by yourself?"

"Lex, you can't help me!" His volume finally rose. "I don't want to talk, and I don't want to feel better. I'm not going to either – not when my cousins are out there God knows where, going through God knows _what!"_

The girl backed up a step. "I know we can't make you feel better, Nate. Doesn't mean I won't try."

"You can stop," he assured her. "No point in taking on a useless..." Nate trailed off when a familiar looming shadow filled the doorway. Seeing his purple-masked cousin made it feel like the air had been knocked out of his lungs.

"Jayden!" Alexis was the first to outwardly react. "Are you supposed to be up?"

The sixteen-year-old turtle ignored the question. He strode into the room without any hint of the normal symptoms that would accompany a serious concussion, and went straight toward Nate. The orange-masked turtle cringed inwardly, but forced himself to hold his cousin's gaze.

"I just need get something straight," Jayden said slowly. "You _left_ them to come after me?"

Nate nodded with a swallow. "I...I wasn't thinking. I reacted in the moment. You needed help, Jayden."

"But you left _them_ to chase after me."

Nathaniel didn't know what else to say. "I didn't mean for this to happen. If I could go back, if I could change it, I'd do anything!" He was startled when Jayden caught him around the shoulders, but didn't fight the muscular grip which pinned him to the wall.

"You left THEM to chase after ME!"

It took Nate a couple seconds to find his voice, and it trembled slightly when he replied. "Y-yes. Yes, I left them. I'm sorry, Jayden! I'm sorry they're gone. You can be mad. You can hate me if you want – I don't blame you."

The purple-masked turtle's fierce expression lasted all of two more seconds, and then he crumbled before Nate's eyes, releasing him to bury his forehead in his hands. That was when Nate realized how close Jon and Alexis had gotten to them, as though they would have been able to pull the larger turtle off him.

Nate felt like he should comfort his cousin somehow, but he was coming up empty. Jayden slipped backwards against the wall and sank to the floor. It felt like an eternity was passing without words, and the orange-masked turtle was doing nothing except watching his cousin cry.

"Jayden, I'm sorry," he finally croaked, merely because he had to.

The sixteen-year-old raised his head slightly, fixing him with an evil eye. "Trade places, Nate. If you were me, would you want to be saved?"

"I don't know how to answer that."

"If you were me, who would _you_ want to be saved?"

"Them," Nate admitted. "But I didn't, Jayden. I went after you. I left them, and they're gone. You can blame me for it. I already do."

Jayden looked back down. "I don't blame you for this."

"But I do," Nate said stronger.

His cousin made a fierce sound that could have shaken the rafters, and caused Nathaniel to wince. He half expected the muscular turtle to tackle him, but Jayden merely pounded the floor with his fists. Nate kept his mouth shut and held his breath for what could be coming next.

"I don't blame you," Jayden insisted. "But I want _them_."

Nate took a hesitant step toward him. "So do I. And every time I think about what happened, and the things I should have done differently, I feel sicker. I wasn't ready for this. All I did was prove our dads were right."

Jayden glanced up with surprise. "You think they would have done so much better? Did you forget they were already kidnapped, Nate?"

"And now our cousins were, on my watch."

The younger turtle shook his head. "What did I contribute to the party, besides getting my shell knocked off a building?"

"They were cheating, Jay. It wasn't your fault."

"Yet, you can take the fault for everything."

"I can't help it," Nate whispered. "I keep imagining what might be done to them. It's my job to look out for you. My job to make the decisions, which ultimately could end in disaster. And it did."

"It's _our_ job to look after each other," Jayden corrected. "You can't tell me it's not my fault in one breath, and take all the blame for yourself in the next."

"How about it's the aliens' fault?" Alexis interjected. "How about that?"

Jayden rubbed his eyes with a sigh. "Ain't that easy, Lex."

"Sure it is. All you guys have to do is snap out of the guilt trip, and kick the crap out of the guys who are responsible."

"That's a lot harder than you thi-" Nate cut short the instant he saw his purple-masked uncle cross into the room. He noted a flash of nerves in his cousin's eyes too, but then Jayden's face hardened for a fight.

Donatello stared his son down sternly. "Jayden Aiko. You didn't have permission to leave the lab."

Jayden climbed to his feet so that he towered over everyone else in the room. He was _always_ the biggest, but now it felt like he was using his height to assert his independence. "I'm fine, and you know it, Dad! You don't have to make a big deal out of the fake permission slips."

"I don't know it," Don countered. "You were struck by alien technology-"

"And I don't have a scratch left!"

Jayden motioned to his bicep, where Nate had to admit there was no sign of the deep grooves the scutica had caused. The orange-masked turtle had a feeling if he checked under the bandage wrapped around his cousin's neck, he wouldn't find anything there either. Even the prominent bruising on the side of his head had dramatically faded.

Donatello didn't negate his son's statement, but his resolve was unrelenting. "I would rather you come back with me, Jay."

"I'm not sharing a room with that thing," he hissed.

The term didn't appear to sit well with Donny. "Bahri isn't an enemy, Jay. He's our friend."

"It's not my friend." Jayden spun on heel and stalked out, leaving his father to pursue him.

Nate gazed after his fleeing cousin for a few moments. Granted, what little time he'd spent near the alien had been focused on threatening him within an inch of his life, but something about Jayden's reference to the creature bothered him too. _It doesn't surprise me that Jay wouldn't like Bahri, but what's my excuse for avoiding him? It's probably for the same reason I'd rather stay away from everyone else._

"Nate? Maybe some exercise would take the edge off?" Jon suggested.

"Or we could rot our brains," Alexis added. "I think there's a marathon on-"

Nate held up a hand to stop her. "Thanks, guys, but there's something I need to do."

"What? Disappear again?" Lex was clearly annoyed.

"No. I need to talk to someone, and I've been putting it off. I'm gonna go bite the bullet."

"Need any back up?" Jonathan offered.

The turtle shook his head. "I appreciate it – but I'll be fine. I'll see you later."

Nathaniel left the room and headed for the stairs. Getting to the steps required crossing through a hallway that bordered another common area where several family members were gathered, and he didn't escape entirely unnoticed. He made eye contact with Reina and saw her immediately rise.

The turtle rushed to get out of sight of the others before the young woman could reach him, but waited for her around the corner.

"I was just thinking about you," she said softly. "You sneaking off somewhere?"

He made a face. "Where would I go?"

Reina shrugged. "What _are_ you doing?"

"It's time to talk to someone, and better if I do it alone," he finished apologetically.

"As long as you don't vanish, I won't complain."

"No danger of it."

She impulsively looped her arms around his neck. "I know you're suffering, but I can also see you don't want to talk about it. When you're ready, I'm here. I'd better be the one you come to."

He hugged her back out of obligation, but didn't say anything. To risk a single word about how he felt invited a complete breakdown. "Thanks," Nate finally said, tone purposefully vague. "I'm gonna go, okay?"

Reina retreated a pace. "Don't forget about me."

"I couldn't." He unexpectedly choked on the statement causing Reina to instantly return to him. Nate groaned on the inside, but pushing her away would be too hurtful. When her hand grazed the back of his head, it was the final straw to a dam under tremendous assault.

Nate sniffed repeatedly as if it would be possible to regain control, but it was too far gone. For her part, the young woman said nothing while he broke down for the first time since the attack.

"I failed them." The admission felt like a horrible secret he'd been withholding for years, though he'd been quick to accept the blame. "I failed them all, Reina."

"You didn't," she countered. "But I know nothing I say can change how you feel."

He took a shuddering breath. "I can't look at anyone without that thought repeating in my head. I failed them."

"You're not alone there," she told him. "A lot of people feel responsible, who weren't even present. But avoiding us won't make it better."

"No. But it's easier to deal with in the meantime."

She shook her head. "You don't deserve this, Nate. The pressure and guilt you're under could take down about anyone. I want to help, but I don't know how."

He lifted his head to face her. "I have to talk to Bahri...and I need to know if they're making any progress with Lendano. Though...they probably would have told the family if they had. Any sign of hope wouldn't be kept secret at a time like this."

"Hope's a funny thing," Reina said thoughtfully. "Sometimes it shows up in the last place you'd expect it. Like two old friends separated by decades, taking their lives into their own hands to try and save you."

"And I threatened to slit one's throat," Nate added sarcastically. "Reina, I'm gonna go talk to him."

She patted his shoulder. "Come see me later."

He nodded as she backed away again, and then continued down the hall to the stairs. Once he'd made it to the third floor, he hesitated outside the makeshift lab for a minute before summoning the will to knock on the door.

Luke answered it at once, and looked surprised to see him. "Hey. You okay?" His expression shifted to concern. "I...um...I couldn't stop Jayden from barreling out of here."

Nate nodded. "He found me. He's upset, but...who isn't, right?"

The man shrugged. "I can't think of anyone. But what can I do for you?"

"Is Bahri up? I was hoping to clear some air."

"He's awake, Nate, but...tread carefully, okay? Jayden wasn't very nice to him."

"I take it that's an understatement, if his behavior downstairs was any indication. I'll be gentle, Doc."

"I know you will, Nate." Luke stepped out of the way to allow the teenager to cross the room.

The turtle slowly went toward the bed on the opposite wall, and found deep blue eyes tracking him nervously. Nate held up his hands to demonstrate peaceful intentions, but the alien's posture remained rigid and tense.

"Hi," the teen said awkwardly.

Bahri nodded cautiously. "Hello, terrapin."

Nate located a chair and scooted over to join him. "I guess you've already been yelled at tonight, haven't you? Well, that's not why I'm here."

"I am grateful for that," the elohim said meekly.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you before," Nathaniel added. "When you found us in the Biodome and looked like one of the monst—aliens who attacked us, I assumed you were with them."

"I do not hold it against you, young one. I know how confusing it must have been."

"I'm sorry I scared you anyway."

"I am only glad you did not actually cut off my head. I thought you were going to. Truthfully, I assumed you _were_ Leonardo to start with. It took a moment to realize that you were not. In the darkness you felt very similar, especially with an Arsiterite blade."

Nate managed to smile. "He had to give me this one." The turtle drew the katana from its sheath to display the small chip in the honed edge. "See? I managed to damage it in battle."

Bahri's eyes widened. "How was that accomplished?"

"Plasma cannon. I pierced the core to prevent it from firing on my friends, and didn't think fast enough to remove it."

"Yet your friends lived, and so did you. It was not a failure."

"Not completely," he admitted.

"Leonardo has taught you," the alien asserted. "That much is clear."

"Yes. He's done his best with what he has to work with."

"That hardly sounds like a compliment."

"It's not, really. I'm not my uncle, Bahri. He could train me for the rest of my life, and I never will be." Nathaniel rested his arms across his plastron and gazed at the floor. "Probably more obvious now than ever."

"Why?" the alien pressed. "Because you could not stop the Vagari?"

Nate glanced up. "I bear my uncle's charge to look after my team."

"Terrapin, _no one_ could have stopped them with so few numbers. Not you, your older counterparts, nor Kamryn and myself."

"Then why did you come here?"

"We had to try." Bahri's voice was strained. "I would not have forgiven myself for doing nothing. I wish we had arrived faster."

"You did more than anyone could have asked. And you're also paying another price, stuck here on an alien planet with no way to get home."

Bahri sighed quietly. "I do not have much to return to."

"What about the Nalik...jan? Am I saying it right? What about them?"

"They may have already been exterminated. The process began before I was transported off the planet."

"But you don't know that."

"I do not know for certain, but the Nalikjan are not equipped to resist the Vagari, especially stripped of their leaders and...Ghyath."

Nathaniel sensed the powerful emotion behind the name. "I'm sorry about your friends."

Bahri leaned back with a grimace. "Their loss is yet heavy upon me. But I would rather bear it on my own, than witness your family broken apart."

Nate studied the alien's expression for authenticity, and was convinced after a couple seconds. "I appreciate it, and everything you've done. But I have to know our chances, realistically speaking, of getting my cousins back."

"That is difficult to answer, terrapin, because it cannot be accomplished without help from Zuhur. And we cannot acquire help from there without sending a message. We must either find these human traitors, this Lendano, or be trapped by the Vagari to obtain proximity to a com-link.

"From what I know of your fathers, they are probably planning a suicide mission. But to willingly incite the Vagari, or intentionally put themselves in their reach...I would not have them attempt such madness, yet I cannot control them either, particularly in this state."

"But what about Lendano?" Nate ventured. "If we could find them, it seems like it would be way easier to get inside. Except for the fact that they harbor robotic death machines which nearly took us out once. Only thing that saved us was an EMP."

Bahri's shook his head firmly. "Such device could cause irreparable damage to a com-link."

"Figured as much," Nate muttered. "We still need to find some way in, _without_ them engaging their deadly toys."

"Under what circumstances would they allow someone to come in unchallenged?" Bahri wondered. "Would it not be better to shut down their equipment, and sneak in while they cannot see?"

"It would be, but if their technology starts failing, it would tip them off big time. They know better now."

"Then how would you proceed? It seems the only people who would have ready access would be someone they know."

"Or...someone they _think_ they know," Nate realized. "Bahri. Exactly how far are you willing to go for us? If I...if you were to consider doing something crazy..."

"It would not be the first time, terrapin. But what exactly are you proposing? This look in your eye, it reminds me of someone else."

"Probably my dad." Nate chuckled, but then got serious again. "It's not fair to ask you for anything, but..."

Bahri rubbed his temple wearily. "I am still not sure where you are going, young one. But I know enough about your family to decipher the possible danger involved. I am here, terrapin. That means I am 'in' for whatever madness you have dreamed up."


	34. Listen

Michelangelo watched Kamryn with amusement while the woman stabbed the pancake on her plate as if the food would bite back. "It's different, Kam, but you'll never know what you could like unless you try it. Give it a shot."

The woman peered at the section currently stuck to her fork. "What are the black things again?"

"It's chocolate, Kamryn. One of the most magical substances known to mankind."

"Magical? Will this do something odd to me, Michelangelo?"

"No, just try it, okay? I can add some syrup for you too, but I think you ought to go for it plain first."

"C-rup?"

"That's close enough. Now eat it."

With some remaining hesitance, Kamryn tried the bite from her fork, and gasped softly. Mike waited patiently for a more obvious reaction, and grinned when her eyes widened.

"Is it good?"

Kamryn merely dropped her fork and resorted to tearing the rest of her pancake to pieces with her fingers.

"I'll take that as a yes."

She'd demolished half the plate before looking up at him again. "It's so...mm...You _made_ that?"

The orange-masked turtle nodded. "Do you see why we complained so much about the food on Zuhur?"

Kamryn shook her head and returned to tearing up remaining pancakes. "I'm sorry," she said suddenly. "You're supposed to use silverware, aren't you?"

"Nah, I'm glad you're enjoying it. It'd be a lot messier with syrup involved, but I'll introduce you to that next time."

She closed her eyes briefly with a sigh. "I've never tasted anything like it."

"We could open your eyes to a lot of stuff. Problem is, you'll never be satisfied to go back to the old crap on your planet."

"It _has_ gotten better," she mentioned. "Our diets are no longer completely synthesized. We've been growing many crops for the last several years."

He smirked. "But not like this."

"No – not even close to 'choc-let'. But only El knows if we'll be able to return at all."

Mike squeezed her shoulder. "You're family, either way. Even if you couldn't go back, you're always gonna have someone."

She smiled faintly. "I'm grateful we found you, Michelangelo. But there are many others here, and I don't want to...add to the burden."

"You're not a burden, Kamryn. We're used to having a bunch of people around. Shell, we still have a couple members back in the states and one in Okinawa. That's not including Kelley, of course, but he ain't real-"

"Kelley?" she interrupted, breathless.

"Yeah. He's another friend of ours, but he's never lived with us, so-"

"You have a contact named Kelley?" she verified again. Her eyes seemed larger than he'd ever seen them look.

"Um...yes, Kam. Is that weird or something?"

"They mentioned a Kelley, but I didn't realize it was a person."

" _Who_ mentioned Kelley? The Vagari?" Mike stiffened for the answer.

"Yes. They said they were...that is, the doctor woman, she was 'listening' with Kelley, but it didn't make any sense. No more than blue teeth."

"Blue teeth?" Mike cocked his head while trying to figure out what she meant. "Wait a sec. Listening with blue...Are you talking about a blue _tooth_? Is that what they said?"

"Does it make more sense to you?"

Mike caught her by the wrist. "Kamryn, come with me. We've gotta go tell Leo."

"About the blue tooth?" The woman was genuinely confused.

"Yeah – c'mon!" Introducing Kamryn to new breakfast foods went by the wayside as he dragged her out of the dining room.

"Michelangelo, I will need my arm again-"

"I won't keep it," he said distractedly, and stopped by Calley staring into space on the couch. "Hey. Do you know where Leo is?" There were only so many places the blue-masked turtle could be, but it would be faster if they didn't have to search.

"I thought he was in the lab with Don and your other...friend. The last I knew."

Something about her eyes made Mike reluctant to walk away from the woman. "Calley, are you..." It seemed pointless to ask if she was all right, when no one really could be. "Can I do anything?" he finished instead.

She shook her head. "No. I'm better off on my own."

"I don't see how any of us would be, Calley."

Her pensive gaze connected with him for a moment. "Whatever you need Leo for, go and do it. It's important, isn't it?"

"Maybe." Mike was vague, as he didn't want to raise alarm or false hopes. "I'll let you know, okay?"

"Please do." Calley resumed gazing at the wall.

Michelangelo snatched up Kamryn's wrist to get her moving again.

"Can you at least tell me why he has blue teeth?"

"It'd be easier to let Don do it." Mike rushed into the lab without so much as knocking, and could tell he'd surprised his older brothers.

"Mike, keep it down," Donny hissed. "Bahri is-"

"Guys, we have a problem," he filled in without delay, and turned to Kamryn. "Tell them what you told me."

"I don't even know what I told you! Wasn't someone going to explain the blue teeth?"

Leo looked baffled. "Blue teeth? Mike, what's going on?"

"Kam said the Vagari are listening in on Kelley through his blue tooth!"

"Not the Vagari, that doctor," she corrected. "And I still don't know what it means."

Donatello bolted up from the desk. "My God. That's got to be how they found us so fast. Kelley's in danger! I can't believe we thought he'd be okay when the rest of our people weren't!"

"We have to call him now!" the orange-masked turtle exclaimed. "He's gotta get out of the city – they could come after him next!"

"Wait a minute." Leo sounded much too calm for Mike's liking. "Lendano's listening to him?"

"Isn't that what she said? Why am I the only one freaking out?" Mike demanded.

"You're not," Donatello announced dryly, burner phone already pressed to his ear. "I'm trying him at his office."

"Just hold on!" Leonardo insisted. "Put the phone down."

"Why are we waiting?" Mike nearly shouted.

"Don't either of you see the opportunity this affords us?" Leo turned to Don with an exasperated look. "If Lendano's listening in on Kelley, isn't it possible they're leaving behind a signal you could tag?"

The purple-masked turtle slowly lowered the disposable cell. "Maybe, but...I'd need time to figure it out. If they're using technology I've never seen, it might be impossible to tap."

"It is probably not terribly advanced," Bahri announced, sounding half-asleep. "A pawn such as Lendano would not be subject to the best equipment in the Vagari's arsenal. Not unless they were highly valued."

"Which they aren't – not based on what I heard," Kamryn added.

Don shrugged. "I won't know for sure unless I see a call in progress. But the longer we can keep them transmitting, or 'listening', the better chance we have of tracking them."

"We should set something up," Leo said decisively. "Start a phone call they can't help listening to."

"What we can create is a way in," Kamryn pointed out. "We talked yesterday about the possibility of Bahri playing a role in getting you inside Lendano. If he was to have a few words in the middle of that phone call, do you see the impact it could leave?"

"An alien hijacking the call would send a message all right – but what are we trying to say?" Donny wondered.

Leonardo nodded at Kamryn as though the two were sharing a private joke. "We're setting them up for a huge fall." He turned to Bahri, and the alien sighed.

"You know I will do anything to help you, but I am fairly certain I am not capable of this level of manipulation. I will try, of course..."

"We'll figure it out, Bahri," Kamryn said quickly. "You're not going to do it by yourself."

"I know you will have a plan, but I am also concerned for my...strength," he admitted. "I fear I will not even be able to _look_ the part."

"Well...there's something I can do which would probably help," Don began warily. "I can't get the pins out of your spine, but I bet a blood transfusion would work a few wonders."

Bahri raised his head further. "A blood transfusion?"

Donatello squirmed uncomfortably under his brothers' gazes. "I think we ought to give him a pint of the twins' blood. But _no one_ tell Jayden."

"Are you sure it is wise?" Bahri appeared leery.

"Yasir designed their DNA with the Elohim in mind, Bahri," Don reminded him.

"Whatever you think is best, terrapin."

"I'll get it set up, and someone should probably still call Kelley."

"We'll need his cooperation for this," Leo agreed, scooping up the burner phone.

"And there's nothing for me to do except be the errand boy," Mike complained. He stretched to reach his brother's mug, and was shocked to find the coffee untouched. "Donny, did ya forget your drink or something?"

The purple-masked turtle strangely avoided his eyes. "Yeah, I guess."

"I'll get you a fresh one, okay? You need to keep your energy up."

"Ah...don't bother, Mikey. I'm doing fine."

Michelangelo blinked rapidly, feeling as if Donatello had announced the world was flat. "Who are you, evil clone? Where's my real brother?"

Don exchanged a weird glance with Leo, and the two turtles appeared to be having a conversation with their eyes.

"What?" the orange-masked turtle demanded. "What aren't you saying?"

"Mike, I don't need caffeine to function. Not anymore," Donny admitted.

"Since when?"

Donatello started to turn to Leonardo again, but then forced himself to focus on Mike. "We've been...different, since the blood transfusions. The same alien markers that populate the twins' DNA are reproducing at an impressive rate in our systems."

"What the shell does that mean in English?"

"It means...well, we don't _know_ what it means yet. But I can tell you that our energy and performance have been affected." Donatello held out his arm, turning it to first indicate the lower area where the bug had been implanted, and then peeled back the bandage from his shoulder. He motioned closer to where the "sample" had been taken. "What do you notice, Mike?"

He stared at what small evidence of the minor chip removal surgery remained, and more amazingly, the nearly restored flesh which had been carved from his brother's arm. Then he glanced down at the angry streaks lining his own limb from where the bug had been cut out. "You're still healing quicker!" He looked to Leonardo. "Both of you? Dude, that's not fair! You guys are like part super hero too."

Don seemed to be repressing a smile. "Like I said, we don't know what it means for us yet."

"This is bogus. I want some!"

"Not a chance," Donny returned smoothly. "Not just for the shell of it."

"But Bahri gets to be special." Mike pretended to pout, and cast the elohim a grin.

"I'll be interested to see if his body can reproduce the markers," Don said.

"I'll be interested to hear what that _means_ ," Mike inserted. "Am I right, Kamryn?"

The woman's expression was suddenly so nervous, the orange-masked turtle's brow creased in confusion.

"No, we can't reproduce them," she replied in a small voice.

"We?" Leo echoed.

"Yes, that is..." Kamryn paused with a shudder. "Shukri, he...he found stem cells."

Don took a sharp breath. "From the twins?"

She nodded guiltily. "It...it seemed wrong, but..."

"It was not her decision," Bahri said. "Her cell structure was always unstable as a result of the experiments Yasir performed. Kamryn suffered the worst collapse she had ever experienced. She was dying, and we were desperate."

Donatello moved toward the woman and lifted her chin to look at him. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Those cells were stolen from your babies," she whispered.

"Not by you," Don countered.

The woman huffed. "Does that make it better?"

"What happened?" the purple-masked turtle asked carefully.

When Kamryn didn't answer, Bahri spoke up again.

"She was hours from death. By your measurement of time, it would have been...roughly fifteen years ago."

"And it worked, clearly," Leonardo stated. "But you couldn't reproduce the cells?"

Bahri answered for her once more. "Shukri had a theory it was part of the reason your twins were chosen. Others can enjoy their benefit-"

"But the cells eventually filter out," Don completed. "We had a similar experience with one of our guys. Except now it appears the twins aren't the only ones who can carry them. Is that the reason they want _all_ of us, Bahri?"

"I cannot tell you anything for certain, Donatello. But I do not know another reason they would."

Leonardo scowled. "And we're not trying to find out. Don, get the transfusion going, and then start pulling equipment for a road trip. We can't sit on this information – we've got to act."

"I need to finish replacing our phones too," Donny replied. "I think it's gonna be an all-nighter."

"Will you still have enough time to combine the disruptor with it?" Leo asked hopefully.

"I already had those plans sketched for the next generation of our phones anyway. Incorporating the two together is the logical thing. Why carry around multiple machines when the functions can be integrated into one?"

Mike cocked his head. "So no more disruptor for you?"

"What I'm doing will put the ability to hinder radio frequencies at _all_ of our fingertips, Mikey."

"That sounds interesting, but could someone please explain the rest?" Kamryn requested. "Why does this Kelley have blue teeth? Are Earthlings born with them on occasion?"

Mike couldn't contain a snort that time. "Don, you wanna field this one?"

* * *

Charlotte caught her breath when she heard the sound of footsteps on the other side of the door, but whoever it was kept going without stopping. The young turtle drew her knees to her plastron, and tried to quell the persistent tremor. She hated herself for the fear tightening her chest, but no amount of deep breathing could banish it.

Her eyes fell to the band fitting snugly around her forearm, and she scratched it uselessly. It was impossible to move the bracelet, but it hadn't stopped her from trying several times. Charlotte's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in... _It's hard to say. I don't even know how long I've been here. I can't tell whether I'm more hungry or thirsty. It's all running together, and thinking about it doesn't do any good._

She rested her head against the wall miserably. Not knowing what was going on had taken a toll. The turtle was somewhat grateful for the heat emanating from the band, which she'd discerned was having some kind of effect on her energy. The odd device made the sitting around more bearable. _I've got to be one of the strangest people who's ever lived. I'm such an idiot for enjoying that._

A familiar cramp in her thigh made her growl in irritation. She stretched out her legs slowly in a "v" shape, grabbing first one foot, then the other. Then with concentrated effort she straightened, and got to her feet. Her limbs felt extremely heavy, but it was possible to move. _Whatever this band is doing, I could be adapting to it...Just like my dad's drugs._ The work required to take a few shuffling steps was a welcome distraction from the fear of not knowing where she was, who had her, and where she would end up.

The reverberation which accompanied more steps coming down the hall stopped Charlotte cold in her tracks. She crouched in the corner when the door hissed open, disappearing entirely into the wall. If the entrance were any lower, the seven-foot figure approaching would have needed to duck to get through.

The broad-shouldered stranger with longish ebony hair was slightly familiar. She was positive she'd seen him before. Green eyes pierced through her suspiciously from the doorway. He crossed the space in two long strides, and caught her by the arm in a twisting motion.

Charlotte bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out. She wished she could think of some smart comment to demonstrate she wasn't afraid of him, but words didn't come. The creature pressed a portion on her band, and studied the screen of the device in his hand. He muttered something in another language which sounded vaguely like a curse.

The figure's close proximity made it impossible not to look at him, so she naturally stared at the soft down of feathers folded behind his shoulder blades.

"What are you?" she blurted out, curiosity no longer contained.

"What are _you_?" he returned snidely. "You are a much stranger manner of creature than I."

Charlotte couldn't argue the point, but recognized a frustrated note in his otherwise rude tone, and it caused her fear to lessen. "You call me strange, but you're the one who kidnapped me. What do you want?"

He murmured another phrase she couldn't understand. "It is not for you to question, little cretin."

His irritation was undeniable, and it lent her boldness to smile. "It seems something must not be functioning properly. Am I right?"

"I would like to see you move _now_ ," he answered haughtily.

Searing heat momentarily overwhelmed her muscles, but pride was also in play this time. Another grin emerged as the warmth fizzled, and she stood up straight under the glare of her captor. "How's that work for you?"

For a moment, the turtle thought he would strike her, but then he whirled around angrily and stalked from the room. Charlotte was tempted to do some jumping jacks to rub in it further, but satisfied herself by chuckling. _He's getting less scary by the second. Think I've still got a shot._

* * *

 ***You don't know his name yet, but keep an eye on this vagari. He is important.**


	35. Hope

Raphael was relieved for the rapid action taking place, but he was also scared to death, if he was being honest with himself. The idea of leaving so many of their family members behind in Montreal virtually unprotected was almost as frightening as the prospect of bringing everyone with them.

Bahri's assertion that the Vagari wanted all of them left the red-masked turtle even more paranoid than usual, and anxious about letting Belle out of his sight. _But she can't come along either. There's no perfect choice. I know it'd be worse to drag everyone on the road with us, but abandoning 'em doesn't feel much better._

An eruption of gibberish caused him to look up from his perch on the couch to see Isabella "cruising", using the coffee table to help her cross a short distance on chubby legs. Raphael resisted the urge to pick her up, calling out to the baby instead.

"C'mon, Belle. You can do it, baby." He rose from the couch and sank to the rug. "Right here, _Ren_."

Isabella squealed when he reached her level and jumped up and down in excitement. The young turtle tipped backwards and fell on her shell with a soft _thump_. Raphael remained on his knees and beckoned her to get up on her own, since she obviously wasn't hurt.

"You can do it, Belle. Come on."

It took a few seconds for the baby to "right" herself, and she used the chair to help steady her legs once more.

"Good job, kid. Now c'mere."

She automatically started to bounce again, and he clapped his hands to get her attention.

"Focus. Come to daddy."

Belle kept one hand on the furniture for support and slowly shuffled forward a couple of steps at a time to get to him. She shrieked with happiness when his arms closed around her, and Raphael cuddled the little one close to his plastron.

"You're gonna be good for your mama, Ren. I don't wanna hear bad reports about you sneaking out or trying to jump down any steps."

"Give it a couple years, Tortuga. I don't recall Liv attempting to jump her first flight of stairs until she was about three years old," Karina volunteered wistfully.

Raphael turned to greet his wife with a scowl, clapping both hands over the sides of Isabella's head. "Don't tell her Liv did it, Kari. I ain't gonna be gone that long anyhow."

The Latina was visibly nervous. It was evidenced in the way she repeatedly tucked and untucked the same strand of hair behind her ear. "I don't want you to, but...we're settling in for the long haul, Raph. I'll be satisfied if you promise you _are_ coming back."

"Far as it depends on me, Chica, I'll be here. But I can't control everything."

Karina lowered to the floor beside him, and the red-masked turtle ran his fingers through the soft tresses of her new angular hair cut.

"You gotta promise _me_ you'll stay under as much as possible," he told her. "I know it'll be hard, but...these aliens are no joke. I could see 'em going after you just to get to us. And they wanna get their claws on Belle as much as everyone else."

Karina clung to his side. "Of course it'll be hard, but we know better now. We're aware of what we're up against. Everything we need is accessible through the Underground City. If they want to come to get us, they'll have to reveal themselves to a lot of people."

"I still wouldn't put it past 'em, Kari." His free arm encircled her waist while the other remained wrapped around Isabella. "I wish all of you could go somewhere else."

She shook her heard. "We've been over this extensively. It's not what the majority decided."

"Then I wish I could send the two of _you_ away," he said stubbornly.

"Because we'd be so much safer alone?"

"No, you're not safe! Nobody is!" His voice rose with the statement. "I wanna know what the shell we're supposed to do with everyone."

Karina took a deep breath. "Tortuga, you have to focus on what _you're_ doing. Our people are pretty smart. You can't be in two places at once, so let us take care of each other, and you work on the hard part."

He closed his arm around her tighter. "No one knows what's gonna happen. I can't promise you anything, even though I want to."

The woman brushed a hand over Isabella's head, then leaned against his shoulder. "I know. It's not fair to ask you for promises, and I don't actually need to. Because I'm sure you'll do everything in your power to get back to us, regardless."

Raphael couldn't look at his wife, so he fixed a bleak gaze on Isabella instead. "Make sure she understands if I don't, Kari. Belle's gotta know how much I love her."

"I wouldn't let her think anything else, Raph."

"I don't wanna leave you, Kari. I always say that, but then I go away every time."

"I still like to hear it."

"You want me to feel this horrible?"

"No. But it makes _me_ feel loved."

"That'll never change, Kari. Not if I live to be a 100."

The woman smirked. "I'll probably outlive you at this rate."

"Good. One of us has to take care of the kid. Can you make sure she knows how to defend herself too?"

"My specialty lies with choreography, Raph."

"Guess you'll have to study then."

"Nope. It means you have to get your shell home so she can learn from the masters."

He gathered both of them in as tightly as possible. "I'll do my best, Kari. On my honor."

* * *

Nate felt like he'd been staring at the ceiling for hours. He was thoroughly sick of looking at the cracked, water-stained areas that he already knew much better than he wished. He was supposed to be getting some rest, but there wasn't much point in sleeping. _I'm not doing any of the flying or driving. I've got nothing to do over the next twenty-four hours except sit tight and wait._

The light squeeze of fingers around his wrist caused him to turn his head to face the young woman wedged onto the twin bed beside him. Reina had been so quiet he would have forgotten about her, if her mere presence didn't speak louder than words.

Reina frowned. "I knew I'd keep you up. I shouldn't be here."

He shook his head vigorously. "Don't leave. I don't need rest." _I need_ you _, even though it's hard to say it. Why is it so hard to admit?_

"Okay," she agreed easily. "I don't want to go anyway."

Nate rolled on his side to converse better. "I hope you have a chance to work some magic while we're gone."

"I know, right? I have to entertain myself somehow." Reina glanced up at the sad ceiling overhead. "I'm seeing a combination of an early morning sky, transitioning into a sunrise. I'll start sketching it out tomorrow, and research colors online. I won't throw in too much pink, but every worthwhile sunrise has some."

The turtle grinned. "It won't bother me." The smiled faded to sadness after a beat. "I miss seeing the sunrise. It was always my favorite part of the day. It's funny too, because the others were always excited for the sun to go _down_ , and the opportunity to get out of Yousai. Here I am, the weird one who's excited about it coming back up."

"It's not weird," she insisted. "Sunrise means you made it home safe, and you get to start over. It's the hope for everything that hasn't happened yet. I can't see the sun from here either, but I'll think of you while I'm painting it. I'll probably spend a lot of time in the boys' room while you're gone."

Nate swallowed. It was impossible to take more than one step at a time, but he couldn't stop thinking about where they would eventually end up if their current mission was successful. _If our dads let us go, that is. Brother. It's crazy to imagine any of this._

"That won't bother you, right?" Reina nudged his shoulder. "Your girlfriend getting comfortable here? I'll still leave the door open out of habit."

Against all odds, he chuckled. Their parents had never explicitly told them to leave the bedroom door cracked when visiting one another, but out of respect they always did.

"I don't know. You could probably get away with it, unless you're bringing some other dude down," he teased.

The young woman slapped his arm. "Stop it!"

"I'm kidding," he protested. "I mean, I don't expect you to find the right guy underground. You could try mail order, like those brides from Russia? They must have a male version."

She glared at him. "Seriously, stop. You don't hear me encouraging you to pick up another girl on your cross-country adventure."

"I don't mean it."

"It's hard to tell."

"But if...you know...we don't...um..." Nathaniel struggled with how to phrase what he needed to say. "The sun's going to rise again, whether I'm here or not," he said finally.

Her arms encircled his neck. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Nate."

"I'm not trying to, but you can't blame me for thinking about it. If we don't come back-"

"You shouldn't say anything like that. Not right now."

"But if I don't-"

" _Nate!_ "

"Would you let me finish?" He rested both arms at her waist. "There are things I struggle to say. You have to give me a chance to get them out."

She nodded for him to continue.

"It shouldn't be this hard. I wish it wasn't. But I need you to know that I love you. If I could do something to keep you from being hurt, I wouldn't hesitate. I _want_ the opportunity to be with you, t-to carry on our family together. But I'm afraid I won't get the chance."

Reina sniffed, and then her mouth covered his. Nate relished her warmth so much, he paid no attention to how long it lasted. But when he heard her gasp, he immediately opened his eyes.

"Reina?" He was further startled by her sudden sob and the tears that followed. Her heartbreaking response made him feel guilty for mentioning his doubt. "I'm sorry."

The intensity of her emotion caused her to dig fingernails into his arm a little too hard, but he didn't complain.

"I'm thinking it too, Nate. Everything has been on the verge of crumbling for days. I'm waiting for it to come crashing down."

Nathaniel held her for a long moment, searching for some courage within himself. "It hasn't happened," he said at last. "Tomorrow, the sun's going to come up. And the day after that. That's where hope lies for now – one morning at a time."

She sat up slightly on her side. "I need a pause button. I'm not ready to let you go."

He sighed softly. "I don't know how our moms and dads have done it so many times. You'll have to ask them, Rein."

"Or you could come up with some excuse for bringing an artist along. Both of my parents are going anyway. I could sort of serve as medical support. I know enough first aid to fake it."

Nate nodded sadly. "Yeah...but nothing's up to me. Even if it comes to going to Zuhur...the chance of our dads letting _us_ go is slim."

"Of course I don't want you to, but...Charlotte and Tim are your cousins. Your family. It doesn't seem fair."

He shrugged helplessly. "I've talked to our Jonin about it, sort of. Not _this_ situation, but before it happened. Told him he didn't trust us. Not that I blame him."

"Nathaniel Yoshio!" Reina's tone was stern. "You have to stop trying to bear the guilt for everything."

"It's not that simple, Reina. Not when I have to look our allies in the eyes, and face their parents every day. They may not blame me – but I still feel responsible."

Her gaze was so agonized, he wished he could magically eliminate every ounce of guilt. Instead of telling him off again, she nestled against his shoulder, and he smoothed a hand over her face. The action seemed to both soothe her and some of his own frazzled nerves, so he continued to cup her cheek.

When Reina _did_ stir, it was only to lift her chin closer to his, and he followed the cue to kiss her again. Nate was on the verge of losing himself and every self conscious tendency which remained, when a knock at the door forced his eyes open. He grimaced, and awkwardly untangled from his girlfriend.

"Yeah?" he called in return.

His dad poked his head in the room apologetically. "Hey, Nate. We're...uh...we're almost done packing up. Your mom wants to see ya."

Reina rose much smoother than he had. "I'll walk you up."

Nate felt a surge of disappointment in being interrupted, but there was nothing he could do about it. _Stay or go...it's not easy, no matter what role you're forced to play._

* * *

"Calley?" Leonardo knocked on the bathroom door for the third time, since she hadn't answered previous attempts.

The door inched open to reveal a hand motioning him inside. When he went in, the blue-masked turtle was slightly alarmed by his wife's pallor. "Are you all right?"

The woman rubbed her arms as if she was cold. "Sorry. I was...I got sick."

Leo winced, and wished he had more than a few fleeting minutes to be with her. All he wanted was to provide Calley with some solid reassurance, but it didn't seem possible.

She looked at her watch, seemingly reading his mind. "You're pulling out soon, aren't you?"

"Yeah. We need to get to the airport while it's still dark." The statement felt like an apology as it left his mouth.

Calley nodded. "I'm sorry I haven't been much help."

"You have nothing to apologize for."

"Neither do you," she said pointedly.

The turtle reached for her hand, and she gripped his fingers hard in return. Leonardo instinctively knew she was fighting back tears. He'd wanted to avoid getting emotional, but now that it came to leaving, he struggled to contain it too. The loss of his son was only part of the equation. The task looming over his head of dealing with another alien race which seemed deadlier than the last was so daunting, he couldn't bring himself to assure Calley it would be all right.

 _No matter how much she'd like to hear it, I just can't. I'm not sure if the odds have ever been stacked against us worse. When we were on Zuhur, we had help from the Nalikjan, the Ruairi...and the dramatic intervention of El on more than one occasion. But this time, there's no telling who's left to help us. And regardless of how many of them are left, Earth is still probably screwed._

"Calley, I'm going to try," he managed to say. "I don't know what else to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

"But I feel like I need to. I don't want to leave you like this, without any hope."

She gazed up at him through tears. "Hope isn't gone. Not yet."

"No, but..." He had to shut his mouth to keep from disagreeing. _What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to be helping, not making her feel worse._

The woman placed both hands on his shoulders and stared at him earnestly. "Leo, I know you need to plan ahead, but it will overwhelm you this time. Focus on getting from point A to point B...and then whatever step comes after that."

"They're so far ahead of us, I don't know if we can catch up," he blurted out, confessing his greatest fear. "I'm afraid it's already too late."

Calley hesitated for a long moment. "Time always seems to be running out, doesn't it? How many people wouldn't be willing to trade more money, for getting additional hours allotted in a day?"

Leo shook his head. The question felt rhetorical.

"I think there's a good reason we're only allowed twenty-four hours," she went on.

"I could handle having a few more," he grumbled.

"You try to do too much as it is. The built in limitations are necessary. It's impossible to take more than one day at a time, Leo."

"I'm trying to focus-"

Her finger pressed to his mouth and stopped what he'd been about to say.

"'So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own*,'" she quoted.

"I'm not sure I can control it."

"No one said it was easy. But you need to remember that everything you went through on Zuhur, it had a purpose. What you're facing this time might feel different, but _God_ isn't. "

Leonardo paused for a couple of deep breaths. "It's too much. How is _anyone_ supposed to carry this? Even if we leave our family out of it, we still have to face an impending threat to our planet, that we can't do anything about."

"Did you defeat the Overlords, Leo?"

"It's not the same thin-"

"Did you?" she pressed.

"No. We didn't. If it was up to us, we would have been massacred."

Her hands steadied his shoulders again. "It seems like there's no reason for hope. But you and your brother were there last time. You saw the miracles firsthand. So you've got to dig up those memories, and hold on. Just hold on." She couldn't quite control her voice as she continued.

"I don't know why this is happening. I don't know how any of us will get out of it in one piece. But I have to believe that the same power you experienced almost twenty years ago, the same power that reunited you with old friends...that power has not diminished. It's active. It's moving. It exists – therefore, we have hope. Find it, Leo. Find it, and don't let go. It's not up to you to win. It's your job not to give up."

* * *

 ***Matthew 6:34**


	36. Anxious

Although Bahri was experienced in several different forms of fear, the variety had expanded further in the last month. While he felt a certain sense of security in being among friends he trusted implicitly, the extraordinary stress of having been locked into a narrow compartment and not knowing what was taking place on the other side was truly testing his nerves.

He'd specifically requested to be "hidden" alone, but now the elohim regretted it. _It cannot be much longer. Someone will let me out. They will not abandon me here. El, please..._ Bahri cut off the thought before it could go anywhere. _There is little point in speaking with Him. He has not cared to listen for weeks as it is._

Truthfully, he wasn't only nervous about the process of being spirited into the United States, but of what would happen when someone _did_ let him out. Bahri had readily agreed to do everything he could to help the others, but the elohim was anxious about meeting their government friend, and the phone call they were going to plant.

 _It seems one of them could probably_ pretend _to be me. This doctor would not be able to see who was speaking. However, it will be tricky enough for_ me _to imitate the Vagari's speech patterns and arrogance, even with the experience I have...endured._ Bahri sighed deeply. _It does have to be me. I just wish that it did not._

Footsteps made his blood run cold, and his chest tightened so that he could barely breathe. _Please let it be one of the terrapins. Let this nightmare almost be over. So it can begin all over again,_ he added ruefully.

A light knock sounded on the chamber door. Air escaped from his tight lungs when Donatello peered down, then offered him a hand. Although Bahri felt better for receiving the secret blood transfusion, he still needed his friend's assistance to climb out.

The terrapin left a supportive arm around his back. "Are you all right?"

"It seemed to take longer than I thought it would."

"Anticipation plays tricks on the mind, Bahri. We have an opening: a clear path to a van just a couple yards from the jet."

"And your people are driving?"

"Our friend, Director Kelley. The group will be split up over three vehicles, but we've got to catch our other guy up. We'll be with you every step. You don't have to be afraid of him."

The alien shuddered. "We must move now?"

Donatello nodded. "The sooner, the better. The rest of our...sensitive members are already waiting for us. I saved you for last, because I know you're nervous."

"It is hard not to be, Donatello. Even riding in the same vehicle as your son could prove hazardous for me."

"Jayden won't hurt you," he promised. "He's mad. He's separated from his twin, his cousin...Jay's frustrated, and he's taking it out on you." Donatello glanced over his shoulder. "We really do need to go."

"Okay."

Bahri stumbled forward on unwilling legs. Forcing himself to duck through the open hatch of the Gulfstream was a challenge in itself; taking the first step down the stairs felt like the equivalent of jumping off a cliff.

The surrounding darkness left him a little more secure, though the lack of light coming from nearby lamps was puzzling. Donatello's grip guided him gently, but firmly toward the closest van, and the sense of impending doom returned full force.

He allowed the terrapin to usher him to the passenger side door behind the driver, which inched open upon their approach.

"Want me to go first?" Donatello offered.

Bahri gratefully allowed his friend to put himself between him and whatever waited on the other side. The elohim had to hunch down to fit properly in the seat, but it also made it easier not to focus on anyone. Bending over was the perfect excuse to avoid eye contact.

"We're all in, right?" The stranger peered around the driver's seat, and unintentionally came within inches of Bahri.

The alien jerked backwards, and would have slid to the floor to escape notice if it were possible.

"We're here," Donatello answered. "Will you get us off the air strip?"

Bahri wished he could jump out of the vehicle before it started, but the driver was already putting the car into gear.

"You're not gonna make me wait anymore for answers, are you?" the man demanded gruffly. "Because I gotta tell you, I haven't cared for the last seventy-two hours."

"Neither have we," Leonardo agreed. "But we'll do our best to get you up to speed."

"Is it my understanding that the two individuals who've joined us are not...from around here?"

The vague parameters of the driver's question made no sense to Bahri.

"No, they're not," the blue-masked terrapin affirmed. "They both come from the planet we visited a few years back."

"And now they're visiting us?"

"If that's what you want to call it," Kamryn volunteered sharply.

The elohim's anxiety spiked once more when the stranger turned his head in response, even though the van was in motion.

"If you would please watch where you are going, it would be beneficial to everyone," Bahri suggested.

"Director, do you think you could get us out of here, and _then_ meet everyone properly?" Leonardo sounded patient, but Bahri sensed iritation in his frame.

"All right, but I need to know where we're going."

"Follow Greg," the oldest terrapin directed. "He has a spot picked out a few miles away. We need to make it somewhere remote."

"And I have to be in the dark the whole way? Why couldn't you tell me _anything?_ "

"Because we don't know who's listening, that's why!" Raphael shot back. "What if they bugged your office phone too? Does the fact that we were completely exposed AGAIN mean nothin' to you?"

"Of course it does! This is the reason I didn't want to know where you ended up to start with. But if it was my stupidity that led them to you regardless, I'll probably never forgive myself."

The man's genuine concern made some of the tension leave Bahri's frame. _He is their friend. He cares about what happens to them, as do the rest of their family. If I cannot begin to put some trust in him, I have no reason to be here._

"I told you, it's not your fault," Leonardo insisted. "No one knew they were onto you, though, we probably should have expected it. I promise we'll explain everything, Director. In the meantime, stay on Greg's tail."

* * *

The only thing Bahri could currently make out of their surroundings were gently rolling hills, and large fields that contained some type of crop swaying in the breeze. The night sky was filled with stars he'd studied and graphed from a distance, but never seen with the naked eye. The dazzling sight was so distracting, he nearly forgot about the figure currently staring at him.

"...So, are we looking at an impending invasion?" The Director appeared to have difficulty asking the question.

"It is unlikely the Vagari will 'invade' as you understand it," Bahri replied. "It is an unnecessary process from their point of view, and puts them at too much risk from your atmosphere. They have other tools to do their dirty work, as your people would say."

"How do you _know_ what our people would say?"

"I have studied your culture and history for over a century," the elohim said honestly.

"I can't tell you how uncomfortable that makes me," the man complained.

" _He_ isn't the problem," Leo defended swiftly. "The Vagari are. Let's focus please. Director Kelley, this is Bahri. He was my first friend on Zuhur. His knowledge is indispensable, and his heart is pure."

The elohim ducked his head shyly at the description, but reluctantly accepted the human's beefy hand when it was offered.

"You'll have to forgive my suspicion," Director Kelley told him. "It's my first time meeting a real alien. I mean...there have been plenty of illegal foreigners in the line of duty, but this falls well outside the realm of normal experience."

Bahri managed a small smile while Leonardo tugged his counterpart forward.

"This is Kamryn. She's also a loyal friend who was extremely supportive to Donny while he was imprisoned. She's one of the bravest people I've ever met...and she's got hidden talents that will shock you."

"Hidden talents?" The Director gazed at the woman across from him, until she found the boldness to return his look with a scowl.

"I'm not what you were expecting for an alien?"

"Not exactly. You look so much like one of us."

"If I'd been born on Earth, I _would_ be like you. Instead, I was bred in captivity to human slaves that I never met, and was eventually selected for experimentation based on my unique genome structure."

The man crossed and uncrossed his arms pensively. "That's quite a story."

"It's also the truth. I'm not so 'normal' on the inside. When we get close to the Vagari, you'll see that firsthand."

"One thing at a time, Kamryn," Leonardo urged. "First, we have to set a trap for Lendano to fall in." The terrapin turned around to search out his brother. "Don, how's the signal?"

Donatello was slightly separated from the others with Jazz; a fact which Bahri hadn't noticed until seconds before.

"Cell service is a little low," he returned. "I think we should head for higher ground, and make the call from there."

"What about the satellite?" Leonardo asked. "Will you be able to use it?"

"Getting access isn't the problem, Leo. It's whether or not Lendano is listening, or even leaving a trail I can measure."

The oldest terrapin shrugged. "We'll never know until we try. If you'll get us into position, I'm in favor of beginning immediately."

Bahri's heart rate jumped the moment they climbed back into the car. _It is almost time to perform. I hope I can somehow make it believable. I cannot fail. Not if they are to have any chance._

"Do you know what you're gonna say?"

Bahri swiveled at Nate's question, and then cast Kamryn a quick glance. "We created a type of script for me to follow."

"It wouldn't hurt you to go over it again," she pointed out. "Hearing the last conversation Muhsin had with Ribiero is helpful for accuracy, but you still have to deliver it effectively. "

He found it unnecessary to mention he'd read the paragraphs so many times during the flight, the words were ingrained to memory. Bahri looked down at the sheet anyway, to provide the illusion of studying for Kamryn's sake.

"What language is that?"

Bahri jolted severely, as he'd been unaware of the young red-masked turtle looking over his shoulder. "It is Portuguese. Being from Brazil, I expect the Vagari conversed with Doctor Ribiero in her native tongue to establish their relationship."

"Don't forget to use contractions like the Vagari," Kamryn reminded him.

"Must be fun to memorize a speech in another language," Olivia murmured.

"Portuguese is not challenging," he assured her. "I speak most of Earth's common languages fluently."

"You what?" Director Kelley looked back, this time from the front passenger seat. "How many languages do you speak?"

"I do not usually count them. There are probably around seventy-five tongues in which I am proficient, though Earth possesses thousands more. I am still expanding."

"Seventy-five?" The man didn't seem to believe it. "Does everyone speak that many languages where you come from?"

"No, Director, not in the least. I was genetically engineered for language capacity. You could say I was bred to be a bookworm."

Donatello's head tilted slightly toward Bahri from the driver's seat. "That's what _I_ called you."

"And it is still my favorite title, terrapin."

"But you actually speak all those languages?" the Director repeated.

"Yes, I do."

"You only have to wait and see," Kamryn spoke up. "Or in your case, sit back and be bait."

The man wasn't amused with her comment. "What if they come here? Are we setting ourselves up to be caught by the Vagari?"

Bahri shook his head. "Lingering in your atmosphere draws too much unwanted attention. They are light years from Earth as we speak. They have technology which they use to spy, and they also have human contacts, as you have come to understand. But even if they were already within striking distance, they would have to wait for acclimation of their lungs."

"I don't know what that means," the man said.

"It means you have time to focus on where we are, and not who could be coming after us. We're not going to abandon you, Director," Donatello encouraged him.

The man huffed. "I should hope not – even if I'm just the loud mouth who gave away your new hiding spot."

"You didn't do it on purpose," Nate protested.

"Doesn't matter." Matthew Kelley suddenly sounded very far away.

The purple-masked terrapin's phone ringing made it unnecessary for anyone else to speak. "Hello? Yeah?...That sounds promising. I'll go ahead and pull over. See you in a minute."

Bahri didn't care why they were stopping; it still made his heart skip a few beats. He climbed out of the van more slowly this time. The pronounced pinching pain in his back was compounded by their traveling, and the glare of Donatello's son wasn't helping matters.

The elohim wasn't expecting to find himself so close to an overlook, and was immediately captured by the impressive stone structure across the water from them. "Where are we?"

"Cold Spring, New York...about sixty miles north of Manhattan." Donatello was already beckoning him to come back toward the car. "Come stand here, Bahri. You need to be ready to take the phone from Director Kelley, if I can establish the connection they're using to hack his blue tooth."

The alien nodded.

"I established a back door when I took on a project for NovaPulse a few years ago. It won't take long to get control of the satellite, but ideally, I want a better cushion for time. Lendano can listen, but they won't be able to cut in. Your job is to keep them interested and on the line. Got your script?"

"I know what to say," he answered faintly.

Jayden scowled toward him. "You can't say it like _that."_

Bahri met the young one's accusing gaze with a grimace.

"Jayden, give us some space," Donatello said firmly, and gave Bahri an apologetic look as his son flounced the opposite direction. "You'll be all right. You have to own it, Bahri. You can convince them."

"I will do my best."

The others lingering nearby took their cue to depart as well, until it was down to Bahri and the Director of the FBI Field operatives. The elohim didn't want to face the man alone, but there was little choice now. He was somewhat relieved to read the obvious nerves in the human's body language too, and grateful he didn't try to speak to him. Bahri took the lapse in conversation as an opportunity for a few deep, calming breaths.

When Matthew's phone rang, they _both_ nearly jumped off their seats. The Director awkwardly laughed it off and adjusted his earpiece before answering.

"Hello?...Yeah, I can hear you. I need to know what this is all about, Leonardo! You can't keep me in the dark for...What?"

Bahri didn't know what the terrapin was telling him, but the human played the role of a bewildered and concerned friend well.

"Why didn't you call me?! I could have helped!...Are you sure...No. No, I haven't seen anything from my side, but I thought you'd be safe there! Where did you go _exactly?_ " The man was silent for several seconds.

Bahri was watching the scene so intently, a knock on the window made him hit his head on the ceiling. Michelangelo inched the door open and motioned for quiet.

"Don's tracking something," the orange-masked terrapin hissed. "Go ahead and get the phone."

"Wait a minute!" The way the Director interrupted made Bahri think he was talking to him. "No, I thought I heard something. Don't hang up." The man motioned to Bahri severely, but the alien had no idea what he wanted.

Michelangelo appeared to interpret the signal better, though the way he threw open the car door with startling force made Bahri cringe. When Matthew hurled himself against the opposite side of the car, what they were doing clicked. _It is the sound of a struggle. I am not actually good for_ anything _._

Matthew nudged him insistently, while crying out far enough from his earpiece to make it sound like he was further away. He held out the device, which Bahri accepted with shaking fingers.

 _El, if You even bother to listen, I know You do not condone lying. But surely there can be an exception for such a case as this. If You could help me for_ them _, and not myself...I would be grateful._

With a final deep breath, he snapped the earpiece on, and recalled the script. " _I sincerely hope you are listening, Doctor Ribiero, because your time is almost up. You were told you would have to prove your worthiness once more, and I'm on the way to test you myself. There are many reasons I shouldn't bother with you at all, but you have managed to leave a_ little _valuable insight along the way."_

Bahri paused for effect, and flattened his tone dangerously. " _You'd better be prepared for my arrival, because I won't tolerate any more betrayal from you or your kind. We provided you tools out of our own good will, with the hope of securing a friendship for the ages. But don't think we won't deal with you as severely as you deserve._

 _"Time is running out, woman. For your sake, I hope you're ready. We won't accept any more excuses on your part. You have cost us valuable opportunities, but perhaps...we may yet have some things to do together."_

There was more to the "script", but the door swinging back open caused Bahri to hesitate. A giant thumbs up from Michelangelo made him almost sigh in relief over the phone. Instead, the elohim quickly hung up.

"I hope that Donatello has what he needed."

The orange-masked terrapin grinned. "We've got another field trip to take."


	37. Arrive

Tim remembered a white-hot light which temporarily blinded him, followed by the sensation of falling. _But I shouldn't be able to see anything...right?_ The mask he'd been gifted by his captor was still in place. He proved it to himself by reaching up to touch the smooth texture of the device, and then clawing it off his eyes.

The sight of blinking yellow lights lining the ceiling was surprising, as was the tremendous lurch of the room in which he was imprisoned. Tim had no time to adjust for the motion, and tumbled off the uncomfortable table upon which he'd been lying.

The world tilted as he stared overhead, and the turtle couldn't figure out if it was his head playing tricks on him, or the actual cabin of the space ship was spinning. It didn't seem safe to try moving in either case, but he couldn't just lie on the floor and wait for something to happen.

With a grunt he rolled upright, grateful for the energy to move. He glared at the band covering his forearm, and tested pulling on it again to no avail. The room shook violently, and then pitched so hard that he collided with the wall. _This can't be safe. Doesn't this thing come with seat-belts? Shouldn't someone be checking on me?_

Against his better judgment, Tim tried to rise once more, and staggered a couple of steps before his knees buckled. Even if the band wasn't presently turned on, it was clear he hadn't recovered from whatever they'd been doing to him. _I may not be able to do anything yet, but I can't do_ nothing _._

The contradictory statement matched the confusion racing through his mind. _Something's happening, and it doesn't seem like anyone is coming for me. Are we under attack? Crashing? Going through a meteor shower? How many things can go wrong when you're traveling through space? Only about a billion, I suppose._

He rested on his knees for a moment, cringing when the floor shook beneath him. Tim took a couple of deep breaths to control the rising fear, and tried to _feel_. The cold sensation of being boxed in was the only thing that met him, and it left the teen more concerned than before. _Charlotte is still out there. She must be! And if I'm in trouble, she is too._

Dark eyes flew open in alarm at the sound of an explosion nearby. The turtle crawled forward, until he was within inches of what he _thought_ was the door. All the walls looked the same, and the hatch closed so seamlessly it was hard to tell.

Pressing both hands against the floor for support, he got to his feet and leaned against the hard surface while trying to get his bearings. It felt cold to the touch, which was a little encouraging. _If there was a fire, it'd be hot, right? If this material conducts heat, that is._

When he felt steadier, he pounded on the supposed door with one fist. "Hello? Hello! What's happening out there? Is anyone coming for us? HELLO!" Tim finished much louder than he'd started, on the verge of desperation. There was no reply or action of any kind which he could detect from his side.

The turtle pounded until he felt the skin on his palm split from the contact. " _Come on!_ You can't leave us here! Someone freaking open UP!"

The flashing lights over his head dimmed then went out, sending him into pitch darkness. Tim grappled with the wall, searching along the perimeter to see if there were any cracks to give away the hidden door. _They wouldn't build a room with no way out._

The ground reverberated beneath him, right before the "foundation" rolled and pitched Tim off his feet yet again. But this time when he hit the opposing wall, he was pinned by some invisible power. First he suspected the band on his arm had been activated, before muddied thoughts connected centripetal force as the culprit.

Tim groaned in agony as he struggled to do little more than lift his head a couple of inches, but he wasn't satisfied to die clueless. _If I'm going down, I want to know what's taking me out!_ The morbid thought was the one reason he didn't panic, strangely enough. He braced tensely for something to happen, but he wasn't prepared for a sudden throbbing in his skull, or the nausea which assaulted his stomach.

Between the new physical sensations, it took him another moment to recognize he couldn't take a proper breath. _It's going to end here alone in the dark? That's about the least exciting way to go I can imagine. I mean, I'd rather be blown to bits in a glorious fireball than suffocate while I'm waiting to die..._

Bewildered thoughts melded together with the crushing pressure in his chest. Keeping his eyes open was pointless, since he couldn't see anything. After the drama of the last few minutes, letting go felt like little more than floating away on air.

* * *

It was pain that brought Tim back to himself; a radiating sharp jolt which traveled the entire length of his leg, starting with his hip. _That_ was when he realized he hadn't died, with a small amount of disappointment. _It means I have to get up. If I can._

He opened his eyes, and was startled to find light shining in through shattered ceiling. The teen stared up at the opening for a good minute, contemplating what he had the energy to accomplish.

Tim sat up on his elbows finally, and his stomach rolled with the _rocking_ motion of the floor beneath him. _We crashed? We must have. But then, why are we still moving?_ He fixed on the fissure in the roof and focused to gather his wits. _We're not in space. If we were, we'd be dead from exposure. And I'm not. I don't think._

Cautiously he sat up further, and glanced down at his leg. Tim tentatively raised the injured limb from the floor, gasping at the painful response. _But it doesn't feel broken. More like impaled. I could probably still use it._

The teen didn't want to move at the moment, but his choices were few. When he squinted at the ceiling this time, he followed the damage track to where it continued down the wall. He inched toward the crevice and sensed fresh air filtering in, along with a scent he recognized, but couldn't place. _I know I've smelled it before, but the shell if I can figure it out right now._

Regardless of what the scent was, the air drew him like a magnet to investigate. Biting his lip, the turtle worked his way to his feet, favoring his bad leg. Rising produced both dizziness and more nausea. It took several deep breaths to control the urge to get sick, and then to make it three steps.

He collapsed before reaching the opening, and lay on his plastron panting heavily. The repeated pitching motion of the remnants of his prison further complicated his stomach. Tim had no choice but to stay still, and wait for some of the feeling to subside. Impatience was kindled by his inability to do such a simple task.

Head pulsing and chest heaving, Tim wondered how much time he had left. _I also can't help wondering why I feel so calm about it. Shouldn't dying bother me? Why am I okay with this?_ He was still contemplating the questions when he felt a mist of water, and turned his head toward the cracked structure. _What was that?_

Curiosity renewed, he pulled himself together to drag his frame a few more feet. Tim peered out of the opening, and saw a patch of brilliant blue sky. The comforting vision made him exhale in relief, but it didn't explain what was going on.

Now he also picked up a sound which was reminiscent of the wind, but it seemed...different. Tim squirmed to get through the fissure, maneuvering his body to avoid being cut by sharp edges. The effort wasn't entirely successful, but the small snags weren't enough to stop him.

With some determined wriggling he finished breaking out of his prison and took a deep breath of fresh air, before blinking rapidly in the bright light of his surroundings. The sight of azure water on every side made him stiffen. The small waves washing against the remaining wreckage made sense of everything.

 _So we did crash. But where's everyone else?_ Not that all of them mattered. The only one Tim was concerned about was his cousin. The urge to panic seized the turtle again and he rapidly looked left and right, searching for signs of life.

Ignoring the pain in his leg, he finished scrambling through the remnants of the ship, nearly getting hung up on his shell. Tim clung to the side of wreckage for dear life when it was rocked by a larger wave, and then tried to climb higher. The effort was futile; he felt himself sliding on the wet surface before he'd made it a single foot.

Tim tried to catch hold of the ruptured ship when he slipped, but gravity coupled with general weakness resulted in not being able to grip it. He plunged into the water with a gasp, and immediately began treading to stay afloat. The teen was grateful it wasn't cold, but the salt water still stung his leg like fury, and further frustrated his situation. _I can't be the only one who survived off this thing. Where are the others?_

Tim stayed near floating wreckage for the shield it provided from breaking waves. _I'd even be happy to see one of those freaky aliens at this point, because they would at least pull me out._ He rubbed water from his eyes and grimaced at the new pain emanating from his knee, which seemed associated with trying to swim. _If I could just get back on the ship..._

Tim circled the remnants slowly, searching for something to help him climb out of the ocean, but a full circuit did nothing except make him wearier. _This is ridiculous. I didn't die in the crash, but now I'm going to drown in the ocean? How much luck can a turtle have? Never thought I'd want someone to grab me. If I could see one of those bad guys, I'd flag them down and everything..._

Annoyed by his own inner rambling, Tim shielded his eyes against heat beating down on him, and suddenly realized there wasn't one, but _two_ suns in the sky above him. The larger of the pair was producing a punishing warmth which was beginning to feel uncomfortable, even in the water. Discouragement nearly wrecked him in that moment. _Of course we didn't crash on Earth. Why would we?_

Tired of treading water, the turtle held on to a smaller piece of floating debris to give himself a break. _What am I supposed to do? What would any of our dads do? They probably wouldn't wait around for a bad guy to "rescue" them. I have to stop being such a baby. My leg doesn't hurt_ that _bad._

With a flash of inspiration, he realized the flat panel he was clinging to wasn't much of a life preserver, but it could still come in handy. _Or it would, if I knew where land was._ Allowing the ocean to control his direction was a dangerous gamble. _Who knows if the currents are traveling opposite from dry ground?_ But floating in the remnants of the space ship wasn't doing him any favors either. _If anyone else survived, they're probably searching for land too._

It took several minutes to navigate through the wreckage, and it left the turtle tireder, and nervous. Hunger, thirst and weariness wracked his entire frame. _Let's not forget my leg, which is on fire. I'm a perfect target for anything in this ocean that wants to eat me._ Tim scanned the clear water suspiciously. _Do they have anything like sharks, which could be attracted to blood? I have to stop wondering. It's better not to know._

As he used one hand to guide himself around the last obstacle, the turtle saw a dark object in the distance. An unmistakable land formation. His heart sank at the distance which lay between him and the mountain rising out of the ocean. _It's so far. Maybe further than it seems._

Tim was too busy yearning for the land to discern the wave building behind him, and was swamped by breaking water before he realized it was coming. He didn't fight with the wave, holding his breath until he had the opportunity to surface a few seconds later.

The teen looked around rapidly for the plank he'd been using, and had to kick rapidly to the right to avoid losing his debris. Once he had a hand on it, Tim turned around to keep better track of the waves behind him. He was at more risk since he was in the open now.

Tim cast a longing glance to the land and shook his head. _No telling how long it will take to get there. Why couldn't I be shipwrecked with someone else? Preferably Charlotte._ Fear for his cousin made him automatically hesitate to leave the wreckage behind. _What if she's trapped somewhere, and can't get out?_

Normally he would probably sense something like that, but the dreadful feeling of being "boxed in" persisted, making it impossible to gather information. Tim considered turning back the way he'd come, but the ocean left him no choice in the matter.

When he tried to swim, he found he was caught in a current. Tim was torn between struggling to get out of it, and the idea of abandoning himself to the water entirely. He fought against the natural inclination of the ocean, pounding both arms and legs in the opposite direction it was dragging him without his consent. Despite his struggle, he was forced to gaze upon the retreating images of debris, while the water refused to bow to his wishes.

* * *

An excited murmur from the other end of the lab drew Kumne Muhsin to look up. He winced at the figure of the Vaga greeting a couple of _Banrs,_ who were gushing over Arzhan's arrival. The vagari wasn't technically upset to see his superior, but since some of their actions on Earth had gone against established protocol, the Vaga's appearance made Muhsin nervous.

The manner in which the rest of the technicians in the room flocked toward Arzhan was in stark contrast to the way the Kumne desired to suddenly hide. Muhsin glanced at the monitors the blue-masked terrapin was hooked up to, finding it easier to focus on the young one's vitals than the probability of a reprimand.

" _Kumne-Muhsin_."

At Arzhan's voice, the vagari slowly turned to face him. " _Esteemed Vaga."_

His leader's gaze was shrewd, though not yet accusing. " _I expected you would call upon landing."_

 _"I was going to, Vaga. I merely hoped to gain some certainty first."_

 _"There are reasons I requested such tools not be implemented, Muhsin."_ Arzhan's tone possessed a scolding quality, but not the wrath the Kumne feared. " _How_ do _the terrapins fare? I trust they haven't been asleep this entire time."_

 _"No, Vaga. We only triggered sedation a couple hours ago, in preparation for these tests."_

Arzhan looked past him to the screen displaying the oceanic vision in which the terrapin was engaged. " _We are seeing exactly what he is currently?"_

 _"The terrapin dreams very deeply in this condition."_

 _"But he was drugged before coming to the planet."_

 _"Yes, Vaga."_

 _"How is it, then, that this visitor dreams of such accurate landscape?"_

Muhsin opened and shut his mouth with instant confusion. _"I...have no idea, Vaga Arzhan._

His superior stared down at the terrapin. " _This one doesn't possess the gene, correct?"_

 _"He doesn't, Vaga. It is the other, the female, who harbors what we need."_ Muhsin was puzzled by the way Arzhan gazed at the blue-masked captive for a few more seconds.

 _"There will not be very much time for testing, Kumne. I've decided we need to move from Suilara."_

 _"Move? Why do you want to leave the planet, Vaga?"_

 _"The atmosphere of Zuhur has been weighing on me. It's not how I expected to find things there."_

 _"But Zuhur has nothing to offer us...does it?"_

Arzhan chuckled softly. _"I choose not to ignore where Nature directs, Muhsin. Strange things have happened on that world, and I mean to see the state of our remaining brothers."_

 _"It doesn't seem worth your time to make the trip to Zuhur. I don't mind returning in your stead."_

 _"Kumne, would you seek to discourage me from performing my rightful function?"_

 _"Not at all, Vaga,"_ he returned meekly. _"I'm only confused because you mentioned no desire to go."_

 _"Things changed, Muhsin, and I'm flowing along with it. Preparations are still being made, so we will have a couple days to observe the terrapins before returning to space."_

 _"Don't you want to see the other, Vaga? She's one of the reasons you sent us in the first place."_

 _"I'll be eager to meet her when she isn't sedated, Kumne. For the present, I'm satisfied to wait. It's more vital for Crael-Pachal to spend time with her at this point, so he can begin constructing his genome map."_

Muhsin was shocked by Arzhan's indifference, but chose not to address it. _"What of the reserves, Vaga?"_

 _"I hardly think we need to overwhelm Zuhur yet. We may require them later, but my goal isn't to present myself as a domineering ruler. I want the Elohim to have the opportunity to see us for who we are; especially since their own history is...lacking."_

Muhsin shook his head upon reflection of the ridiculous vacuum of knowledge on the Elohim's part. _How that much information could be lost in a span of a few centuries is beyond me. I don't know why the Vaga has any curiosity over those idiots, but my life is to serve him, not to question._

He glanced back at Arzhan to find the Vaga looking over his shoulder at the blue-masked terrapin once more. _I also don't understand his apparent fascination with that runt, but I'm certain the novelty will wear off soon._

* * *

 ***First of all, please allow me to apologize for lying to you for 3/4 of this chapter. Story might have been more interesting if I had followed that angle, but it probably would have taken a lot longer too.**

 **Second...this chapter is a perfect example of why I wait to post until I am at least 95% done. My original introduction to the Vaga looked very different. Even as I presented him as an overbearing, frightening, ruthless individual, it felt...off. It was like he was internally telling me...You're wrong. This isn't me. Now get it right. That's not to say he isn't any of those things, however...His character and motivation took me months to nail down. He is unique, I will give him that. And not in a good way.**


	38. Road Trip

"...Y'know, if we just got a mini-bus, we wouldn't have to travel in a convoy," Jake pointed out.

Olivia covered amber eyes with her hands. "That's the kinda statement that will get you sent home, Jake."

"What for?" The curly-haired young man grinned at her, as if they were on the road trip of a lifetime.

"Do I need to remind you every time we're being serious?"

"It might help me catch the difference."

The red-masked turtle slapped the side of his head lightly. "Do you really think it's funny?"

Jake's face _did_ fall slightly. "I know it's not."

"Then why do you act like you don't?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I guess if I walk around moping, it's like admitting how bad everything is."

"Is that what you're accusing me of?!"

"No!" he protested swiftly. "I was only saying...Geez, Olivia. I didn't put anyone down. I was telling you how I feel. Apparently I'm not allowed to be corny _or_ sad. I'll try to find another emotion to suit you."

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Jake. I know I'm uptight, but this whole thing has me messed up."

The young man softened quickly. "I'd like to help, Liv, but you're not letting me."

"No offense, Jake, but there's not much you or anyone else can do. I love that you want to, and I'm really glad you're here. But you can't change what happened."

"No one can," he agreed. "At the same time, torturing yourself over the things you can't control, it won't bring them back either. If you talked about it, you might feel different. You won't know unless you try."

"Talk about what? Should I say I can't shut my eyes without seeing those beasts closing in on us? That my little cousins are haunting me around every corner? Or I wish I hadn't escaped, because at least I'd be wherever they are? Is that what you wanna talk about?"

"Olivia..."

She resisted the lanky arms which encircled her. "See? It doesn't help. Can we go back to the rest of the group? They have to be almost done nailing down details."

Jake's fingers softly traced the braided ends of her bandanna. "We can head over."

Since he relented so easily, Olivia didn't fight the arm that linked through hers, though she might have pushed the contact off otherwise. When she felt his steady gaze, however, Liv got irritated again.

"You're not gonna keep trying to cheer me up, are you?"

"Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"Jake, let it go, please?"

"I will if you do."

"What are you _talking_ about?"

He gave her one of his infuriating grins.

 _"Don't you give up, nah, nah, nah,_

 _I won't give up, nah, nah, nah,_

 _Let me love you._

 _Let me love you." *****_

Olivia gritted her teeth with a scowl. "Haven't I warned you about Justin Bieber? You're so full of yourself. Do you actually think your voice can fix everything?"

His only response was to squeeze her arm tighter and repeat the same horribly infectious chorus.

Liv struck his shoulder hard. "You're ticking me off, and it feels like you're doing it on purpose. It's not too late for _me_ to send you home."

"Then who would you beat up?"

"I still have a couple cousins for that." Olivia cringed. She couldn't mention that Charlotte and Tim were the ones she _never_ raised a hand to, except in sparring.

Jake instantly pulled her closer. "You're gonna see them again."

"You don't know that. No one does."

"We're on our way to the bad guy's lair. It's a step in the right direction. "

"No, _we_ are going to the bad guy's lair, and you're staying outside with our allies."

"Hey, I didn't screw up too badly at Ravensrock, and you weren't with me to supervise the whole time."

"You're not setting one foot inside. But regardless, they're only the human dingbats being used, not the alien warlords behind it all."

"Did you ever think you'd be saying stuff like that in an ordinary conversation?"

Olivia glared back at him. "Can we be serious for longer than three minutes?"

"I could, if you let me love you." He had the nerve to sing the chorus again.

"You are so annoying."

"I could get way worse if I have to."

"Then _love_ me and get it over with!"

Jake nodded toward the family, who was now only a few yards away. "In front of your dad?"

"Why not? He sort of likes you."

"Doesn't mean he wants to see it."

"Then what have you been going on about, punk?" Olivia was so exasperated, she nearly shouted the words.

"I'm wearing you down."

She willingly accepted his embrace that time, resting her head against his shoulder for a long, silent moment. Meanwhile, the red-masked turtle still felt utterly empty. After waiting a few awkward seconds, Liv slowly pulled away.

"I don't feel better," she said apologetically.

"Well, yeah, but a lot of medications don't do the trick on their first dose either. That's why you gotta take a whole round."

Olivia had to smile at his persistence, and almost reached for him again.

Jake pointed over her shoulder instead. "We're being summoned."

She grasped his fingers while they hurried to close the distance separating them from the others, and met her father with a bleak look. "Sorry," the youth mumbled.

Raphael shook his head. "It's okay, Kouen. We just gotta go."

Jake raised his hand. "Can I ride with Liv this time? We've got a ways to go, right?"

"Yeah - a few hours. You guys do what you want, but remember they'll be other people in the car," he ended with a light threat, and ambled around the back of the first van.

Liv snickered softly. "He still loves you."

"Who can resist me?"

The twenty-year-old rolled her eyes. "I can't explain what's wrong with me."

"Why does something have to be wrong with you?"

"The corny humor? The sappy love songs? I don't melt for boy bands or chick flicks, so why am I wrapped up over you?"

He smirked in return. "It's a gift."

"A gift that could get you throttled."

"I don't see you complaining much."

"You irritate me literally all the time!"

"And yet, you're the one who fought to bring me along on this trip. Why not leave me at home?"

Olivia had a feeling the only reason Jake had been allowed to come with them was group sympathy on her part. She didn't want the attention, but was willing to prey on it for that purpose. "Annoyance is a distraction from my mistakes."

"You didn't make mistakes!" he insisted.

She broke eye contact to end the argument before it started. "Let's hurry and choose a spot, okay? I like the back of the van."

"Me too. Especially if your dad's driving."

Greg passed them at that moment, twirling a set of keys. "No one with mutant DNA is driving us to Pennsylvania. I don't see why we're taking cars when we have the freaking jet."

"You can't be that thick, Heffernan," Kelley scoffed. "We'll need vehicles when we get there anyway. Why would we bother flying such a short distance?"

"Because it's faster," Greg emphasized.

"And it also requires your boys to behave like stowaways," Matthew countered.

"It's exciting. They like it," Greg defended weakly, eyeing Olivia.

"Oh yeah, exciting," she remarked dryly. "Especially when you're trying to prevent your baby sister from giving everyone away." Olivia felt a sense of longing for the little turtle the instant she mentioned Belle.

"You don't get to comment on the jet, because you've never flown with us," Greg told Kelley.

The Director's eyebrows rose. "When was I invited?"

"You could have come any time you wanted. You're the one who has to keep stuff separated," Greg shot back. "Where does your wife think you are currently?"

"I don't give her excuses any more. I just tell her I'm going, and never volunteer details. She knows not to ask."

Jake nudged Olivia's side. "I'll never let you get away with that, so we're clear."

Liv's hands went to her hips. "Can't travel without you now?"

"Nah, you can travel. But I have to know where you are at all times, so I can come to the rescue when you get in trouble."

Olivia laughed without meaning to. "Absolutely. You're the first one I'd call."

"You think I wouldn't come?"

"I'm positive you would, but then I'd have to rescue _both_ of us from the bad guys."

"No reason to split hairs, as long as we make it home safe."

"No one will make it home period if we don't leave," Greg spoke up. "Are you riding with us?"

"Who else is driving?" Liv asked.

"They figured Luke would keep up the be-"

"You," Olivia interrupted, and snagged Jake's arm. "Hurry, before the seats are gone!"

* * *

Jayden woke to the sound of an argument in the front of the van.

"I told you we needed US-30 East!"

"You _told_ me as we were passing the exit. Was I supposed to fly over the cars in the right lane?"

Kelley cursed. "I mentioned it was coming up ten miles ago!"

"Which was extremely helpful, as we were passing the exit," Greg replied heatedly. "I'm about to just pop a u-turn in the middle."

Jayden was briefly tempted to dare the man to do it, but his face clouded over when he saw the elohim stirring on the seat in front of him.

"Bahri?" Kamryn patted the alien's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"I am stiff," he said wearily.

"You've got more room to stretch out your legs. Why not take advantage of it?"

Jayden huffed his annoyance and raised his voice. "Where are we exactly?"

Matthew turned to face them. "A few miles outside Lancaster. Heffernan is determined to commit as many crimes in the process of this trip as possible. And the others are stuck following his lead."

"A u-turn is hardly a felony." Greg pulled into the narrow gap in the divider separating the sides of the highway. "Kids, don't try this at home."

"Whether it's a 'serious' infraction or not, you're the one putting your friends at risk if you get pulled over."

"I've never been pulled over in my life, and I won't start today."

Matthew shrugged. "I'm just saying..."

"Maybe there's a good reason we've never taken a road trip in the same vehicle, " Greg ribbed.

"I don't recall asking to go on this one," Kelley grumbled.

Jayden had grown bored of the men fighting like school children. He adjusted his pillow into a ball to provide better support, but the move was fairly worthless since the turtle was now wide awake.

"Are you ready?"

Jayden opened his eyes at the question, but Nate wasn't talking to him. He glanced at the orange-masked turtle sharing his seat out of the corner of his eye.

"I am not sure if I am 'ready', as you say, but I will do the best I can," Bahri answered uncertainly.

 _And this is the hope we're pinning our family's and Earth's future on. Fantastic. He sounds like he's already been defeated. I don't know what our dads are thinking, believing this is the best route to go._ Jayden eyed the elohim warily, and a scowl automatically emerged.

Something flicked his shoulder, and the purple-masked turtle glanced back at Olivia. "What?"

She leaned over the seat so he could hear her whisper. "If you're gonna look at anyone like that, it ought to be me. I'm the one who lost them."

Jayden's dark eyes narrowed, though he wasn't angry with his cousin. "He's one of _them_ , Liv," he returned softly.

"He's also our dads' friend, and has done nothing except try to help us."

Jayden snorted. "'Try' is the key word."

"Jay." Nate's whisper was sharp. "No one blames you for being mad, but you shouldn't hold it against him. Bahri's not at fault."

Jayden crossed his arms and then returned to mashing his pillow against the window. He felt fingers brush his shoulder, and tried to ignore them. When the pressure persisted along with the feeling of someone breathing down his neck, he jerked away.

"Leave me alone," he proclaimed, partially muffled by his pillow.

"Jayden, we're not trying to gang up on you." Nate sounded genuinely apologetic, but the sixteen-year-old couldn't stand the invasion of his personal space.

"I said, leave me ALONE."

"Okay...sorry."

Jayden felt a little bad for snapping at his cousin and awkward for the outburst, but if he didn't acknowledge the embarrassment, it might not continue to bother him. However, the silence that persisted in the car for the next couple of minutes only added to the heat slowly rising in his cheeks.

"So, I'm impressed with the way you've handled Luke so far," Jake announced casually from the back seat. "I thought he'd be racing for the front spot out of the three vans."

Greg glanced back in the rear view mirror. "His wife being in the car helps. Marcus also threatened to box him in if he starts getting a lead foot."

Olivia chuckled. "Isn't Marc the one who actually got the Battleshell pulled over?"

Matthew twisted around. "Not seriously."

"Oh, it happened," Nate confirmed. "Back when they were chasing down Doc."

"Was that during the Morello incident?" Kelley whistled. "And yet, Luke's the one with a bad wrap for driving?"

"These signs proclaiming the speed, they aren't suggestions?" Kamryn seemed perplexed.

"No, definitely not a suggestion," Kelley told her.

"But if so many people disobey the sign, why do they bother?"

"Not everyone speeds," Greg answered.

"But you have been averaging over 80 miles per hour for the last three," Bahri noted.

"That's called keeping up with the flow of traffic. As long as you're traveling with a pack of cars going around the same speed, you're good to go."

"I was not aware it worked that way." Bahri sounded so serious, Jayden almost laughed, to his own chagrin.

"It doesn't," Kelley inserted. "And cops will still get you."

"But if they want to control their speed, why can cars go that fast to begin with?" Kamryn went on.

"It probably has to do with the general efficiency of the vehicle," Bahri said thoughtfully. "You must understand, the Earthlings deal with different moving parts than we employ, Kamryn. When a car approaches its top speed, the stress on the inner workings is most pronounced. Which would explain why it is designed to go much faster than most vehicles ever will."

Jayden rolled his eyes, even though the alien was technically correct.

"And it makes for more exciting car chases. Am I right?" Jake laughed.

"Yeah, that's how I'd describe it," Nate replied flatly.

Jayden glanced cautiously over at his orange-masked cousin, and straightened up on the seat. "It's better than missing everything."

Nate met his gaze questioningly. "If I know anything about this family, it's that there's always more 'excitement' right around the corner."

Jayden nodded pointedly, hoping it would suffice for an apology. "How much longer?" he directed up front.

"If Greg doesn't miss any more exits-"

"Maybe thirty minutes," Greg interrupted Kelley. "They aren't located in central Lancaster. We have to get to the outskirts, and figure out where to go from there."

"Where _do_ we go from here?" Olivia asked. "Is there an actual plan, or is everything being improvised?"

Kamryn exchanged a look with Bahri, and the elohim answered hesitantly.

"It is my understanding that ventures of this nature are difficult to plan. We cannot account for the reception we will receive from these people. It is part of the reason I am nervous. I have been on missions in the past, but never in the position of manipulating someone to this extent."

Jayden hung over Bahri's seat slightly. "You've never lied before?"

"We arranged many covert operations in our time with the Overlords, but there was also more support," the elohim fumbled.

The purple-masked turtle shook his head. "You can't go in like this, dude. You're acting like you already blew it."

"I am unsure, and out of my element."

"We're _all_ dealing with stuff we didn't expect," Jayden returned. "But if you don't think you have a shot of pulling this off, you shouldn't be doing it." He felt a death glare from Olivia's direction, but the alien was quick to concede.

"You are right, terrapin. I have been very negative."

"It's okay to be nervous," Nate said. "We all experience that, even our dads. But you gotta find some way to hide it from the bad guys, or...it could go south pretty quickly."

"Why would we go south?" Kamryn questioned. "Is that another term for running?"

Kelley turned around again. "No. It means things could go very wrong. That's why you have to find some way to demonstrate authority, Bahri."

Peering at the soft-spoken alien in front of him, Jayden still had serious doubts. _But if our dads say he can pull it off, who am I to judge? I hope they're right about him, that's all I'm saying._

* * *

 ** _*_ "Let Me Love You" was written by DJ Snake and features Justin Bieber. I know I've complained a lot about Justin Bieber through the years, but I have a new respect for him. The mainstream media hasn't addressed it much, but he has changed quite a bit in the last year. Never judge people. You don't know what they're actually capable of.**


	39. Dig Deep

***I don't know if you're ready for this, but here we go anyway.**

* * *

As nervous as Kamryn felt for what was coming, waiting for nightfall was an exercise in pure torture. The team had been poised on the overlook roughly two miles from their goal since late that morning, which meant they'd spent the majority of the day doing nothing but sitting.

She gazed at the imposing brick property in the distance, and couldn't help wondering what lay inside it, or the metal structure behind. _From what the turtles described, there could be almost anything._

Now that the sun was setting, their time was finally drawing close. A quick glance at Bahri confirmed the alien wasn't feeling any better about things. He was nodding at something Brandon was telling him, but his discomfort was still too obvious for Kamryn's nerves.

She looked back to the countryside laid out before them, and was drawn to an odd dust cloud in the west. It was too far away to pick up the source with a normal vision, but for her, it only required squinting. After a couple seconds she made out the shapes of several dark vehicles, all of which appeared similar in design.

 _That's odd. They must be traveling together._ As the cars were heading the opposite direction of the property they were going to invade, it didn't seem relevant. Kamryn turned from the overlook to join Bahri, who was currently accompanied by both Brandon and Jazz.

"How's the view?" Jazz asked her.

Kamryn smiled at the woman, and couldn't help marveling over the vast difference in her appearance again. _Had she not spoken when we first arrived at their home, I probably wouldn't have known her. But I will say that the look seems to suit Jazz._ The woman's colorful style was a dramatic departure from what the Overlords had stripped her down to upon abduction.

"It's not bad, but I'm ready to go," Kamryn answered, and tentatively reached for Bahri's shoulder. "Perhaps we should run through things one more time?"

"I understand my part," he said stiffly. "You will do a lot of the talking."

She nodded. "But it's up to you to appear intimidating."

He grimaced. "I will make it work somehow."

"Will this lady take you seriously?" Jazz ventured tightly. "I mean, no offense...it's just...This is crazy dangerous."

"We're aware of that," Kamryn assured her. "There is a plan. It may seem too risky from your perspective, but we have reason to believe it will work. We aren't going to fail. There's too much at stake."

"You guys are the ones who know the Vagari," Brandon allowed. "But I wish you weren't going in alone."

"They're not going alone," Leo corrected, inserting himself into their circle. "We'll be right behind them, which is why we have to get security measures shut down as soon as possible. I have something for you from Don, Kamryn." He held out a small band toward her, and she noted an electronic display upon closer inspection.

"It's not just a watch," he went on. "When you hit this button, it will send us a signal. Don is poised to knock out their frequencies, but he won't do it until you tap the button twice. If they know _we're_ the ones messing with them, Lendano could unleash God know's what robotic monstrosities. The fear of whatever the Vagari would do in retaliation for harming the two of you should prevent them from getting violent, but..."

"We are prepared for the danger," Bahri said softly.

Jazz eyed Leonardo, then nodded at Brandon. "Let's go see what Don's up to."

"Okay, but he probably doesn't need any help from m-"

A jab from the woman's elbow to her husband's ribs cut him off, and she snagged his wrist to lead him away.

Leonardo took a deep breath. "We appreciate everything you guys are doing. This wasn't entirely your idea, and neither of you have to do it."

Kamryn folded her arms. "We're not backing out. I do not fear this woman, Leonardo. I have faced far worse."

" _I_ am afraid," Bahri admitted. "I am fearful of failing in this entire venture."

Leonardo motioned for both of them to sit, and lowered to the ground himself. "It's all right. We contend with fear too, Bahri. The trick is, you've got to channel it into something else. It's impossible to cut out emotions completely, but you can choose to use them to your advantage."

"How?" Bahri wanted to know. "How can fear help me?"

"It won't in this case, which is why you need to focus on another emotion."

"I am listening."

"Have you ever experienced the phenomenon where a song gets stuck in your head? It can be really irritating. But one of the best ways to erase an annoying tune, is to replace it with another. I want you to try something similar, coming from an emotional perspective," Leonardo instructed. "There are a couple different routes you could take. A cold or standoffish demeanor would work well for what you're trying to portray, but anger would probably be easier to channel."

"Anger?"

"Yes, Bahri. I've seen you get mad a couple times."

"Of course, Leonardo, but I cannot fathom what good it will do."

"Go with me here," the turtle urged. "You're not gonna like this, but I have a feeling it'll work. Take me back to Zuhur a few days ago."

Kamryn saw the elohim stiffen.

"Why?"

"I need you to relive it. All of it."

"I do that constantly without trying. I am not certain what you are trying to accomplish, terrapin. How will it help?"

"I'm not referring to the sadness or regret, Bahri. You must have felt rage in there somewhere. It's an emotion you don't like, so I'm sure it's repressed. I need you to let it out."

" _Why?_ "

"Because it may be the only thing that can compete with your anxiety. Do it for me, Bahri. They attacked you for no reason. Killed your best friends, people you considered family. They're destroying everything you hoped for, and got to see come to life before your eyes. They took it all, but they're not satisfied. They still want more. The Vagari will never quit - you told me yourself. How does it make you _feel?_ "

Kamryn detected tears as the elohim stared at the ground for several moments, his breathing gradually quickening. When Bahri clenched his jaw she thought he _would_ speak, but he still said nothing.

"Don't stop," Leo told him. "All the frustration. All the injustice. Everything boiling down to the moment you realized you'd been targeted and destroyed by members of your own race. Unprovoked. Undeserved. It wasn't a fair fight. It was a cowardly, fiendish strike carried out by weak individuals, who couldn't have taken down Ghyath any other way.

"Think about Ghyath, Bahri. They murdered him and stole the lives of far too many others. There could be more as we speak. That _has_ to make you angry."

The elohim shuddered, but didn't make eye contact.

"Are you there?" Leonardo asked quietly.

Bahri nodded, though his expression gave away nothing.

"Okay - hold on to it. And every time you start to feel afraid, focus on the attack. Think about what they did to your people, and how they hurt _you_. If you could reach the Vagari right now, with all the power in the universe to take them out, what would you do?"

After a beat of hesitation, the elohim glanced up with the hardest look Kamryn had ever seen in his dark blue eyes. "I would rip them to pieces for touching your offspring."

"I'd like to do that too, Bahri. Will you help me get the chance?"

The alien stood with a curt nod. "May I have a minute?"

"We'll leave in ten," Leonardo replied.

Bahri wandered in the direction of the overlook, focusing his glare on the property in the distance.

The blue-masked turtle sighed softly when he'd gone. "I hated doing that to him, but he needed the motivation. Hopefully I didn't push Bahri too far."

"No, I agree," Kamryn said. "He can walk in there angry and not raise an ounce of suspicion. But afraid? This woman would not believe us for a minute."

Leonardo reached over to snap the watch onto her wrist, and motioned for her to rise along with him. "Don has a couple more things for you, including a lens which will allow him to view everything you're seeing, and an earpiece to enable us to communicate with you invisibly. We want to be aware of what's happening the whole time."

The turtle paused, fidgeting from one foot to the other. "I don't like putting the two of you at risk."

"We have taken so many risks already, Leonardo. What is another one?"

He winced. "We have to tread carefully. A lot of things could go wrong, and we can't afford for that to happen. We _need_ the com-link. This has to work."

"It will," she stated firmly. "It _will,_ Leonardo. Lendano doesn't know who they're dealing with. They only think they do, because the Vagari have been misleading them from the beginning. We can do this – all of us. So let's go down there, and work on getting your kids back."

He nodded with a heavy sense of his own emotion. "I can't promise I won't lose it on those people."

"Leonardo, you can do whatever you want with them as far as I'm concerned. Just make sure the communicator is working, and then you can punish the traitors, while I watch."

"It's not how a ninja operates."

"Even when it concerns your young?"

His fists clenched at his sides. "I guess we'll find out."

* * *

Yasmin Ribiero had barely sat still in the last eighteen hours. In truth, she'd been waiting years for physical contact with Venturis, but now that it loomed over her head, she was more afraid than expected. _But that probably has more to do with the way things have elapsed in these last few days, and their complete refusal to connect with me ever since I gave them the tip about Montreal. I never should have released the best information in my arsenal._

 _They have no reason to deal with me at this point, and yet...My remaining source was not only attacked, but used to send a message in the process? I didn't know what to think when the Ambassador said I would have to prove myself, and I'm not sure how to placate the one coming my direction._

 _I have been waiting on edge for hours, ever since Erika alerted me. I could have at least experienced a blissful night of ignorance, but no...Instead I had little sleep, and have accomplished absolutely nothing of value today. I appreciate the advance warning, but there is no way to prepare for what could be coming. Will it be today? Or will they intentionally keep us in suspense? I'm not sure I can take it._

She turned her desk chair away from the computer screen, which was dark from lack of activity. Yasmin stared out the nearest window longingly. _I dreamed of this day...but not like this. My hopes were high for our first real contact, but I fear the only thing I need in this case is a very good defense._

The buzz of a phone drew her attention from the distant hills back to her desk. " _Yes, Erika?_ "

" _Dr. Ribiero, we have movement on the grounds_."

The woman bolted to her feet. " _What kind of movement?_ "

" _Two figures are approaching the gate_."

" _Can you see them very well?_ " Yasmin balanced the phone against her shoulder while yanking her arms through jacket sleeves and heading for the door.

" _One is definitely much larger than the other. He looks like a giant._ "

Yasmin's heart skipped a beat. " _Can you tell how they arrived?_ "

" _They were walking initially. I haven't determined how they got here yet. It will probably require me to go back through the footage a ways. Should I bring ARCIS and Heavy Metal online?_ "

" _No, I want you to lay low and_ watch _, Erika. If it's one of them, they will not take kindly to being greeted by such an army, even if it is their own technology. We can't afford even a hint of aggression. "_

A rapid knock barely sounded before her office door was flung open, and Edmundo stuck his head inside.

" _We have visitors_." The man sounded breathless.

" _I know_." Ribiero was annoyed. " _Miss Helms informed me_."

" _What are we going to do?"_

Ribiero's eyebrows rose. Her second-in-command had never appeared at such a loss. " _We will go meet them."_

 _"What if they are not friendly? Shouldn't we take some precautions?"_

She cocked her head at his stupidity. _"Edmundo, we are dealing with a civilization much more advanced than our own. If they wanted to kill us, we would be dead already. The fact that they are coming this way means there could still be hope."_

 _"Hope for what? What do they want?"_

 _"There is only one way to find out. Can you pull yourself together to greet them with me?"_

Morais trembled and took several short breaths. " _If they're at our doorstep, we can't very well run from them."_

 _"We never could, Edmundo. Come. It is time to take history into our own hands."_

* * *

Yasmin struggled to keep her breathing regulated amidst the acute nausea in the pit of her stomach. The courtyard that separated the main building from the gate appeared minuscule, and she'd crossed it before she was ready to face what lay on the other side.

The woman paused a stone's throw from iron bars, considering the possible security measures she could still ask Erika to activate. Yasmin willfully ignored the phone in her pocket, and took another step to reach the gate.

" _Greetings_ ," she said solemnly.

The smaller of the figures stepped closer, and her eyes reflected an eerie glow in the low lighting. "You won't mind if we proceed in English. I'm more comfortable in that language, and I know you can speak it."

"Y-yes," Ribiero stammered, confused by the appearance of what seemed to be an ordinary woman, who was clearly anything but. "However, I would rather talk with the Ambassador himself," she finished stronger.

"He will not deign to meet you face-to-face," the woman countered. "Not after your actions these last few days. The one accompanying me is his liaison, his representative, and it's my duty to serve him."

"I see. Has he no voice of his own?"

"I prefer not to speak unless these is something worth saying." The looming figure's voice was dangerously low, and dripped with condescension.

The doctor unconsciously took a step backward.

"You can start by letting us in." The offer from the strange woman came off more like a command, but Yasmin was in no position to refuse.

"Yes, of course." She typed a code into the control panel, and opened the gate with a sinking feeling.

Ribiero stared openly at the pair when they stepped under the light flanking the courtyard. She caught her breath at the simmering rage which flashed in the face of the giant, before his expression cooled to obvious disdain.

"We are coming inside," the female announced. "But not until your recording equipment has been dealt with."

"Our recording equipment?" The question felt stupid to her own ears, but Yasmin couldn't help it.

"Yes, such as your cameras and various tools you could implement to capture images we are not prepared to reveal," the woman continued.

"We? Do you mean to say you are one of them?"

The stranger smiled smugly. "Did you think yourself special, Doctor, for having contact with such visitors? You've barely scratched the outside circle of their organization. You have no idea what they're willing to bestow on those they actually favor."

Yasmin glanced between the woman and the liaison who hovered protectively near. "They have more human contacts then?"

"We are not here to discuss _contacts,_ " the alien said sharply. "But to learn why we should not destroy you."

Ribiero swallowed deeply. "I will ask my tech to disable the cameras."

"There is no need," the woman volunteered. "We prefer to do it ourselves."

"Do what?" Yasmin was dumbfounded when the pair merely looked at one another without speaking. "What will you do yourselves?"

They never replied, but her phone rang, much to her mortification.

"You should answer that," the female encouraged.

Yasmin peered at the screen to see Erika's number, and pressed the button to receive the call. " _Yes?_ "

" _Doctor, we have systems crashing en mass! Cameras, motion detectors, my network signal has dropped so low I can barely-_

 _"Calm down, Miss Helms. Let it be. Our visitors prefer to operate in privacy, and they shall have it."_

 _"But what do you want me to do?"_

 _"Nothing."_ Yasmin hung up the phone and faced her guests. "Do you mean to tell me why you are here?"

"Clearly there is a purpose, or we wouldn't bother with you at all," the woman replied. "You can welcome us inside now."

"As you wish." Yasmin stiffly led the way through the door, and gave a lurking Edmundo a dirty look. _He could have at least backed me up out there. This is not at all what I expected, but I suppose I will have to get used to the idea. It is apparent Venturis does not fit any of the molds I erected._


	40. Cooperation

Edmundo was on the verge of a complete break down. He couldn't recall when he'd taken his last breath, which was rather disconcerting. _Did I suffocate? Am I already dead? Is this some weird hallucination like those people who claim to see a tunnel and head for the light?_

That he should feel such fear over a lumbering silent giant and a woman who barely crested five feet was absurd. _But it isn't about them,_ he reasoned. _It's who they represent. Even now, I'm sure they're not alone. The others are out there. They must be. How long will it be before we're overrun? Before they choose to terminate us the way they threat-_

"Edmundo."

Dr. Ribiero's sharp voice brought him back in focus, and his head jerked toward her guiltily.

"We are going to all stay together," the spokeswoman of the group proclaimed, her piercing animalistic eyes daring him to refuse.

His hand automatically reached for the gun inside his jacket, then withdrew like he'd been shocked. The man moved quickly to catch up with them, stiffening when the alien caught him by the shoulder.

"Hand over your weapon," the large figure ordered.

Reluctantly Morais removed his gun and held it up like an offering. The stranger stripped the Glock from his hand and proceeded to disassemble the firearm faster than the man could blink. He was still staring wide-eyed when the giant gave him a firm push to join Ribiero.

"Where are the rest of your men?" the female demanded.

Yasmin shook her head. "There are no others here: only Edmundo, our technician, and myself. We do not run an entire crew at this location. It isn't necessary with other precautions provided."

"You will need much greater 'precautions' when we are through," the alien determined. "Where is your technician? We want everyone in one place."

"I will call and request for her to meet us."

"Do that, and then you can hand over your phones. Both of them," the diminutive woman instructed.

"Who do you think we are going to call?" The doctor was understandably frustrated, but Morais wasn't comfortable with her resistance.

The female strode forward to get directly into Ribiero's face; something Edmundo had never witnessed anyone else do. "You have demonstrated an entirely untrustworthy nature. You will politely comply with all of our requests, or we will consider this meeting concluded, and you can deal with the repercussions on your own."

"We're cooperating!" Yasmin insisted. "But you still haven't told us what you want."

The woman's smile was triumphant. "We've come to inspect a number of things."

Yasmin's brow creased, and Edmundo knew she wanted to refuse. _She can't though. We have to go along with whatever they say, no matter the evidence which may be stacked against us._

"Where do you want to begin?" Yasmin's tone was guarded.

"I would like a closer look at our 'investments'," the liason filled in. "But more importantly, I require access to the samples which you acquired from the legendaries."

Edmundo forgot to breathe again. The term for the turtles had come from Venturis to start with, but hearing one of them speak it was frightening. He knew the doctor would sooner cut off her own hand than release hard-won research.

"I...I don't know what you mean," she faltered.

"On the night earlier this month, when you took matters into your own hands once again," he explained with a patronizing quality. "You did more than nearly drug _our_ targets into an early grave. You collected samples, and my superiors require access to them."

"I don't have what you're looking for," she answered. "My lab in New York, it was destroyed by fire-"

"That you placed to cover up your wrong-doing," the woman interrupted. "Are we supposed to believe you abandoned what you deem valuable enough to betray your alliance with us? We know better, and so does the Ambassador. You have one more opportunity, Doctor!"

Ribiero stared into the smaller figure's eyes as if she could challenge her, but wilted after a few seconds. "Are the samples the only reason you've come?"

"I told you – we desire to see many things," the alien replied. "We can start in your lab, where I assume you have conducted research with that which you recently stole."

"We are not thieves," Yasmin objected.

"You repeatedly went after what was strictly forbidden," the giant's volume rose, and he also seemed to somehow grow taller. "Do you think you can defend yourself for this? I don't know why we came here." He stretched an arm toward his human counterpart. "They don't wish to be reasonable. We will go and stop wasting our time."

"No, now wait!" Ribiero inserted between the pair. "I _am_ cooperating. You can have whatever you want – I'm only seeking some reassurance."

"Reassurance of what?" The female was incredulous.

"Our friendship. I can't stand to see it slip away at such a crucial time."

The alien crossed his arms severely. "Do you think you _deserve_ our friendship?"

"I have assisted in some ways," she pointed out. "I told you where the legendaries were going."

"You've hindered far more than you've helped," the strange woman negated.

"Then why are you here?" Yasmin asked bluntly. "Why not kill us and take what you want?"

"Because we were commanded to come, Doctor," the woman said. "We have superiors, and ours desire to see what you have undertaken with your own hands, and wish to communicate a message."

"Then why hasn't the Ambassador called me himself?"

"Your com-link requires alignment," the alien explained. " _Someone_ adjusted the wrong setting, and now it needs to be recalibrated."

Edmundo held up his hands defensively. "I've never touched the thing, Doctor!"

A suspicious look crossed Yasmin's face. "It is possible my tech tried to take some matters into _her_ own hands."

"I'm sure she learned it from you," the smaller of the pair noted.

Ribiero pursed her lips in obvious anger, but didn't argue. "My technician is in the lab. It would be easier to meet her there, since that is where you want to start."

"Lead the way," the female directed.

Edmundo slunk behind Yasmin silently. Despite the small confidence she still displayed, his proximity to the doctor didn't make him feel better about the situation.

"Are you ever going to introduce yourselves?" Yasmin requested.

"If you deserved to know our names, we would have given them," the alien intoned flatly.

"Is our fate already decided then? Why do you need me to show you anything?"

"We don't decide," the giant countered. "We are here to report. So you're going to take us to the lab, and stop dragging things out longer than necessary."

Ribiero nodded. "We will show you everything. But I hope for one last opportunity to speak with the Ambassador after you have repaired the com-link."

"I can't promise anything. If he wishes to talk with you after he has seen what you possess, he will," the alien said dismissively.

Chills ran down Edmundo's spine while they ascended a small flight of stairs to get to the elevator which only accessed the top two floors of the property. Getting corralled into a transporter with the strangers wasn't his idea of a good time, but he tried to put on a strong face.

 _Doctor Ribiero is right. They could have killed us any time they wanted to. We're alive, so we must still have some value._ He tried to observe the alien casually under the harsh glow of the overhead lighting, but the utter loathing he found in his eyes made Morais fix on the floor instead.

He snuck a peek at the small woman, and her cocky smile left him feeling cold. _How many times have I looked at someone that way, knowing they couldn't touch me? Nothing they did would matter, because I had already won. And now we're the ones cornered with no way out. What agreement could there ever be between our people? Whether we live or die, we will end up serving Venturis. Perhaps as a trusted "servant" like the woman before us, and maybe something even worse. Nothing good can come from dealing with them._

Yasmin stepped off the elevator first, and headed for the lab. The woman walked up beside the doctor as she was typing in the code to open the door, and interrupted Yasmin to boldly pull the face plate off the scanning mechanism. After a moment of deliberation the female yanked out two of the wires and then met Ribiero, who was openly glaring.

"Your doors are to be unlocked," the smaller woman commanded. "You will instruct your technician to allow complete access. I would rather not destroy _all_ of your mechanisms."

"I will tell her at once," Yasmin answered through gritted teeth, and spun around to enter the lab.

Morais shook off another tremor while the pair entered the lab. _I hope we survive this encounter, but at this point, I don't expect to._

* * *

Michelangelo was having a difficult time containing his glee, but luckily it didn't matter for the moment The orange-masked turtle could hardly believe the ease with which they'd moved forward, even if he didn't dare speak of it out loud at the risk of jinxing them all.

He snickered while his purple-masked brother went first inside the _unlocked_ metal bunker stationed behind the main building, and slapped Donatello's shoulder. "This is great, Donny. Why can't the bad guys _always_ do whatever we say?"

Don cast a grin over his back. "It's a little too good to be true, but I'll accept the advantage for as long as it holds up."

"You sure they're in here, Genius?" Raphael cut in.

"Yes. The kind of mass I detected from outside...I can't imagine what else they'd be storing. I suppose they could be stockpiling tanks too."

"I wouldn't put anything past them," Olivia said dryly. "Why does this feel like the opening to a horror flick?"

"It is a horror movie, Liv. _Theirs_ ," her father returned.

"It's extremely convenient, if you ask me," Leo added. "The fact that the bunker is completely unattached from anything else means less risk for collateral damage."

"You think they're telling the truth about nobody else being around?" Nate wondered. "That seems weird."

The blue-masked turtle nodded. "It does. But she also just got finished murdering her entire team in New York City, to cover up that we were ever there. She, they, _whoever_ is in charge...they're very paranoid. They could be lying, don't get me wrong. But it wouldn't be in their favor for the Vagari to catch them in the act."

"We're eventually going over there, aren't we?" The edge in Jayden's normally jovial tone made Mike grimace.

"We need some insurance in place first," Leo assured him, and sent Donatello a pointed glance.

 _I know what that look means. We're all gonna have to keep a close eye on Jayden._

The oldest turtle joined Donny at the front, hand hovering protectively over the hilt of a blade. Michelangelo held his breath when Don hesitated at a blind curve in the hallway, but then the purple-masked turtle chuckled darkly.

"Lady and gentlemen, we have our bogeys."

Jayden pushed to the front to see for himself, and whistled loudly. "Dude. Those things look _wicked_."

Mike came up alongside his nephew and pointed toward the row of massive droids lining the opposite wall. "You should see 'em when they're live, Jay."

"No one's going to," Leo said briskly. "Do we have enough triggers to deal with a structure this size?"

Donny nodded. "If we hit the key stress points like we talked about, including the beams. But it'll take a few minutes to be thorough, and we should probably split up." He cast a decisive look at the "Heavy Metals" in what appeared to be battle formation. "They're each getting their own trigger."

"I couldn't agree more," Leonardo told him. "I'll take Nate. Raph, you want to stick with Olivia? Don, if Mike and Jayden go with you, it will free you up to watch Kamryn's feed after you're constructed."

Donatello readily agreed, but Mike didn't miss the wary gaze he sent his direction.

"Raph, take the west. We'll go east, and Don's team can focus in the middle. No messing around, guys."

"Jonin, why don't you let Olivia and I take the rafters?" Nate suggested. "I'm just thinking that..uh...Kamryn and Bahri shouldn't have to keep those idiots busy longer than necessary. We're all together here, so there doesn't seem to be a lot of risk in breaking off, and getting things planted faster."

The blue-masked turtle considered it for a moment. "All right. I can see the reason in it...Let's split up and get it done."

Michelangelo smirked while shifting a bag off his shoulder. He unzipped the largest pocket to grab a handful of the discs which were only about a quarter of the size of his palm. The innocuous objects were harmless in themselves, until the fuse component had been activated. _Something to do with a chain reaction...so Donny says._

At the moment, Don seemed more distracted by whatever he was watching on his tablet than what anyone else was doing.

"Everything all right?" Mike asked.

Donatello looked up briefly. "I don't know. Kamryn's nervous. It's subtle...but I kinda feel like something's wrong. We need to finish this and catch up with them."

Jayden's anxiety sprang to the surface. "Everything's gonna be okay, right?"

The older turtle lowered his tablet. "Yeah. If you guys would start planting a trigger on each of the monsters over there, I'm going to get the base for the fuse component erected. Shouldn't take me more than ten minutes."

"Where are you gonna leave it?" Mike wanted to know.

A familiar gleam entered his brother's eyes. "I was thinking in the middle of their army." He motioned to rows of perfectly aligned ARCIS units.

Mike nudged Jayden's side with a chuckle. "We're on it, Donny. Come with me, Jay."

The sixteen-year-old pulled off his backpack and grabbed a handful of his father's triggers. "We wanna make sure we don't hold on to any of these, huh?"

Michelangelo cast his nephew a wide-eyed glance. "No. That wouldn't be a good idea."

"Those things look like beasts. I can't imagine what they'd be like in action."

Mike shuddered at the memory. "Not worth it, Jayden. That's an experience you can be glad you missed."

The teen scowled in return. "I'm _not_ glad, Ojisan. When I think about that night, it still ticks me off."

The orange-masked turtle sighed softly while he went toward the first monster-sized droid. "You might not always buy it, Jay, but we aren't out to ruin your fun. We're not trying to control everything you do. But you didn't belong at Ravensrock."

"That's always the excuse," he returned sharply. "But your time's running out with it. What are you gonna say when we're all adults? Just going to keep raising the age limit? 'Oh, by time you're in your thirties, _then_ you'll be on a level playing field with us'."

"Jayden, it isn't the place to do this."

"Of course not," he muttered. "It never is, not when I try to bring it up."

"Maybe when we're not wandering through a warehouse of killer robots, I'll be more open to talk about it."

"Technically, these ones haven't tried to kill you. Those guys at Ravensrock got taken out by the EMP, didn't they?"

" _Technically_ if they were active, these ones would kill us too. Can you cut me some slack for a few minutes, Jay?"

The purple-masked turtle shrugged and crouched underneath one of the bots, applying the magnetic strip of the trigger to the heavily armored exterior. "Something tells me this would be more satisfying if I'd been a part of things."

"You'll have to take my word for it. There will be plenty more battles where these hunks of metal came from."

Dark eyes bored into him. "That's if you trust me to be more than the tallest guy in the room."

"Right now, you're not." Michelangelo tapped the machine as he finished placing another trigger.

"Unless they're moving, they don't count."

"That's an interesting take on it, Jay."

"Yup. And they're getting you off the hook from explaining why the younger members of the _team_ aren't getting the opportunities they deserve."

"I thought we weren't doing this yet."

"You weren't talking about it – I still want to."

The orange-masked turtle stopped in his tracks to focus on Jayden. "You're persistent tonight. What's this really about?"

"What do you think?" he challenged softly. "Let's say this works, okay? We get in contact with whoever, and they send someone to beam us up. What happens then?"

"Well, that's not actually how it works, for starters."

"Ojisan, I'm being serious. If the time comes to go, I want to know my spot is reserved."

Michelangelo fidgeted uncomfortably. "Y'know, Jay, I'm not really...we haven't addressed anything as a team."

His nephew's gaze narrowed. "If you think you're leaving us behind, you're dead wrong."

"I don't think anything, because we haven't had the chan-"

"Guys, we have to move!" Donatello's sudden appearance startled Mike. "We need to unload the triggers and get our shells over to the main building."

"Why? What's happening? Are Kam and Bahri in trouble?" Michelangelo demanded.

"We _all_ could be. Kamryn finally got a message across to me when she wrangled a few seconds away from those morons. She definitely heard drones on the property outside."

"Drones?" Jayden repeated. "Like the ones the Vagari use?"

"The property is under surveillance, and that means they may already know we're here. Bahri said they're programmed to track our specific body chemistry. We have a lot less time on our hands than we planned."


	41. Confront

Leonardo didn't say a word on the elevator ride up to the fifth floor. The others might mistake his silence for the serious nature of what they were attempting, but the blue-masked turtle was simply trying to breathe and control his anger.

 _From our standpoint, it seems like we're coming in with a clear advantage. We could utterly destroy them. These people may not have our kids, but they're part of the avalanche that kicked everything off. They made a ridiculous deal with the devil, which they'll probably pay for in the long run, even if we don't do anything to them. Which of course, we can't._ The reminder made him scowl in frustration. _Would it possible to forget who I am for ten seconds? That's all I would need._

He heard a huff beside him, and turned to note his red-masked brother's barely veiled rage. _Okay, so not talking probably isn't the best way to go._

"Let's remember why we're here," Leonardo announced. "We're dealing with pawns. Idiots who have been used for years. Taking them down hard might be a little satisfying, but ultimately, it won't help our family. We have to concentrate on what we need to do, and get out before the Vagari have a chance to crash the party."

"It's so rude," Mike complained. "We went to the trouble for a surprise shin-dig, and they're gonna show up uninvited?"

"I'd welcome the chance for another shot at them," Jayden stated proudly.

"You might get it," Leo returned grimly. "But I'm hoping not for the next half hour or so. Don, where is Bahri on the com-link? Can you tell?"

Donatello studied his tablet. "Kamryn keeps panning over to show me he's working, but it will take some time to determine if it's successful."

"What do you mean 'if'?" Raph demanded. "I thought Bahri knew where he was sending the freaking message."

"Raph, it's not that simple," Donny retorted. "Not when you're dealing with the kind of distance we're talking about."

"This is like, next level space age crap, right? Now you're saying it might not even _work?_ What the shell are we doing here?"

"Raph!" Leo interjected sternly. "Can it, now. Everybody take a deep breath, and hold it until I tell you to let it go. I'm serious - do it!"

The action not only halted the potential argument, but brought everyone back into sharper focus. Not until the door opened on the fifth floor did the oldest turtle allow them to release the air.

"Okay. We're going in there like the professionals we are." He nodded at Don, and the purple-masked turtle put away his tablet and grabbed a cylindrical remote from his bag.

"I'm ready," Donatello assured him.

"Everyone under control?" Leonardo glanced over his family, but lingered the longest on his brother's sixteen-year-old.

Jayden gave him a firm nod. "I'm good. I'll show you I can handle this."

Leo turned toward the door leading to the lab, which was already wide open thanks to Kamryn's handiwork under Don's direction.

He drew both katana without a sound and inched through the doorway slowly. He was grateful to discover the lights were out in half the space, and the attention of the occupants was fixed on whatever Bahri was doing at the large terminal across the room.

Leonardo looked back briefly to see the others filing in behind him with similar caution, and he beckoned Raphael to join him closer to the front. He motioned his head toward Morais, and trusted his red-masked brother knew what he wanted. Then he set his sights on the doctor he couldn't remember laying eyes on before.

Katherine's and Director Kelley's lead from Hudson Yards had turned up the photo to go along with the name for the woman of the hour. He curiously felt nothing as he stared at the back of the her head, but couldn't be sure if the sensation would last.

Like silent shadows they advanced, until they were within inches of their goal. Bahri's position permitted the elohim to see them, but to his credit, he didn't give anything away. Kamryn's slight twitch told Leo _she_ was aware of them, but her sense of smell was also second to none.

Leo noted a third figure, a younger woman who probably fit the bill of the "tech" Ribiero had mentioned. He wasn't terribly concerned about the figure from what he could outwardly discern, but pointed Mike toward her just in case. _Not gonna take anything for granted. It's time._

With one last bold step, he hooked a katana around the neck of the doctor from behind. She exclaimed something in Portuguese, and made as if to lunge to her feet.

"Don't," he warned her. "You're not worth it – trust me. I have no reason to want you alive."

From the way her eyes darted around the room, Leonardo could tell her mind was racing.

"You are here...with _them?_ " Her tone was a combination of disbelief and betrayal.

"Well, yeah," he answered causally. "Did you think you were the only one who knows people in high places? The difference is, ours are actually friends." Leo glanced over at the elohim. "How's it going over there, Bahri?"

"My message is sent, but I am waiting for confirmation. It will likely take at least an hour to know for sure."

"We don't want to hang around here that long," Kamryn blurted out. "Every second we linger, they're getting closer."

"They?" Ribiero echoed.

" _You're_ under surveillance too, genius," Don informed her. "Trying to make a pact with the Vagari is one of the dumbest things you could have done."

"The Vagari?"

Leonardo was tempted to think the woman was feigning ignorance, but there was genuine confusion in her features. "Yes, the Vagari," he explained with sarcastic patience. "You betrayed the human race for them, and you don't even know their name. That's probably the saddest thing I've heard in a long time."

Edmundo cursed. "Whatever you think you'll get from us, you're wrong."

Raphael cuffed the back of the man's head. "Idiot! We're already getting what we came for, and you're too stupid to see it."

As if to display the extent of his foolishness, Edmundo craned his neck around the chair to see the rest of them. "You brought the whole family? Crazy move, if you ask me."

Raphael's slap jerked his face forward. "We didn't ask you. Keep it up, moron, and my hand's gonna slip." He emphasized the point by needling the tip of a sai against Morais' jugular vein.

"You can kill us all," Ribiero said slowly. "But I guarantee you will not leave the property either."

Leonardo caught deft movement underneath her jacket sleeve. He seized her wrist to discover a bracelet adorned with a single purple crystal, which was glowing with a life of its own.

"You're too late," she crowed. "I already activated them. Like I said, you can do as you please with us, but my reinforcements will not allow you to escape with your lives.

Donatello crossed in front of the doctor. _"Wow,_ you have a button?" His appropriately "shocked" expression transformed into a smug smile which made Leonardo stifle laughter. "So do I!" The purple-masked turtle revealed the object in his grasp and depressed his remote without hesitation.

The resulting sound made Leo jolt, even though he was expecting the explosions. The accompanying fiery display cast a strange orange hue through the south-facing windows, and Ribiero leaped to her feet. The blue-masked turtle made no attempt to stop her, though he jogged behind her mad dash across the room.

"No, no, no, what did you DO?" Her anguish almost made Leonardo believe they'd killed members of her family.

"I have bad news about your death machines," Don volunteered. "You're not getting back your deposit."

"Oh, burn!" Jayden cried. "That was good, Dad!"

Leonardo caught the wink his brother sent the teen's direction, then cleared his throat. "We're only getting started, Doctor, so if you'd like to take your seat again, I'd appreciate it." His katana left her no other option, directing her back to the chair from which she'd come.

He noticed her gaze fall on Olivia, Nate and Jayden, causing another surge of protective anger to make his hand shake slightly. "Sit down, _now_."

The woman obeyed without a fight. "I did not think it would end this way."

"How did ya think it would end, just outta curiosity?" The red-masked turtle was clearly annoyed. "These big, bad aliens show up, and you thought you could trust 'em to be your allies?"

"It was never about trust," she countered. "There was very little choice where we were concerned."

"You always have a choice," Mike shot back. "You picked the wrong one."

"I picked the one which included a possible future," she argued. "Do you think I went looking for them? No. Venturis found us. They wanted our help, and in return, I was promised something like a partnership once they arrived."

"How's that working out for you?" Olivia challenged.

"What could they possibly need from you?" Leonardo demanded.

The incredulous look she returned with made him want to hit her. "You and your kin are the only thing they spoke about."

His katana quivered dangerously. "You have no idea what you've done."

"It doesn't matter," she said coolly. "Whether you kill me or they do, that is a fate to which I am resigned. The only thing I wish I knew is why they value you so highly. How is it that you are already friends with some of them?"

Leonardo felt a hint of a smile. "You'll have to keep wondering."

She shrugged. "I didn't expect you to tell me, but I had to ask again."

"Again?" Nathaniel repeated.

"Yes. It was one of the few questions none of your fathers responded to under the inhibitor. I almost believed they didn't know what Venturis wants with them, but now I am having doubts once more."

" _Shut up_ ," Leonardo ordered. "Not another word out of you. Bahri, is there any way to speed this up?"

"I wish there was, Leonardo, but that is not how it works. When we are communicating across vast distances, there is zero room for error. If my calculations were not perfect, if we run into conditions beyond my control within space, any number of factors could prevent the message from getting through. The only way to _know_ it was received is to wait for confirmation."

"Are we planning a sleepover in the meantime?" Olivia muttered under her breath.

Leo opened his mouth, but the young orange-masked turtle silenced the twenty-year-old with a look of his own.

Kamryn came to his side, wringing her hands in consternation. "I really, really think we need to leave."

"I respect that, Kamryn, honestly. But if we don't know whether or not it worked, where are we supposed to go from here?"

"If you're captured, it won't _matter_ if it worked!"

"What are you?" Ribiero fixed on Kamryn. "Are you truly a servant to Venturis?"

"They're called Vagari," she spat. "And no, I don't serve them. I'm actually-"

"Kamryn, you don't owe her an explanation," Leo urged.

"I'm fine. I don't mind telling her." Kamryn met the woman's gaze without blinking. "I'm a cross-breed, Doctor. A human who was twisted, not by Vagari, but members of the same race. They were evil, and ended up losing badly. I can't say if the Vagari are destined for an identical fate, but that is what we're hoping for."

Yasmin's expression was thoughtful. "You're not all here," she said to Leonardo, ignoring Kamryn's point.

"I told you to shut. Up." His tone flattened so low, he couldn't be sure she heard him.

"Leonardo!" Bahri's voice trembled as it rose. "Terrapin, someone is hailing us!"

The blue-masked turtle shot forward. "Does that mean we got through?"

"No. It comes from much closer by! I am not sure we should accept-"

Before Bahri could finish, the dark screen flashed, and the projected image of an alien replaced technical statistics.

"Good evening," the stranger intoned pleasantly.

Leo exchanged a furtive glance with the elohim. "Can he see me?" he whispered.

"Yes." Bahri was hardly intelligible. "That is Josaad Chakor, and he is in control of the com-link. I have been locked out."

Leonardo looked down briefly, then made steely eye contact with the screen. "What do you want?"

"I can't understand what you're attempting, terrapin. This move seems rather futile."

"A lot of things can _seem_ worthless, but you have to wait and see how it plays out. What are you doing with our kids?"

"You don't need to worry about them. You'll be together within days. It was kind of you to reveal yourselves, instead of making us track you down again."

Leonardo glanced back rapidly, and motioned to the exit. "We don't intend to make anything easy on you."

"No, naturally. But I wonder if you would do me a favor? You are still with Doctor Ribiero and her cohorts, are you not?"

"They're here." Leo edged backwards, beckoning Bahri to follow.

"Excellent. Will you please tell them goodbye for me?"

The blue-masked turtle retreated another step, drawn towards Yasmin with a sense of dread. Every fiber of his being told him to run from the room, but his feet wouldn't obey.

In the span of a split second, the woman went as white as a ghost, and was then taken by convulsions so violent that she pitched out of the desk chair. And she wasn't the only one. Leonardo wordlessly surveyed their three prisoners succumb to the same symptoms, which appeared reminiscent of a seizure.

When he bent down in slow motion to check Yasmin for a pulse, he didn't expect to find it, and his suspicion proved correct. Leonardo looked up at piercing dark eyes on the screen, and watched the alien smile.

"I will see you soon," the vagari told him.

The alien's words were all it took to snap Leonardo out of the shock. Whatever spell had been cast by the unexpected deaths was broken the moment the blue-masked turtle led the charge out of the room.

"Leo, I texted Brandon!" Don mentioned at once. "He should be pulling around front now!"

As they packed onto the elevator, Leonardo reached for Bahri's shoulder. "Did the Vagari cutting in ruin your transmission?"

"It should not have interfered, if the hail was sent properly. But I still do not know if it got through!"

Leo grimaced. "We're not _going_ to know at this rate, unless they end up coming. Don, we need somewhere to fall back, quickly. It has to be close enough for us to reach, but still be able to blend in somehow."

"I agree we need to get away, but running first and figuring out where we're going en route would be faster!" Donatello returned.

"Your cars can't outrun them," Kamryn said bleakly.

"We don't have to outrun anyone, just trick them," Nate pointed out. "They don't have us yet, Kamryn!"

The woman nodded. "You're right – I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Leo said. "You guys did a great job, by the way. Ghyath would be proud."

Bahri ducked his head. "Not if he heard my thoughts."

Michelangelo patted his arm. "We all get angry, Bahri."

The elevator doors opened, and the others parted to let Leonardo off first. He wouldn't slow down in the hall, the entryway, or even in the courtyard. He didn't check if the others were behind him, not until he'd flung open the unlocked gates.

Headlights flashed from the shadows, and a gray van pulled forward to meet them.

Brandon stuck his head out the window. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here!" Leonardo shouted.

"Let's head north!" Donny suggested. "Nearest civilization is that way, and we know they aren't trying to reveal themselves to people."

"They?" Brandon questioned.

"Vagari are on the move," Leo answered. "We have to be too."

He went around the side, and waited for everyone else to board the back end before climbing in behind them. The removal of benches allowed all of them to fit, but didn't provide for the safety of seat belts.

"Everyone better brace themselves!" Leo said warningly.

The advice barely left his mouth when the engine roared to life again, and the blue-masked turtle flattened against the sidewall to keep from being thrown across the vehicle. He saw the others searching for their own support to keep from tumbling around in the unmarked work van, but his mind was filled with the final image of the vagari's smile.

 _This mission may have been a complete bust. How will we know if it worked? I wish we could do some of it ove-_

The dramatic braking of the van nearly caused Leonardo to pitch head over heels. He uprighted himself just in time for his phone to ring, and snatched for it with irritation.

"What the shell, Bran?! You could have hurt someone!"

"Leo, we've got a problem. W-we're cut off."

Leonardo struggled to his knees. "What is it, Bran? Vagari?"

"Not unless they're driving black SUV's and masquerading as SWAT. They want the keys!"

"Are you kidding me right now?"

"I can't tell who they are for sure, but it's no one we want stopping us!"

"Bran, there must be a way around-"

"We're _surrounded_ , Leo! I can't see the others. I don't know where they are. They were right behind me! What am I supposed to do?!"

The blue-masked turtle stared at the phone in his hand, without the heart to tell his friend he didn't have any ideas.

* * *

 ***Uh...yeah, so...those guys Kamryn spotted from the overlook before the raid? That was important.**


	42. Caught

Donatello's heart skipped several beats while he simultaneously listened to Leonardo's side of the phone call, and the voices rising outside.

"...just give up the keys, Bran!" the blue masked turtle pleaded. "You can't do that! Do you think they're playing around?"

The muffled speech on the other side of the vehicle was indiscernible, but Donny could tell agitation was building.

"But if you don't..." Leonardo trailed off, gazing at everyone surrounding him. "He's going to get himself killed," he told them.

"What do you wanna do, Fearless?" Raphael asked tightly.

"I...I don't think there's anything we _can_ do."

Donatello fingered his bag. "I've got smoke bombs. It wouldn't take much to create some confusion."

"And where would we go? It sounds like there's too many of them," Leo informed him. "Bran said we're surrounded. From what I could hear, it's either law enforcement or military. There's nowhere to hide out here, and...you know our people are gonna fight this."

Leonardo hesitated for a long silent moment, which only made the voices on the other side of the van seem louder. "Our allies will die for us without hesitation. We can't let them. We've got to cooperate, at least...for now."

"What about the Vagari, Leo?" Raph demanded.

"I don't have a clue, but-" The oldest turtle cut off with a wince when something struck the side of the van. "There's no time. We're in agreement. We won't fight?"

No one had the opportunity to answer Leonardo before he headed out the back. The influx of air from the door opening was accompanied by sudden shouts and emphatic commands.

"Get on the ground! Get on the ground!"

When Leo disappeared, Donny was quick to go after him. Emerging from the van in clear view of what appeared to be an armed tactical team felt like an out of body experience to the purple-masked turtle.

"Hands where I can see them, right now!"

Donatello quietly rested both palms on top of his head while being prodded away from the van by the barrel of a rifle, but the knowledge that the men wouldn't be satisfied with the two of them made him forget to breathe.

"Get out of the car! Everybody out!"

Don's head was spinning from searching for a rapid solution. He briefly hoped the other two vehicles in their convoy had gotten away, but the idea was immediately destroyed by a tirade of Spanish.

 _Katherine. Is it only her, or did these people actually get_ everyone _?_ Donny twisted his neck to try and see over the heads of the men surrounding them, and felt a gun ram into his side.

"Remove your bag, get on the ground, and lay down any weapons!" he was ordered.

Donatello stiffened in annoyance, but slowly complied. "Hey, would you chill out with the guns?" he suggested. "We're not doing anything."

"Shut it, hand over the bag, and lose the stick!"

He shrugged out of the straps of his backpack, and kept his hands in plain sight while letting it go. Releasing his bo was a bit harder.

"Everyone down!"

Upon hearing his son growl, Don cautiously glanced to his right, and saw three men covering Jayden on the ground. "Don't touch my kid!" he snarled before he could stop himself.

"Give up the hatchet!" a man was yelling over the teen's head.

"It's a _battle-ax_ , moron! And you can pry it from my cold, dead fingers!"

"Jayden!" Donny called urgently. "Please don't! Let them have it, okay?" He cringed when the young turtle declared something unrepeatable, but a moment later two of the men came up dragging the massive weight of the weapon.

"No one wants to fight you," Leonardo announced evenly. "You have no reason to shoot anybody."

The commotion coming from around the side of the van belied Leo's calm demeanor. Brandon was between two armored individuals, but the man was nowhere near backing down.

"Get your hands off her! If you don't-" When he caught sight of the turtles, Brandon swore loudly. "What are you doing?! Why didn't you _run?_ "

"Because we'll shoot the next thing that moves, which includes you and your big mouth," the man on his left answered.

"Then do it!" Bran challenged. "But you tell your buddies to lay off my wife!"

Don's head rose slightly to search for Jazz, and he felt the pressure of a boot against his shell. He was half tempted to grab the offending man's foot and throw him a few feet, but the weapon trained on his head made him think twice.

"Sir, we're experiencing significant resistance from the last car we picked up." Static followed the radioed message.

"Bring everyone in," the one who dared to practically stand on Donatello's shell ordered with a familiar sense of authority. "If we have to put all their tails away, that's what we'll do. Get some ID on the counterparts while you're at it."

"Listen!" Leo called. "Just _listen_. Whatever you're going to do, you don't want to remain in this area. There's a good reason we were trying to run!"

No one paid the blue-masked turtle any heed, not until Leo jerked to his feet, in spite of the gun pressed to his plastron. "Stay here, and you probably won't survive the hour. If you've got _any_ sense of self preservation, we have to get away now!"

"On your knees!" The one with the radio moved rapidly toward him.

"We're all in danger!" Leonardo insisted, ignoring the command. "We have to go!"

"Unless you want a bullet in your head, you'll do what I say."

The pure frustration in Leo's face mirrored exactly how Don was feeling.

"This isn't a trick," the oldest turtle proclaimed. "There are some very bad...things coming. We already saw them kill tonight, and I'm positive they'll do the same to you."

"What things?" the speaker demanded. "The only disruption _we've_ seen is your people butting into an investigation that's spanned almost five years!"

"You're gunning for Lendano?" Raphael shot back bitterly. "Well, you're too late! And if you don't flipping get the rifle off my daughter, I'll make you eat it, Sparky!"

"Move an inch, and I'll take you both out!" another stranger returned snidely.

"Put down the gun, and then try it, big man!"

"Raph, shut up!" Leo told him. "This isn't about Lendano – not anymore. There is a much bigger problem on the way."

"I hear them," Kamryn voice suddenly rose. "Leonardo, there is a drone circling!"

"Stay where you are!" her handler directed.

"You fools are going to get us killed, and them abducted!" she insisted.

"Kamryn, don't fight them!" Donny spoke up. "Please. It's not worth getting hurt."

"They can see us, Donatello! This will all be for nothing if I don't stop it. But I'm _going_ to stop them."

"Kamryn, don't-" The words were barely out of his mouth when he realized she was already airborne. If he'd blinked, he would have missed his oldest brother exploding from the ground, leaping over the heads of armed figures to get to the woman.

The confusing moments that followed included multiple gun shots, a struggle between several individuals and numerous shouts. The purple-masked turtle struck the wrist of the man covering him to bat the weapon off his side, and dashed into the smoking mess to see the results of the clash with his own eyes. The activity around him melded into white noise while he bent over the blue-masked turtle.

"Leo?" It was difficult to control the instant alarm the hole in his brother's shoulder produced.

Leonardo's gaze was a little vacant in the illumination of head lights, but his eyes rapidly focused upon the red-masked turtle's unmistakable cursing.

"Raph, _no!_ " Projecting his voice appeared to cause Leonardo pain, but he did it anyway. "Don't. You'll make it worse!"

Donatello ignored three separate barrels prodding his shell, and continued searching his brother. The blood seeping heavily from his side alerted the purple-masked turtle to a much deeper wound where his abdominal scutes met vulnerable skin.

"If you've hurt them, we will END you!"

The yell sounded like Greg. Donny appreciated his concern, but threats weren't going to help the situation. He glared up at the man standing nearest to him. "I need my bag."

"You're going to step away, slowly," the authority figure corrected him.

"No, I'm not. Your guys just shot my brother. You wanna watch him bleed out too?" he ended softer, so only the man would hear him.

The leader didn't catch the hint for discretion. "He was warned-"

" _You're_ being warned!" Mike bellowed. "If you don't let him help, you're gonna have a bunch of pissed off turtles on your hands! Nobody wants to see that."

"Leonardo!" Kamryn's cry was tortured from where she was being pinned down. "I'm so sorry!"

"Kamryn, I've got him," Don replied, more confidently than he felt. He stared up at the apparent man in charge. "I need my bag," he repeated.

The older turtle tried to rise automatically. "Don, it's all right."

"No it isn't," he insisted quietly. "And you need to cooperate with me so you don't scare the shell out of everyone else."

Leo's fingers grazed his wrist. "Did she get the drone?"

 _That_ was when the purple-masked turtle understood what had happened. "Kamryn, did you get it?"

"Yes!" she returned, muffled by the man crushing her back to the ground. "I have it!"

"Show them!" Leonardo fought to be heard. "Kamryn, let them see it."

"See what?" The speaker bridged between Leonardo and Kamryn suspiciously.

"You shouldn't have shot anyone!" the woman cried. "I wasn't trying to harm your stupid men. I captured one of _their_ drones."

"Whose drone? Who are you talking about?"

"The ones who are going to kill everybody if you don't let us run!"

The man actually seemed to consider her words. "Are you referring to Venturis?"

"I'm talking about the Vagari, which is what they're really called! And if you care about your planet, you won't harm the turtles any worse! They're the only reason the destruction of Earth hasn't already begun!"

Donatello's blood ran cold at her revelation. He wanted to ask her if it was true, but he knew the woman well enough to discern the truth from manipulation.

"Let me up!" she went on. "Let me up, and I'll show you."

The man nodded and the gun wielders who'd joined forces against the woman backed off slightly. Kamryn rolled upright and held out her hand.

"Judge for yourself. Does this look like any technology you've ever seen?"

A powerful flashlight was cast over her hand by a second figure, and the speaker peered at the small object she extended for what felt like over a minute.

"They are closing in as we speak – I'm sure of it," Kamryn told him breathlessly. "We must move."

The man cast another glance between Kamryn and Donatello. "How much information are you harboring?"

"More than you can imagine!" Bahri volunteered suddenly. "But we cannot help you if we do not get away from here. And we _will_ not help you if the terrapin is not saved!"

The conflict in the stranger's face was clear as day, and for a moment Donatello feared he was too stubborn to listen.

"Okay, pack it in!" the leader relented. "Everyone move!"

From the way guns covered the entire group while they rose, it was clear they were being given no say in whether to go along with them or not.

"I'm not leaving my brother," Don announced. "I need my bag, and two of the other men you're kidnapping. Our doctors."

"Should I know who they are?" The spokesman scoffed.

"I'm sure they're already fighting tooth and nail to get to us."

The man shook his head. "Stranger, you just described all of them."

"How are they _supposed_ to react?" Donny exploded. "My brother needs help. Could you hurry up?"

The purple-masked turtle heard movement to his right, and saw someone with his backpack already in hand. He reached for it gratefully, but the individual didn't give it up.

"Put them in that car – stick these two in the back. Split up the rest of their species between the remaining vehicles."

Donatello peered at the leader intensely, puzzled by the level-headed reaction to their appearance, and casual reference to their physiology. He broke out of contemplation the instant two pairs of arms reached for his injured brother.

"Don't touch him! You've done enough!" He started to lift Leonardo on his own, only to be suddenly supported on the opposite side by Jayden.

Donny's eyes narrowed when the man in charge immediately reached for his gun. "Point that thing at my son, and you won't be _able_ to shoot it."

"Your son?" The stranger didn't seem to believe him. "Has he been eating his Wheaties?"

"If you think I'd answer _one_ question under these conditions, you're insane!" Don retorted, but his attention was drawn back to Leonardo when his brother's head flopped sideways.

Donatello shifted his grip to support him better, and in the process discovered a third wound track around the back of his neck. He breathed in and out deeply to quell the rising panic, and wrapped a hand around the new found injury to staunch the flow of blood.

"Jayden, carry him so I can keep pressure."

"Donatello!" Kamryn called out, while being marched past them under the hands of a stoic man at least twice her weight.

"Kamryn, are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" she returned, but her voice broke. "It's my fault – I'm sorry!"

"Kamryn, I've got him," he reiterated. "Just don't fight them – don't give anyone an excuse to hurt you."

"If they hurt anyone else, I'll hurt _them,"_ Jayden said under his breath.

"No, Jay," Donny hissed back. "Don't risk it. Let's try to keep everyone alive."

"Well, what do you think they're gonna do with us, Dad? We're not being invited to their tea party."

"I don't know what they'll do-" Don never got to finish, because he was prodded toward the back of an open SUV.

"Inside," the original man told him. "You try to escape, and I'll have no choice but to kill you."

Donny scowled, but chose to keep his attention on his injured brother. It was mostly for Leonardo's sake, but also to encourage Jayden to comply. The trunk was larger than it should have been, owing to the fact that a seat had probably been removed. The purple-masked turtle climbed in, and motioned for Jayden to hand him Leo.

Once the blue-masked turtle was inside, Jayden got pushed away from the vehicle by another rifle.

"Take him to position three," the leader ordered.

Donatello had time for one menacing last look at the man before the door was slammed shut, but then realized he _still_ didn't have his backpack "I need supplies!" The turtle banged on the window. "I need my bag! _Now!_ "

Leonardo flinched when he yelled. "Is it that bad?"

"You're losing a lot of blood," he admitted.

"We still have an advantage. Use it. Don't overreact."

Donny didn't ask him what he meant; he preferred his brother not to talk at all. Instead, he pounded on the door again. "Hey! _I need my bag!_ "

When the side door popped open, he was tempted to strangle whoever it was if they didn't have his backpack, but saw the relieving form of a friend instead.

"Don, how is he?!" Luke nearly climbed over the seat, but the limited space didn't permit the action.

"He was shot at least three times, although, the one from his neck may have just grazed. Other two bullets are probably still in him," he reported grimly. "Did they give you any supplies?"

"No, but go ahead and take this." Luke stripped to his undershirt and handed over his button down. "You need to start applying pressure if nothing else!"

"What did they do with the stuff you were transporting, Doc? We're going to need it!"

"Donny, I don't have a clue. I'm sorry! They came out of nowhere, and we didn't have a chance to do anything."

"It's not your fault, Doc," Don said through gritted teeth, tearing his friend's shirt into strips he could use for a tourniquet.

"Did you have any success?" the blond man asked quieter. "Were you able to get through on the com-link?"

Don shook his head sadly. "We have no idea if it worked. There wasn't time to wait for confirmation."

Luke sagged against the seat. "I can't believe this is happening. It would almost be better if the Vagari had gotten here first."

"No, Doc, I doubt-" Donatello cut off and sat up straighter when the trunk opened, and the one running the show held up his backpack.

"You have what you need here?"

"Not completely! There are two black cases back in the blue van. Someone has to get them, please!" Donatello begged.

The man shut the door without refusing or agreeing. Donatello dove into his bag, and immediately found his medical scanner and tablet missing. _Whatever. I'm not going to challenge them right now._ He came up with several packets of QuikClot, and threw a few to Luke so he could start breaking them open too.

"Who do you think they are?" Don asked, even as the right passenger side door opened.

A seething Matthew Kelley was herded into the SUV, and forced to scoot into the middle between Luke and another armed man.

"Don't try anything," the gunman warned. "If you _look_ at me funny, I'll take you out."

Donatello was sorely tempted to laugh at the threat, but it seemed inappropriate.

Meanwhile, Luke's glare blazed through the stranger. "You don't know who you're dealing with. Forget about us, if you do anything to the turtles...You'll end up wishing you'd never been born."

The man had the nerve to look slightly bored, but Donatello was distracted by the color of his unusual hat, which was finally visible under the dome lights of the car.

 _Green Berets? That would make them Army specialists...possibly collaborating with the CIA? This could go so much deeper than I want to think about..._

When the figure in the front passenger seat turned around, Don realized it was the leader.

"Step on it," he told the driver.

"Am I heading for the FOB?"

"Yes, but don't report. We're going dark, gentlemen."

"Major, about the identification you requested..." the man beside Kelley mentioned, "Um, sir, there's something you should know before we go any further."

"It can't wait, Lieutenant?"

"It could, Major, but you probably don't want me to sitting on this info." He extended a flat tablet around the seat to the officer. "The woman from the gray van? Did you get a good look at her?"

"I fail to see how it's relevant."

"Sir, a-according to records returned by her fingerprints, she bears some relation to you."

"Samuels, what are you saying?"

"Begging your pardon, Major, but our intelligence is reporting that she's your daughter."

Donatello jerked so hard he almost slammed his head on the window. _The woman from the gray van._.."Are you talking about Jazz?"

The Major whipped around in his seat. "Jasmine Stewart. You're sure, Lieutenant?"

"Well, she's got another name in here-"

"She got married!" Donny snapped, irritated by the turn of events. _Turtle luck isn't just for turtles._


	43. Storm

Major William Stewart was reeling, though he was certain he was the only one in the vehicle who knew. He wasn't prepared for the sheer volume of the haul his team had taken, nor the complications in capture. And he _definitely_ wasn't ready to deal with the questions surrounding a "miraculous" reunion with the daughter he no longer had. All those factors combined with a general ignorance of what in the world was happening added up to a maxed out stress level which Stewart needed to somehow control.

"How far are we going?" someone called from the back.

Stewart already knew the voice of the legendary, and chose to ignore him.

"Hey, this is important," the blond doctor added. "He's going to need blood soon. We have to know how far we're going!"

"We'll get there when we get there," he retorted, repressed anxiety making him sharper than normal.

"That's not good enough," the Director in the middle proclaimed. "Not being human doesn't make him expendable. If anything happens to him, you'll answer for it, I promise you!"

"Exactly _who_ will we answer to, Director Kelley?" Stewart smirked when the figure stiffened at the use of his name. The man in question was the one person it wasn't necessary to identify through fingerprints. "Yes. I know who you are, and I'm aware of the organizations you work for...most of the time."

Kelley was briefly at a loss for words, but then rebounded. "You clearly don't know as much as you think, or you would have been more prepared for this."

"I think my team is faring a little better than yours at the moment."

"You really don-" the doctor started, and was cut off by Kelley's hand on his shoulder.

"Don't waste your breath, Luke. Let them find out the hard way. It'll be more entertaining."

"But back to your original threat," Stewart reclaimed the conversation. "Who do you plan to sic on me, Director Kelley? The FBI? Or perhaps the NATO terrorism task force? It wouldn't be the first time you used military resources for your own personal agenda."

"I don't know _what_ you're talking about."

"You don't remember authorizing the use of Blackout on a remote island off the East Coast a while ago? I can refresh your memory, if necessary. Your interference that evening set us back years."

Kelley crossed his arms and returned with a glare. "What I think is you have no idea what actually happened there, or could soon be threatening our very existence."

"Why do you think we're here, Director? You still haven't explained who you're expecting to back you up. Your old cronies with the FBI and foreign NATO allies...they're pretty much separate from this part of your life, aren't they? It's my understanding you don't want _anyone_ to know about it. You'd rather hide all the evidence, including from your family. Am I right?"

The man was silent for a few contemplative seconds. "Yeah, you're right. I've preferred to keep it separate. However, if you choose to go public with them..." Kelley paused to motion to the legendaries in the back. "Then I'll be the most outspoken opponent you've ever had."

Stewart felt like face palming. "Does it look like we're filming a reality show? My men aren't even permitted to posses cell phones. Before you start threatening me or my people, let me give you an important piece of information: my orders come from _way_ over your head."

"Did those orders include the assault and kidnapping of a family you know nothing about?" the doctor demanded.

"I'm afraid that question is above your pay grade," he retorted haughtily, since there was no other defense.

"Could you please just give me an idea of how far out we are?" The calm yet concise tone of the purple-masked creature was startling in its clarity. "We're at your mercy, but we're also the ones with knowledge. The only way you're getting access to any of it is by giving us something in return."

"Am I supposed to put you back where I found you?" Stewart scoffed.

"Just let us save my brother!"

"This isn't our fault, you know," the Major said gruffly. "My men reacted to a perceived threat. He's lucky he wasn't killed on the spot. If the woman's erratic behavior hadn't set them off-"

"She didn't know any better," the turtle interrupted fiercely. "She's never been exposed to any of our authorities, let alone the military! She recognized the danger looming right over our heads, and dealt with it the best way she knew how."

Stewart was struck by the creature's curious phrasing. "'Our' authorities? You talk like she's the outsider."

"Major, you have no clue who she is."

"Time will tell her story, as well as yours, stranger."

The turtle snorted. "Good luck with that."

"You don't believe we can trace her origin? Just because her fingerprints weren't in the system-"

A tremendous flash out of the corner of his eye distracted the Major from finishing. It was so bright, the outdoors were temporarily illuminated, and the rumble of thunder which followed was startling in its intensity.

"That sounded like it was almost on top of us," his driver mentioned, and squinted for a better look out the windshield. "Major, look at those cloud formations!"

Stewart put down his window, and was shocked by the strength of the breeze. The sight of dense, towering vertical clouds speeding in from the west was confusing as well. "There weren't any storms in the forecast, were there, Sullivan?"

The driver shook his head. "No, sir, just the opposite. Herlihy had nothing on radar tonight."

The Major clicked to retract the window. "Must be a pop up thunderstorm. Stay on track, Sullivan. There's no reason we should have to-"

Another streak of light tore across the sky, but this one ended in a bolt that struck the ground a few yards in front of their vehicle. Sullivan swore and rammed the brakes, as Stewart grabbed the built-in hand grip for support.

"That was freakishly close, Major!"

Stewart stared at the overhead clouds whipping around at breakneck speed. "Pull over, Sullivan. I need to make a call." He hit the dome light to make an adjustment on his radio, and groaned when he realized it was already too late.

"No signal, sir?" Samuels suggested from behind him.

The Major shook his head. "Must be too much atmospheric interference to connect with the satellite."

"Want me to take a look, Major?" the tech offered.

"Sure. Get rid of the storm while you're at it," Will muttered. His head jerked at the sound of a snicker.

"Think they could use your hands up here, Donny," the doctor remarked.

"My hands are full!" the legenday declared. "He can worry about his own crap."

"Don't recall asking for help from the peanut gallery," Stewart added loudly.

For some reason, the two men with a capably armed soldier beside them found the statement funny. Stewart's death glare was only warming up when another bolt of lightning hit the side of the field, roughly a hundred feet from their vehicle. It took a few moments for the Major to realize he hadn't blinked, and then he cursed. "None of this was in Herlihy's report!"

"Sir, do you want me to sit here?" Sullivan's nerves displayed in the way he gripped the steering wheel. "I...I'd rather get out of the area, if it's a course of action you approve," he finished hastily.

The spiral of overhanging clouds felt unnatural. Stewart found himself focusing on the grim atmosphere, and forgetting his man had asked a question.

"Sir?" Sullivan repeated. "Begging your pardon, Major. What would you like me to do?"

Stewart sent one more swift glance to the blackest wall clouds he'd ever witnessed, just in time to see two simultaneous bolts of lightning converge on a spot a few yards from where the car was parked. Flames leaped up immediately, and every hair on the Major's arms stood on end.

"Go, Sullivan! Drive!"

The frightening accuracy with which the lightning crept up on their vehicle felt more like a stalking enemy than a force of Nature.

"Where? Where am I going?!"

Stewart's eyes fixed on the rapidly building blaze in the dry field. "Just drive! Forget about where!"

"Does this make any sense to you?" the Director asked one of the others.

"Not one bit," the other man returned. "Donny, I swear I'll _make_ myself fit back there. How's Leo doing?"

"I don't know, Doc; they took one of the most important tools in our arsenal. And it's too bad, because everyone knows I could murder someone with a medical scanner!"

"We're going to need that returned," the doctor called up front.

"We _need_ to get out of here, so sit back, tighten your seat-belts, and _shut up!_ "

"My brother and I don't have seat-belts!" the turtle countered. "If you could do the huge favor of not killing us, I'd appreciate it."

"My man doesn't need to be told how to do his job," Stewart barked.

The turtle leaned over the seat. "I hate to play the role of Captain Obvious, but we have a rapidly building wild fire to our right! Then there's the monster of a storm on top of us, with weirdly magnetic lightning getting closer every time! Would it be out of the question to consider getting off this road?"

The demand irked him, and Stewart scowled back at the creature. "If you don't shut your mouth and let my man drive, I'll come back there and do it for you."

"Try it!" The Director boldly inserted himself in front of the turtle. "You won't put another hand on any of them."

"You're in no position to give me direction, Kelley. This would be a good time for all of you to recognize the stakes-"

The burst of sudden light from the back window was so great, the Major mistook it for a rocket. Arms instantly rose over his head like they would offer some protection. He gasped when he saw flames engulfing the hood of the car behind them, and realized the vehicle had been struck by a lightning.

Cursing severely, he grabbed Sullivan's sleeve. "You have to pull over!"

"No, DON'T!"

His man rammed the brakes in spite of the legendary's outburst, and a split second later, Stewart saw the other car careening right for them. He reacted by ripping the wheel from Sullivan's hands and steering them onto the side of the road. The strangely fortunate veer also saved them from another near strike of repetitive lightning.

In the fading brilliance and tangible static in the air, Stewart detected the screeching of brakes. He twisted in time to see the second SUV in their caravan attempting to stop, even as a sickening crash signified the the third car in line had collided with it. He watched in horror while the blazing SUV careened off the left side of the road, and disappeared over a drainage ditch.

Stewart whipped off his seat-belt and shot a fierce look to the back. "Nobody move!"

With that he threw open his door, only for the wind to rip the handle from his grasp. Stewart fought for a couple seconds to get it closed, but the sight of one of the legendaries running across the road made his heart jump into his throat.

"Hey!" The Major abandoned his door and flew after him with raised gun, though his pace was a little hampered by the stinging gale. "You stop or I'll shoot!"

Panic seized him upon the realization that the creature was struggling much less with the elements than he, and also brandishing a tire iron. _There's no way I'd catch up with him at this point! Just have to shoot and be done with it._ He raised his pistol to line it up with the turtle's position, and swallowed right before he pulled the trigger.

" _No!"_

The shout succeeded in throwing Stewart off, and the bullet went wild by his compromised aim. He spun around to the incredible experience of the doctor trying to wrestle the gun from his hand. The Major darted around the man with a scowl and realigned his shoulder for another shot. The insane blond threw himself at him yet again, and this time Stewart met him with a right hook that knocked him to the ground.

When he managed to get turned around, the turtle in question had vanished from his line of sight. The man growled and cursed several times, but didn't have a chance to go anywhere, because his jacket was seized from behind by an unexpectedly strong grip. He started to twist his gun around, only for a knee to violently collide with his wrist, and separate him from the weapon.

Stewart attempted to pull his arms out of the coat sleeves, but his attacker caught him by the neck instead, and yanked him backwards without an ounce of gentleness. Coming face to face with a legendary this way was _slightly_ more intimidating than before. By the look on the orange-masked turtle's face, he expected it to be the last thing he ever saw.

"Doc, you okay?" the creature called, never breaking from glaring at the Major.

"Mike, I'm fine." The other man was rising partially on his knees. "Go help your brother! Hurry!" A fireball from the direction of the ditch had Luke struggling up faster. " _Hurry!_ "

The turtle set him down with more ease than Stewart anticipated. "I'll deal with _you_ later!"

When the creature took off, the Major dove for his fallen gun. An astounding clap of thunder had the man flattening for a few moments. When he dared look up, he was stunned by the spiraling effect of the clouds that appeared to be looming lower still.

The sound of breaking glass brought him back to reality, and the desperate need to get to the wrecked vehicle. He darted toward the embankment, and attempted to ignore the building flames in the background. The fire which engulfed the sides of the toppled SUV was a little more of an immediate threat.

The vehicle's front end was halfway in the canal, and the legendary he'd _tried_ to shoot was perched precariously on the back. He stared on for all of two seconds before racing over to join them.

"Just gimme your hand, Jazz! _C'mon!_ "

Stewart lowered his gun slowly, but continued to watch the pair of turtles like a hawk, prepared for the worst. He heard a mighty gasp, and saw a thin frame partially emerge from the ruined back window. The red-masked one pulled her out the rest of the way, and then handed the woman down to the other.

"You all right, Jazz?"

"Mikey!" She whimpered. "You have to get the others!"

"Working on it!" the figure on top proclaimed. "Jazz, get away from the car. Go up to the road!"

"I'm not leaving – I'm not going anywhere!"

"Yes, ya are!" he shouted over his shoulder. "Mike, take her!"

"No, put me down!" she insisted. The woman trembled violently as the turtle complied, and turned her head toward Will.

Stewart wasn't prepared for the emotion which surged upon seeing his daughter after that many years. She didn't seem to recognize him in the darkness, but when his hand strayed toward her arm, the woman instantly batted it away.

"Jasmine."

The uttering of her name actually drove her to back _toward_ the fire engulfed car. "No!"

Stewart didn't have a clue what she meant by the single syllable, but the way she took refuge with the orange-masked creature stung his pride.

A cry of pain interjected with the scene, and Jasmine wheeled around to the car. "Brandon!"

"I got him!" the one on the car assured her. "Use your legs, Bran! There you go."

When the second person emerged, he didn't accept quite as much help as Jasmine, but allowed the legendary on the ground to steady his descent.

"Bran, will you get her out of here?" The smaller turtle motioned to Jasmine.

"But Nate's still in there!" she protested.

"We're not leaving him!" the creature retorted. "Brandon, go!"

The Major had half a mind to put himself between the pair, but Jasmine yanked the stranger the opposite direction faster than Will could complete the action. He watched them ascend the hill, and his gun hand trembled slightly while waiting for what would come next.

"...No, go ahead and send him. I don't _care_ if he's scared of ya, shove him out!" the red-masked legendary argued with someone Stewart couldn't see. "You idiot, we're not gonna hurt you! But if you make me come in there, I'll throttle you with my bare hands!"

The contradictory statement made Stewart edge closer to the burning car. Despite his threat, the turtle _did_ appear to be helping his man climb out of the wreckage. The creature didn't say a word once the soldier was extracted, merely passed the stunned man to his brother.

The orange-masked one made sure the soldier could stand on his own, then turned to his brother."Tell Nate to come out, Raph!"

"He wants to get the soldiers first." The other seemed frustrated.

Meanwhile, Stewart took stock of his man. "Burrall, are you in any pain?"

It was hard to tell how roughed up he was in the current conditions, but the young man shook his head. "I...I think I'm okay." He stared back at the turtles. "The one in the car, he got me out."

"I know – I was watching." The statement felt lame, but Stewart didn't know what else to say. "Go to the road and get off your feet, Burrall. We need to have you looked at."

"Are you sure you don't want help with..." Burrall looked between the Major and the turtles.

"I've got this! Go." Stewart glanced back to the SUV to see the turtle in the car poke his head out.

"Do you guys have anything sharp? Seat-belt is jammed!"

Stewart watched the red-masked legendary slowly reach into his belt, and come up with a knife. The man ground his teeth in anger. _Should have had them searched better. We moved too quickly._

The turtle passed the knife to the other, and the Major waited several tense seconds for something to happen. The next figure to appear was another of his men. He recognized Caldwell by his vest and moved in by the orange-masked creature to assist him down.

The soldier appeared to be on the verge of shock, so the Major helped him stagger away from the car. Caldwell seemed mesmerized by the lighting still streaking overhead. Stewart had almost forgotten about the storm with the inferno of the SUV, but the thunder which shook the ground was a stark reminder that it was far from over.

He wanted to walk Caldwell to the road, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the legendaries completely "unguarded". Stewart said a silent apology while he made his man wait for assistance a few feet away from the car.

"What's wrong, Nate?...He's _what?_ "

"Raph, what is it? Why isn't he coming?"

"Last guy wasn't wearing his belt," the red-masked one declared tersely. "Nate says he's pinned up front."

"Then we gotta help!" The other turtle looked like he'd insert _himself_ into the burning car in a heartbeat.

"No!" Stewart barely heard the muffled call insist through the shattered window. "I can do it, but I'll probably hurt myself!"

"What?" The larger turtle ducked his head into the SUV. "Nate!"

The man heard the crunch of denting metal, followed by a yelp that transitioned into triumph.

"Got it!"

"Good, Nate, now c'mon out!"

"Take him first, Ojisan! I don't think I can lift him."

The creature lowered halfway through the window and returned a few moments later, dragging the unconscious form of the driver, Rodriguez. The orange-masked turtle received the soldier, and cradled the man in an inconceivably protective grip.

"Nate! Raph, would you grab him already?"

"He's right here, Mikey, hang onto your shell!"

"Don't touch my hand!" The cry erupted right before the last turtle appeared. "OW! I said _don't_ touch it!"

"Sorry, I gotcha, kid." The burly legendary cast the smaller one over his shoulder like he was a toddler, and leaped off the burning car.

"Ojisan, I can _walk!_ "

The red-masked turtle set him down gingerly on the hill, and sent a cringe-worthy look to Caldwell, who was huddled near the ground. "You gonna help your guy, or what?" he demanded of Stewart. "Do we have to do everything?"

The Major swallowed while he aided Caldwell in rising, and looped an arm around the man's back to support him up the embankment. At the top, he passed the injured soldier off to one of his other men, and returned his attention to the turtles at the exact moment the young legendary chose to hand back the knife to the largest of the three.

"You're gonna have to get looked at, Nate," the red one urged.

"Who has time for that right now?"

"Mikey, get your kid."

The orange-masked creature had just finished handing off the unconscious Rodriguez to two soldiers, and was swift to draw his son away from the group. It left Stewart the opportunity to finish what had been started.

"Excuse me." The man stepped directly in the larger creature's path. "I'll take the knife please."

The turtle was startled. "Are you ser...oh. I'm sorry. See, while we were saving your men back there, I forgot _we're_ the monsters. My bad." He flung the knife blade first into the ground, and stalked toward the convoy of vehicles.

Stewart bent down for a closer look at the hilt, which possessed an unexpectedly intricate design. He couldn't resist tugging it from the earth, and slipped it into his belt. He then began to follow the turtle, but stopped mid-step when he caught sight of the violent ring of fire which had forged a path directly through the road, and effectively cut off their escape. _It's as if flames_ intentionally _blocked us in, but that's not plausible._

Rapid movement out of the corner of his eye drew Stewart's attention. He instinctively raised his gun again, but lowered it upon watching the small, strange woman fling herself at the muscular turtle.

"You must flee! You, your brothers, your children! You can make it!"

The Major's gaze narrowed. _Not on my watch they won't._

"We ain't leaving you guys, Kamryn!"

"You have to!" she yelled over the wind. "Raphael, this is _their_ doing! It's too late for the rest of us!"

"It's them? How in the shell?!"

"How doesn't matter! Go while you still have a chance!"

Stewart's grip tightened on his gun, but the turtle appeared frozen.

"Maybe we could make it," he faltered. "But we can't. We're not gonna leave all of you!"

"Then everything has been for nothing, Raphael!"

"I can't make a decision like this!" he bellowed. "If you're forcing me to choose this second, we ain't going! Leo wouldn't do it either. Shell, he was the first one to surrender so they wouldn't kill Bran!"

"Who is they?" Stewart inserted himself into the conversation. "What's going on?"

Shocking green eyes glowed with fury when they focused on him. "I told you they were coming! I _told_ you we had to run!"

"WHO are you talking about?"

"You have got to be the dumbest Earthling I've ever met!"

Stewart didn't like the accusation, but there was no chance to respond. The rapidly spinning cloud-bank was descending so low that it resembled a twister. But instead of touching down, it hovered in mid-air, as though waiting. When he was able to look away from the "tornado", the Major saw broad arms encircling the woman.

"Whatever this is, we're in it together, Kamryn. No one's leaving."

Stewart sensed he'd entered a dream – the worst one he could remember. Searing heat from walls of flames could be felt from several yards out. The black cloud cover dropping on top of them was lit up every few seconds by another bolt. Gale force wind increased along with the sudden frequency of the flashes, and thunderous peals shook the man to his core.

The inevitability of death was impossible to ignore. Even as he crouched closer to the ground, he'd accepted it. Breath caught in his chest while he covered his head for the feeble support his arms could offer.

The deafening sound of an explosion sealed their certain doom. An exclamation to his right caused the man to slowly lift his chin, though he didn't want to. White-hot brilliance was expanding within the dark mass, and left the Major with a sick feeling in his stomach.

The light continued to grow in fervor, until the blackness was illuminated from the inside out. Stewart warily got to his feet for a better look at the unusual occurrence, marveling at the combusting cloud which was probably moments away from claiming them all. Regardless, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

Without further warning, the burgeoning brightness detonated with a force he could only compare to a missile. Stewart was thrown off his feet, knocked flat on his back to witness the destruction of wall clouds and the "almost" tornado. He blinked rapidly while the blazing circle of flames danced wildly, before suddenly going out.

The man sat up carefully as silence filled the air in the wake of confusion. What tiny clouds remained in the sky were breaking apart, and he swore stars were already emerging behind them. He rubbed his eyes to bring everything into better focus, but his surroundings remained the same.

" _What_ just happened?" Stewart demanded of no one in particular, and he didn't get an answer.

He sent a tense glance to those rising around him, and ended up fixing on the red-masked legendary, who didn't look nearly as stunned as _he_ felt. _They know more than any of them have said yet, but that's going to change._


	44. Headquarters

***I do have a hard time resisting people who ask nicely. I can't post every day yet, because the thing still isn't finished. I am maybe 15 chapters away from the actual end, and have a lot of things (good stuff) happening in the next two weeks which gives me less time to write. But I will buckle down in July to get it done, so that hopefully I can give you a chapter closer to every day. There are certain points when you'll REALLY want it. Thanks, guys.**

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For Jazz, it was a toss up for whether she was more angry or frightened. Watching the turtles give up without a fight was one of the most frustrating experiences of her life. _Almost_ as infuriating as the fact that her own dad was at the helm.

A couple different soldiers tried to speak to her once they were bustled back into one of the four remaining vehicles, but the woman refused to look at any of them. _They're just as much an enemy as an actual bad guy. God only knows what they'll do with the turtles, but when it comes down to it...It'll probably be up to "Major" Stewart._ He wasn't even worth calling "father" in her head. _What could I possibly say or do that would help the guys? Probably nothing, but it doesn't mean I won't try._

She felt a steady gaze, and glanced at Brandon on her right. The man's fingers had been intertwined with hers for so long, she'd almost forgotten they were still holding hands. Jazz read the worry in his eyes as deeply as she felt it in her own heart.

 _The others won't know what's happened. They're waiting to hear from us at home, wanting to know everything is okay. Which of course, it isn't. Our kids are probably sitting by the phone, trying to stay awake, holding out for confirmation that the mission was complete. Which it might have been, or it could have been the biggest waste of time in our lives._

 _What are we going to do? I'm sure the family at home could track us through our implants, but since it's the military who has us, there's likely nothing anyone can do about it. Even Victoria, with her myriad of contacts...this would take a next level miracle._

"Jazz." Brandon's voice softly called her back to the car. "What's an FOB?"

"Forward Operating Base," she whispered. "Military term. They love their acronyms. It's probably their remote installation where they hang out in this neck of the woods."

"Why do these characters look so young?"

"They _are_ pretty young. Age requirements for this type of special force range between 18-30."

"What are they gonna do with the turtles?"

"Bran, I don't know."

"They're screwed, aren't they?"

"Not if I can help it."

"We," he corrected quietly. "But we can't try anything with Leo in this condition. He's got to at least be stable."

Jazz nodded slightly. "The guys will have a plan. You'll see. In the meantime, just...don't do anything to get yourself shot."

The woman glanced out the window when she sensed the car slowing, and squinted at the ridges lining the dirt road upon which they were traveling. "It's close. Has to be."

"I don't see anything."

"This is government land, Brandon."

"How do you know?"

"Because a lot of the green space Donny and I studied outside Lancaster is federally owned hunting ground. Judging from the look of those slopes, I'd guess we're close to Middlecreek. We haven't been driving long enough to be many other places with similar topography."

The SUV in front of them made a sharp left turn onto a nearly invisible path, and veered directly toward the hills. Brandon squeezed her hand suddenly.

"We're gonna get out of this," he told her.

She turned to face him. "We will. But promise me you'll play along. They _will_ shoot us, as already demonstrated."

Brandon scowled back at her. "I'll cooperate. But if they hurt you or any more of our people...I'll 'forget' I said that."

After pulling through a tunnel complete with gate and razor wire, they were met by the cement blocks of the military installation Jazz expected, built between the expanse of two bluffs. By the time she was warily climbing out of the car, the Major was already issuing directives.

"Caldwell, Burrell, and Rodriguez need to be looked at, in addition to some of their people-"

"How about you take care of your guys, and we'll take care of ours?" Don interjected. "Did you bring our other supplies, or not?"

Stewart was irritated by the interruption. "We have them, but-"

"But nothing," Donny stopped him again. "We don't want any of your help. We need to be left alone to work."

"You're _not_ going to be left completely alone, stranger."

"You're welcome to babysit, but not to come near my brother or any patient of ours. Can we move this along please? He honestly needs blood."

The man seemed like he might object again, but then shook his head. "Ericson, Owens, you have the medical lead. Geron, Foster, cover our guests, but don't interfere unless necessary."

Jazz could tell the armed guard ticked the purple-masked turtle off, but he wouldn't argue with the possibility of Leo's life on the line.

"I need my son to come with us. He's our best source for blood."

The Major eyed the sixteen-year-old warily. "It has to be him?"

"Major, my brother is in trouble!" Don declared. "Do you really think I'm trying to pull something over on you?"

Surprisingly, the man relented, but then assigned someone else to the group.

 _Because three armed soldiers instead of two will make such a huge difference. He must be delusional. Then again, he doesn't know what they're capable of yet. I won't be the one to ruin it._

Jazz stiffened when she noted the Major looking her direction.

"You need to get checked out too," he told her.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I don't want any hands on me, except for my family's."

Brandon stepped in front of her as Stewart approached. "We're gonna wait."

"But Nate should go," Mike added, pulling the teen forward with him. "Probably broke his hand."

Stewart grunted his disapproval. "We can't send four of you back there at once."

"He did it to save _your_ man!" Raphael thundered.

"Clark, Chavez, go." Stewart pointed two more men to join the group heading to the infirmary.

"If your men get in my way, I won't be responsible for my actions. Just so you know," Donatello said flatly.

"You won't touch anyone," the Major countered.

"Then tell them to stay the shell back, starting now. Get your freaking guns off our kids, and let us walk!"

Stewart gruffly called for them to fall back slightly, and turned to address the rest of the group. "Your cooperation going forward will make things a lot smoother. Let's head inside and assess where we are."

Jazz intentionally stayed at the rear of the pack, dreading what was coming. They'd already been split up, but the reduction in size probably wouldn't satisfy the man.

They filed into a large bunker which was illuminated by harsh overhead lighting, providing the soldiers' first real look at the turtles. Jazz couldn't fathom their nonchalant attitudes toward them, but wondered if they'd managed to perceive how "different" Bahri and Kamryn were yet.

"We need to break down into factions and _she_ is coming with me." The Major pointed to Jazz.

Talking to the man was inevitable, but she wasn't ready to be singled out. "No!" Jazz held on to Brandon's hand, and he didn't let go of her either. "I'm not going with you."

"Yes, you are," he answered shortly. "It's not up for negotiation." His sweeping gaze traveled over the rest of the family who'd huddled closer together upon his announcement. "You're all going to cooperate and accept being broken down into smaller units along with my men. Three groups to be exact, and don't leave any of the legendaries together."

 _Legendaries? They must have learned about the guys through Lendano! Which explains why they're not flipping out. But it doesn't tell us what they'll do with them._

Jazz resisted the hand of the soldier trying to pull her away from Brandon, and she saw her husband's fists clench for action. It was exactly what she'd wanted to avoid, but the idea of being dragged off to face her father alone activated a panic she didn't anticipate.

"She don't wanna go, Major! Why don't ya lay off?" Raphael suggested with an edge.

"I can have an adult conversation with my daughter if I choose."

"You ain't had nothing to do with her in over twenty years, and now suddenly she's your daughter? Let _her_ choose to talk to you if she wants to!"

"None of you are going to tell me how to proceed. Stand down _now_."

Raphael folded muscular arms, reminding Jazz remarkably of a gladiator. "You got no right."

"I said, stand down!"

"You asked us to cooperate. I'm telling you, if you try and separate us, you'll get the opposite."

At Stewart's nod, two men on either side converged toward the turtle, who did little more than swat both away upon trying to take hold of his arms.

"Up against the wall!" the Major commanded.

"You back off!" the red-masked turtle growled. "Let us be, and you won't have to worry about me."

"I don't intend to worry about you. Get against the wall."

Raphael ignored the order, and refused to break eye contact. "Tell your men to back up, Major. You call them off, or I'll defend my family the best way I know how."

"You will do as _I_ say, and without any more delay!"

The muscular turtle snarled at the semi-circle of guns. The way his frame was poised, Jazz knew he was preparing to strike.

"Last warning, stranger!" Stewart called. "Submit, or we'll take you down by force."

Jazz expected the turtle to explode anyway, but Raphael threw her for a loop. He glanced at his bristling daughter behind him for a long moment, then turned to Mike. The orange-masked turtle met his gaze knowingly, but the woman couldn't decipher what any of it meant. Then Raphael's frame went slack.

"You ain't got no reason to separate us," he continued. "We haven't done anything."

"Get him out here."

Jazz stared wide-eyed while the turtle not only allowed men to get their hands on him, but also snap his wrists into a pair of manacles.

"No one talk!" Raphael yelled while being led from the room. "Don't tell them _anything!_ "

Stewart seemed unaffected by the outburst, but strode toward her to get between Jazz and Brandon. The woman's jaw ground with the power of her fury, but she followed the red-masked turtle's lead in no longer resisting. _Raph has a reason for what he's doing. I've got to go along for the moment too._

The man half-dragged her out of the bunker, down a hall, and straight into a dark office. There she was directed into a desk chair as he turned on a lamp, and proceeded to stand over her like a teacher scolding a student during detention. It was easy to ignore him for a few seconds, but then he opened his mouth.

"What are you doing with _them?_ "

Jazz stared at the floor sullenly, determined not to answer a single word.

"I can't help if you don't let me, Jasmine."

"The only help I need is to get away from you!" she couldn't resist retorting.

"You don't realize the position you've put me in."

"Oh, I put you in this position? I forced you to abduct my family like some Gestapo raid? You did that on your own."

"What are you doing with them?" he repeated.

She closed her mouth angrily and resumed staring at the concrete.

"This will end very badly if you don't tell me what's going on."

A small smirk emerged. "Why should I tell you anything, Major? You've gotten this far on your own. I wanna watch you try and put the pieces together."

"The stakes are so much higher than you and me, Jasmine. Whatever rebellion you're still harboring, this isn't the time to practice it. People's lives are in jeopardy."

"I think I understand that a little better than you."

"Then you've got to tell me, Jasmine."

She shook her head slowly. "No. Not like this. I have nothing to say to you."

The man paced in front of her, visibly troubled. "You're making this so much harder. I could turn you over to the regular authorities. Is that what you want?"

"Turn me over for what? Taking a ride along a country road in the dark? Is that a violation of probation I wasn't aware of?"

"I'm sure you're breaking other conditions."

"You're just dying to send me back to prison, huh? Well, go ahead. I'm not giving you anything."

"Don't do this, Jasmine. Don't let a grudge be the thing that takes us all down."

"A grudge?" She couldn't believe his choice of words. "You're the one living in the past, Major. The only thing I'm concerned about is what you're doing _tonight._ "

Stewart massaged his temples and continued to pace. "What am I supposed to do with you?"

"I don't care what you do with me. But if you want information, you won't get it this way."

The man paused long enough to set down a phone on the desk. Jazz glanced at the device, and back up at him.

"Are you actually giving me a phone call? That'd be generous."

"I think your mother would appreciate hearing from you."

Jazz snorted and leaned back in her chair. "I don't have a mother, or a father. They abandoned me when I needed them most. They believed some lying, wretched, little punks, instead of listening to their own kid. They left me to rot without a word. All I have is my family, and if you hurt them...I may not be a strong person, Major, but somehow I will make you wish you'd never laid eyes on me."

"Do you want to talk about Daystar, Jasmine? Would it make you feel better?"

She gripped the arms of her chair so hard, her knuckles turned white. "Getting away from you would make me feel better!"

"The guilt stays with you to this day, doesn't it?"

Rage surged so strong she nearly jumped out of the chair. Instead, Jazz took a deep, calming breath, and fixed on the man darkly. "The only thing I'm guilty of was making the wrong friends, and being an idiot."

"Can't argue with those charges."

She felt like screaming at him, but it would only feed into his skewed vision of her. "Let me ask you something, Major. Before the incident in college where I was connected with the massive data breach of Daystar, was I in trouble for anything besides dress code violations? Did I shoplift? Do drugs and alcohol? Cheat on tests?" Jazz shook her head. "Not even a ticket. So how did I go from being a nerdy technician with a dramatic sense of style, to ending up in federal prison? Have you ever asked yourself that?"

"You were always acting out, Jasmine."

"I never hurt anyone!" she insisted. "And I still wouldn't."

"The evidence against you suggests otherwise."

"Oh, yes, the evidence," she echoed sarcastically. "It all came together perfectly, didn't it? How often have you seen the pieces align better? And the fact that the others got off for testifying against me? It was the most convenient part about it."

He stared at her for a silent moment. "You didn't cover your tracks very well, Jasmine."

"It's hard to cover tracks when you aren't aware of them."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what you should have figured out years ago! If you'd given me ten minutes of your time, maybe you would have."

"Are you trying to say you were set up? Jasmine, you were still complicit in whatever took place!"

"I was an idiot," she reaffirmed. "But that's the only thing I'll cop to."

The man shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other. "You weren't the one who hacked Daystar?"

"Sure I did, for fun. It was a challenge. I was the unwitting moron who got them in. They did the rest on their own."

"Well, why would you help people like that? You're guilty for their actions as if you pulled the trigger yourself."

"I'm aware of that, Major, and I paid the price for it, along with theirs. If you're finished stating the obvious, I already told you: I don't live in the past anymore."

"Yet you won't speak to your mother?"

"I have nothing to say to her, or you. If you'd allow me make another call to let the rest of our family and my kids know we're okay, I'd take you up on it."

"Your kids?"

She nodded. "Yes – the offspring of two people, who mean more to them than life itself. For some parents, that is. While you're holding us prisoner for no reason, everyone else is sitting at home, probably going out of their minds."

"Why would you leave them then?"

"You're one to talk!" Jazz couldn't quite control her volume that time.

"Where are they? Where are your kids?"

She shifted trembling legs to get to her feet. "You could put a gun to my head, and I still wouldn't tell you."

"If they're in trouble—"

"They're not the ones being held hostage by a sadistic, power-crazed ego-maniac!"

The man glared while stalking forward. "Where are they?"

"They're with our family! You know, the people who've helped look after them and loved them their entire lives. What do you think, I left the kids at home playing with matches and lighter fluid? I'd never let anything happen to them. That's why they're not here."

"Why are _you_ here, Jasmine?"

Her gray eyes hardened. "The giving of answers requires some semblance of respect offered first. Why did you abduct us, other than the turtles not being human?"

"You were fleeing an active crime scene – my assignment!"

"Your 'assignment' are the ones who started this. The turtles don't go out looking for a fight, except when it means defending someone else. Because they feel the need to protect people who aren't even real family. But you wouldn't know anything about that."

"Why did you come here?" The tone of the question came off threatening this time, but Jazz wasn't intimidated.

"I'm not telling you that. When you start treating us better, you'll get a different result."

"That's not how it works, not in my house."

"If you think you can strong-arm this group into doing anything, you're dead wrong. You know nothing about the turtles, regardless of what you learned from Lendano. Those people were worthless pawns. When you're ready to compromise with us, I'll be the first in line to talk. If I believed you were actually on our side, I'd be happy to help. Until then, you're on your own.


	45. Hostile

Bahri felt strangely calm as he gazed into the eyes of the humans' Major. He still experienced concern for the blue-masked terrapin's condition, but also confidence that Donatello and his doctor friends were competent to assist him. Now he was in a separate room with the leader of the strange men who'd taken them, but felt very little fear concerning him.

"You don't seem to grasp the gravity of the situation," the Major was saying. "At the moment, I hold all the power concerning what happens to you. I decide where you go, who knows you exist, and whether or not you get to keep breathing. Does that mean nothing to you?"

The human's frustration was so obvious, Bahri nearly laughed. "How is it that you hold the power while knowing nothing?"

The man slammed the desk with his fist, reminding the elohim of a child throwing a temper tantrum. "I know you don't belong here! I should have turned you over to my superiors already. Bet you'd love what they'd do to you."

"It does not matter what you do, human."

William chuckled. "You say that now, but you've got no clue."

"You are wrong, Major. Earthlings' preferred methods for torture are widely publicized. I am aware of the various techniques you might use to 'make me talk' and of the possibility another department of your government would prefer to dissect me. At this point, it honestly will not make a difference. You cannot hurt me worse than I already have been. If you release me from this body, you would be doing me a favor."

William's brow creased in confusion. "Everyone will take orders from the legendary who told you not to talk?"

"I _will_ take orders from any of the terrapins, Major, because most of the time, I have found them to be correct. In this case, Raphael definitely is. If you are willing to treat us less like prisoners and more as allies, I would agree to work together with you. But until then, your attempts to extract information from me will fail."

"I can come up with something you haven't heard of," he threatened.

Bahri rose to his full height and gazed down at the man. "I have endured far worse torture than anything you can conceive, Major, and still chosen not to speak. You are wasting your breath."

"I could be your friend if you let me. I am not trying to start an interplanetary war. I'm attempting to avoid one! Doesn't that seem like a good idea to you?"

"It sounds like an impossible dream, human."

The barrel of a handgun shook while it pointed at his face. "If you want to be released from your body so badly, I could do it right now."

"Go ahead," he said softly. "It would not bother me one bit."

"And what about the others? Do you want them dead too?"

The elohim tried not to falter outwardly. "I cannot agree to do anything for their sake alone. I do not trust you, Major, and therefore will not take your word as a promise."

"What am I supposed to DO with you?"

Bahri had rarely seen such exasperation in another living being. "You are the one who took us. If you did not bother to think this plan through, how is it my fault?"

"I need to understand what's happening. I want to know _what_ that storm was, and how they did any of it!"

"I will not repeat myself continually, Major. If you remain hostile, so will I."

The man's face was turning a peculiar shade of red, and his gun hand trembled harder. For a few seconds, Bahri thought he might shoot him after all.

"I'm not through with you!" he declared.

"I can see that, human, but you may wish to step outside and calm down, before you take action which you cannot repair. Or, if you are so inclined to kill me, I am ready to die. The choice lies with you."

William cursed him with some of the most interesting descriptors Bahri had ever heard, and flounced out of the room.

The elohim sank into his chair, mind spinning with uncertainty. While it was true the Major hadn't succeeded in unnerving him, he was still troubled by the storm that had occurred, and most amazingly, the ending. _I should simply be grateful my friends are alive, and yet...I cannot make any sense of the ways of El._

There was no natural explanation for the power which had miraculously broken up the Vagari's storm. Their technology had long been perfected. Although Bahri had never seen one of their elemental disperers up close, he was aware of their rate of success in other star systems. _I cannot fathom any reason for such catastrophic failure, other than divine intervention. But what is the point?_

Bahri gazed at the ceiling, stubbornness washing over him. _I do not understand you, El. Not one bit. You are all powerful, and also loving. I have seen your actions in the past, and I know You are good. You tell us to ask You for things, and encourage us to cry out when we are in trouble. I saw Your mighty deliverance in the_ _past. I could not deny it, even if I wanted to. We witnessed Your hand this very evening. We were trapped with no way out, and You rescued us._

 _And yet, You did nothing on Zuhur? Lifted not one finger to assist the Nalikjan, my own people who have gratefully served You for years? What is the meaning behind it? Why do You sometimes help when called upon, or surprise us when we do not expect it? But other times You seem utterly unreliable, as if You cannot be bothered with what we are facing?_

 _I acknowledge this is my misunderstanding, but would You help me grasp the answer? Help me know what the trick is to acquiring Your help when it is needed? For I cannot understand why You are so ready to respond at some points, but completely abandon us on other occasions. I want to believe You are doing what is best. But why would You tell us to call out to You, if You never meant to do anything?_

Bahri broke away from contemplation, neither hearing nor feeling anything in return for the questions. _I am clearly not worth Your time. But if you care about the terrapins like I think You do, we still very much need Your help._

* * *

Raphael was tired, annoyed, and angry. The combination could prove absolutely deadly, but the little peon standing over him didn't seem to have a freaking clue. In the beginning, he'd tried to ignore the fresh-faced twenty-something ginger, but the current smug smile the kid was directing down at him was testing the turtle's willpower.

"Do you think anyone cares if you don't talk? You're not hurting us – only yourselves."

 _He's not there. I can act like he don't exist. Just look right through him like a ghost. Guy can't bother me at all._

"You're the one who should be worried. What do you think will happen when my Major turns you over to _his_ boss? It's not gonna be pretty."

 _I hear nothin', only a stupid insect buzzing around my head. I could swat the thing, but I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing how irritating he is._

"Have you pictured what it might be like to become one of the science experiments of your nightmares? It could happen. It _will_ happen, if you don't give us a reason not to hand you over. Nobody knows you're here – yet. That could change with a phone call. One little phone call, and all the scalpels come out."

 _Focus. He doesn't matter. Only a dumb guy running his mouth. He ain't in charge. Trying to intimidate me, but it won't work. I'm better than him._

"Maybe they'll strap you down next to your kid. At least you'd get to be together one last time."

All rational thought left the red-masked turtle in the blink of an eye. He lashed out with his foot to hook around the ankle of his tormentor, who went crashing to the floor. Raphael was immediately on top of him, and the length of chain connecting his manacles was around the soldier's throat. He applied the appropriate amount of pressure to make his point.

"Let's get something straight, ya arrogant little bastard. In case you can't tell by the giant shell on my back, I ain't a normal person. I coulda taken you down a hundred different times already, but I didn't. Mostly 'cause my bro is hurt bad, and your guys are letting us help him. But also because our kids and allies, they already wanna fight you! They're just waiting for _us_ to do something first. Showing you what we're made of would be really satisfying, but the chance of one of our people getting shot or killed in the process is too high. That's not a price any of us want to pay."

Raphael heard rapid footsteps, and glared up at another gunman who'd entered the room. Wide brown eyes stared at him in apprehension, but the soldier didn't advance, so the turtle focused on the guy he was currently manhandling.

"I could kill you now with a flick of my wrist, but I don't wanna get blood on my hands. I'd rather you walk out of this room, go find your commander, and tell him we need to talk. And the next time we come face to face, you're gonna show me a little respect, aren't you? _Aren't you?_ "

He retracted the chain from the young man, who nodded with difficulty in response. Raphael rose to his feet, dragging the soldier with him. "Then get out of here. Go!"

The man tripped over his own feet in his haste to exit the room.

The turtle turned to the remaining gunman. "Got anything to say, Junior? You want some of this?"

"N-no, I don't," he stammered.

"Then point that thing somewhere else and stay the shell away from me. If I wanted to kill someone, I had my shot. But I didn't do it."

The soldier shook his head.

"Go wait outside for your Major. I don't wanna look at you either."

"O-okay."

Raphael felt a small sense of triumph watching him leave. _We might have had to surrender, but I'm done rolling over._

* * *

Stewart was ready for a fight when he stomped down the south corridor. His face darkened when he saw his man standing _outside_ the interview room. "Campbell, what are you doing?"

"Waiting for you, Major."

"You were told to cover the prisoner himself. Or would you prefer to simply let him go, since you were unwilling to shoot the turtle even when he strangled your comrade?"

 _That_ made Campbell fall back a step. "My apologies, sir, but I didn't believe he would kill him. Burrall told me about the car, Major. He said that one saved their lives."

"So he gets a pass to do whatever he wants, is that it, Campbell?"

"No, sir, but I thought...um..."

"What? What did you think, soldier? I'm listening."

"That you should hear him out!" the man blurted suddenly.

William's anger was nearly savage by that point, but he didn't lay a hand on Campbell. "You're relieved. I'll call for my own back up. I want you in your quarters, and I'll address this further later."

"Yes, sir."

Stewart walked into the holding room, and found the legendary seated at the table expectantly.

"Nice of ya to show up," the turtle said coolly.

The man stared at the calm and collected creature suspiciously before taking the seat across from him. "I don't like it when people threaten my men."

Raphael crossed his arms. "I don't like being separated from my family, or locked up like a criminal."

"You weren't locked up until you started behaving like an animal."

"Treat me like one, and that's what you'll get, Major. I didn't lose it until you insisted on splitting us up."

"There are too many of you!" Will threw up his hands in irritation. "Containing everyone in one place is problematic."

"There ain't no reason for you to 'contain' us at all!"

"I can't release any of you. I have reason to believe there is an imminent threat to my planet, and you're connected somehow. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"It's our planet too!"

"Then help me save it!" William extended a hand across the table, hoping the turtle could be reasoned with.

Raphael's face softened a little, but he shook his head. "I can't. Not under these conditions."

"You'd rather let everything play out? See billions of people die? My daughter thinks you care about people more than that."

"We do. Which is why we surrendered to you at the start, instead of kicking your tails into the next century like we _could_ have."

"What were you doing there? What happened with Lendano?"

"Would you get with it, man? Lendano ain't the problem!"

"I know that, but you won't tell me anything else! I thought we could start somewhere we're both familiar with."

"Something tells me you don't even know _them_ like ya thought you did."

Stewart took a deep breath and folded his hands on the tabletop. "If you won't help us, there's no reason for you to be here. I'll do what I probably should have done hours ago, and call in to my superiors."

"Do what you gotta do, Major, but our minds are made up. You'll get information when you stop treating us like prisoners of war."

"And the fact that I could have you destroyed with a single word, _all_ of you, that doesn't mean anything?"

Amber eyes honed in on him with sudden intensity. "Major, this ain't our first rodeo. Out of the people you kidnapped tonight, my genius brother's kid is the only one who hasn't been through this before. I've stared death in the face, and been threatened by too many evil bastards to give a flying flip about anything you're saying. You wanna call somebody? Do it. But it's not gonna open my mouth, or anyone else's."

"You'd let that happen to your children?"

"Man, I can't stop you either way!" he exploded. "Even if we told you everything, it doesn't mean you won't turn back around and sell our shells out."

"Then how are we supposed to proceed? I can't trust you, and you won't trust me either. Are we at an impasse?"

The turtle shrugged. "It's your show, Major. You brought us here. What do you wanna do?"

"I want to nip a potential threat in the bud before it has a chance to get any bigger!"

"Sounds reasonable, but it don't explain where me and my family factor in."

"If that woman was telling the truth, it sounds like you're vital to whoever this alien race is."

"So vital, they almost killed everyone in their attempt to cut us off," he retorted sarcastically.

"Then they _were_ behind the weird storm?"

Raphael shut his mouth for an instant. "We could go back and forth a few more hours, but you look tired, Major. Honestly, I am too. So I'll tell ya one more time, and I won't say it again. If you want something out of us, the price is keeping the family together. You already know we don't wanna get anyone killed, so we ain't gonna fight you. Because of that, you have a better shot of controlling us in one place than you do separately."

Will wanted to object, but the truth behind the statement hit him between the eyes. _Every time they had an opportunity to run tonight, they didn't. I still wouldn't trust this one any further than I can throw him, but in an odd way...I know he's telling the truth. If we control their friends, their "family", then we control them._

"If I take you back to them, I still won't allow the manacles to come off," he warned. "You've demonstrated a tendency toward violence."

"I don't really care. Let us stay together, give me the chance to see my older brother, and I won't fight you."

"Your older brother? Is he the one who was shot?"

Raphael nodded.

"I might arrange that, if you can talk Jasmine into getting looked at. She won't listen to me – never has."

The turtle scowled. "It's hard to listen to somebody when they ain't _there_ , Major."

"She made her own choices."

"She made some mistakes," he acknowledged. "Jazz was still your kid."

"Will you talk to her?"

"I will, but I'm sure I don't need to. Once Leo's stable, our docs will come searching for her and Brandon on their own. They don't let anyone off the hook."

"Brandon..the one she's been clinging to?"

"He's her husband," the turtle said flatly. "And if I were you, I wouldn't piss him off."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"No, Major, it's a warning. You picked quite a group to hijack tonight, and you don't know what you've gotten yourself into. Sooner or later, you're gonna learn."


	46. Reunited

***Been a while since we checked in with the _other_ set of captives. I won't keep you in suspense. **

* * *

"On your feet."

Charlotte stared up at the winged creature standing over her. _He has got to be joking._ But the way the vagari prodded her side with a firm hand indicated the alien actually wanted the purple-masked turtle to get up. She summoned her strength to rise, but it took several seconds to maneuver her legs over the side of the bed. Her head punished her for the movement, pounding harder for every second she was upright.

"We have finally found something to wear you out, haven't we, terrapin?"

The gloating green eyes of her captor made Charlotte want to punch him. At the moment, it was all she could do to glare.

"I believe I like you more this way," he told her. "Now get up. It's time to go."

"Go where?" She didn't really care where the thing was taking her; Charlotte was only stalling for more time, so she wouldn't fall on her face in front of him.

"Does where matter?" He caught her by the lip of her shell and lifted her from the bed like a toy. The alien dropped Charlotte on her feet, and she barely kept her balance. "Walking will do you some good."

"I'm sure that's your only goal," she retorted.

"We have given you sufficient opportunity to rest, especially for one of your 'special' stature. Hold out your hands, terrapin."

"For what?'

Instead of waiting for her to comply, he caught both her wrists in an iron grip and applied a set of shackles.

"Are you kidding?"

"The energy binder has proven to be ineffective with you, young one. I'm required to control you in some fashion."

Charlotte blinked at the blurry image of her captor. "I'm hardly able to put up a fight."

"I would like to keep it that way. It's time to go."

He spun her in the direction of the door; a dangerous action for her sensitive equilibrium. The teen's knees buckled, and the alien seized her arm to drag her up straight. The brute pulled her toward the door, which automatically hissed open upon his approach.

Charlotte fleetingly wondered if the door would open for _anyone_ that easily, but knew the answer a moment later when a soft glow emanated from the lavender crystal on his wrist. _It didn't appear he had to touch anything. It must transmit a signal which communicates with their network. That'd make something like passwords a relic. But would it work for anyone? If a random person, or turtle, got their hands on a wristband, would they get through as easily? There has to be more to it..._

"Always thinking, aren't you?"

Charlotte turned her head to the alien guiding her. "If you were in my shoes, you'd have a lot of time for thinking too."

"An escape attempt wouldn't bode well for you, terrapin." The statement sounded bored rather than threatening. "There is nowhere for you to go. Even if you overpowered me by some miracle, it wouldn't matter. No one may use such crystal, except for the owner." He tapped the band on his wrist, clearly aware she'd been studying it. "I find it unnecessary to explain the bio-mechanics, since it would be completely over your head."

"You might be surprised what I can understand."

"Your kind were not selected for intellect, terrapin. Keep your mouth shut, and focus on moving."

Every step was ponderous, as her weight seemed ten-times heavier than normal. The only thing lending strength to her limbs was the pride which refused to allow the arrogant alien to watch her fail. _Bet he doesn't think I can make it wherever he's taking me. He's wrong._

Charlotte lifted her head erect and threw back her shoulders. Dizziness still came in crashing waves, but concentrating on where she placed each foot seemed to help steady her. When she was able to maintain a stride, the teen caught his scowl out of the corner of her eye. The turtle was tempted to perform a pirouette just to irritate the alien, but the danger of falling was still too great.

Although watching where she was going was crucial for the activity, her gaze was drawn to the light beating in through a glass wall lining the opposite end of the corridor. On the other side of the clear exposure lay a vast body of turquoise water. It sparkled under the brilliance of two stars, one of which was unnaturally large.

 _That sun looks strange to me, but there's no telling what's normal for them. I wonder if it's always been huge, or if their star is entering a red giant phase. Asking him any questions would probably be a waste of time._

"Don't get used to the view." The alien drew her closer to his side with a sharp jerk. "You will not be seeing it again."

"Why? You'd rather hide me away in the dark?"

"We will not be here much longer, terrapin. We have another journey to take."

"Through space?" The idea gave the young turtle chills on top of how cold she already felt.

"We have somewhere to go, which requires crossing a vast distance. So you see, terrapin, why it's foolish to search for some way out. It doesn't exist. You are wasting what little energy you yet possess."

Her brow creased without meaning to.

"I think that would be fairly obvious, if you had any brain cells to speak of."

Charlotte stopped short, fixing on the alien. "We were outnumbered, and you still didn't win. I can't speak for myself, but my cousins were smart enough to get away from your kind, weren't they?"

"Not all of them," he answered casually.

Her heart skipped a beat. Having not seen or heard anything about the others, Charlotte honestly hoped she was the only one present. "Who? Who do you have?"

His push almost succeeded in knocking her over. "Move, terrapin."

Charlotte shuffled forward, mind now racing with the possibilities of who else the aliens abducted, and what they'd been doing with them. The heavy hand which landed on her shell made it harder to continue in a straight line, and uncomfortable because of the intrusive contact.

She was determined not to let her captor know it bothered her, but resisting the urge to glare at him was difficult. Almost as challenging as walking with such combined weakness and dizziness. The hall around her was becoming a blur to hampered vision again, but another voice brought her up short.

"Safyni – Varij."

The words sounded like a title, but her captor left no opportunity for her understand him. Her "guardian" conversed with the other alien in their own wretched tongue, while hooking an arm through Charlotte's to guide her through another doorway.

The room they entered was dim, but lights brightened upon their arrival. The rapid shift between light and darkness proved tricky for distorted vision to process.

"Charlotte!"

The cry of a familiar voice made her jerk, but she couldn't break the alien's grip. He grabbed her around the midsection and set her in a chair. Then he ran a length of chain through her shackles which connected it to the floor, effectively pinning her in the seated position.

"Don't make yourselves comfortable, terrapins," the alien informed them. "We will be leaving shortly."

Charlotte didn't glance at her departing captor; she was too busy trying to locate the owner of the voice. "Tim! Where are you?" Phasing vision still struggled to compensate for hazy lights, and desperation didn't help matters.

"Over here!" He sounded breathless but relieved. "I'm here, Charlie. What did they do with you? Are you okay?"

She twisted her neck to the side until she spotted her blue-masked cousin in the furthest corner. "I'm all right," she returned uncertainly. "I'm not sure what they did, but I know they took a lot of blood. I haven't quite recovered from it. Are _you_ okay? Are you stuck over there?"

"After a fashion," he said angrily. "Stupid band. I've barely been able to move."

"Oh...yeah. That thing doesn't work on me. Well, it did at first, but after a while..."

"You adapted," he finished knowingly. "Wish I could do that."

Charlotte snorted. "You'd be no better off, as you can see." She tugged on chains to illustrate the point. "Tim, have you been around anyone else?"

"No, Charlie. They didn't get them."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. You're the only one I've felt."

She accepted his assessment without any more questions. "Have they said where they're taking us? Or who they are?"

"No, but something the first alien on the ship told me...Charlie, I think they're connected to the guys who took our dads _before_."

"Why? What did he say? How do you know?"

"When I asked where we were, he said I wouldn't understand...but my dad would. Charlotte, it could be the same people."

"But...they lost," she faltered. "It doesn't make any sense."

"They know things about us, Charlie. Stuff they shouldn't. Why do you think they were taking so much blood from you? They didn't do that to me."

The female trembled. "What _did_ they do to you? Are you sure you're all right?"

Tim growled. "I'm not sure of anything, except that they didn't catch the others. It means we've got a shot."

"A shot for what?" She hated what her captor had pointed out, but his logic was unassailable. "We're pretty stuck here, Tim."

"Betcha our dads felt stuck too. But they found a way, didn't they?"

"You think they could find a way wherever _here_ is? Or wherever we end up, since it sounds like we're moving again."

Tim didn't answer for a long moment. "I don't know. In my mind, we could be better off trying to save ourselves. But we're light years away from attempting anything," he added hastily.

Charlotte didn't understand why he said it, until she suddenly realized they were probably under surveillance as they spoke. She wanted to ask more questions, but the mere knowledge they were possibly being listened to made the female clam up. The silence persisted a few more seconds, until she detected movement and noticed Tim straightening against the wall for support.

"We're both alive, so that's good enough for now, Charlie. At least we're together, if nothing else. I wish they didn't have you, but it feels better to be with someone I know. That's probably selfish."

"No. I feel better for seeing you too, Tim. But I wish neither of us were here." She slumped forward slightly, the weight of her chains proving a little more than she could currently bear.

"Charlotte, you don't look so great."

"Don't feel great either. But I'll be all right. Experience tells me how fast the red blood cells can regenerate. If these rotten aliens will let them."

"They'll stop – they have to," Tim insisted. "Charlie, you've got to let them see they're hurting you. Don't try to be tough, or they'll keep taking more!"

She gritted her teeth at the thought of bowing to her handler, but she couldn't argue with her cousin. It wasn't worth dying just to save face. Charlotte craned her neck Tim's direction again. "And you really think they're the same ones who had our dads? They never described wings like those."

"Some of them had wings," he corrected. "Your dad said they _all_ used to back in the day. Remember?"

"Vaguely. It's been a while since any of those stories were addressed. Have you seen a single one of these aliens without them?"

"No, but that came down to their selective genetic crap. They cut out the wings, because most of them didn't want them anymore."

"Then why do these ones have them?"

"Shell if I know, Charlie. I'm only thinking out loud."

She averted her gaze to the floor. "What'd they do with you?"

"I don't know, because I was out for most of it. When I woke up, they were drawing off a vial of blood, but only the one. They didn't hurt me."

"They haven't technically hurt me either, with the exception of the anemia," she mumbled.

"Don't be tough," he repeated. "Don't encourage them to be hard on you."

"Do you know how difficult that is?"

"I think I can imagine, but I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," she said quickly. "We're in this together. Whatever happens."

The blue-masked turtle drew his legs up to his chest and draped his arms over them. "I don't want to accept it. I know my dad wouldn't. But what else can we do?"

She detected the resignation in his tone, and _almost_ believed her cousin. The gleam in his eye told her otherwise, however, and Charlotte nodded that she'd play along. _Okay. I can do this. I can pretend to give in. Act like there's no hope. I can cower a little too. Just enough to make them believe we'll cooperate and do whatever they say. When the time's right...we'll get our freedom back._

"We can't escape," she added. "And even if we could, there's nowhere to go. We'd be as good as dead if we got away right now."

"So we're agreed? We won't resist any of these people?"

"No, I won't, Tim."

"I won't either. There are worse things than being captives, right? Let's not give them a reason to get more violent."

She nodded, and instantly regretted it for the way her vision doubled. "Honestly, I...Tim, I'm not good." It felt like a monumental confession. While she'd fought dizziness the entire way to the room, the sensation was now overpowering.

"Hey. Look at me!" The urgency in her cousin's voice caused her to lift her head, but her upper body sagged dangerously.

"I'm really tired, Tim."

"Charlie? Charlotte!"

His voice was either getting further away, or she was. Charlotte wasn't sure at that point, but she embraced weariness like a blanket, allowing darkness to claim her.

* * *

The next thing the purple-masked turtle was aware of were fingers probing her wrist and then her neck, searching for something insistently. Through half-closed lids, she watched the blurry figures on either side of her. The aliens' words were garbled, but there was a good chance she wouldn't have understood them either way. Charlotte sensed something in front of her face, but didn't react to it.

Leaden eyes were naturally inclined to close, but from the prodding hands on her shoulders, it seemed they wanted her awake. _That's too bad for them._ As they slipped shut, she felt arms close around her frame, and knew someone was lifting her. Charlotte was aware of raised voices, but they were fairly easy to tune out.

Hovering on the edge of darkness and light felt like being inside of a dream. _A dream I can control, because I'm aware of it. I can conjure up a way out, hope for the both of us. It wouldn't be that hard. I can travel anywhere..._

At that moment, she felt more freedom than she could ever remember. It would be simple to vacate her heavy body in search of something much lighter. In her mind's eye, the cosmos came sharper into view while the voices around her failed. The vast darkness of space was alive and vibrant with colors she'd never laid eyes on before. What should have been a vacuum made her feel completely alive.

The lack of oxygen didn't seem to matter, and no space ship was necessary to navigate the uncharted regions. She could soar endlessly through it all without fear, or anything else holding her back. The peace illuminated every part of her mind, and warmed her spirit from the inside out. Charlotte felt she could fly forever, and be quite happy doing it.

 _"Charlotte!"_

One word had the power to bring her crashing back down, and startle her out of the ultimate fantasy. With some disappointment, Charlotte relinquished to the tethers looping around her arms, dragging her backwards. With one last look at the adventure she was abandoning, her chest shuddered with a deep breath of oxygen, filling starved lungs she'd somehow chosen not to acknowledge.

"Charlie?"

She took a couple more breaths before opening her eyes halfway again.

"Don't go," the familiar green blur pleaded.

With an irritated grimace, she sighed. "I won't."


	47. Message

Marcus snuck a glance of the armed soldier by the door, then turned back to the blue-masked turtle. The dark-haired man was tired, but he wasn't tempted to try sleeping with an army crony hanging over his shoulder. No one had made an attempt to interfere in Leonardo's treatment, but that didn't help the doctor trust them. _Particularly the one guarding the exit like we're about to make a break for it._

The sudden vibration of the nearby medical scanner caused Marc to jump. He looked to the door slowly once more, and then casually picked up the machine. _Nothing unusual going on here. Don't pay any attention to me. If these guys find out we can establish contact with the device, they'd never let us touch it again._

Marcus held his breath while he opened the messenger program that enabled the various versions of their scanners to communicate. He wasn't entirely sure _what_ Donny had sent to Caleb about forty minutes earlier, since it had been entirely in Japanese. _And of course, the reply followed suit. I'll have to get it back in Don's hands when I see him again. At least the family won't have to wonder if we're dead. I don't know how we'll end up, but I'd rather not think about it right now._

He sent a worried glance to their guard, paranoid he would somehow know they'd spoken with the outside, but the man looked about as tired as _he_ felt. _If I could just get Donny back here...or any of them actually. Wonder if I can make some excuse to have them bring Nate-_

"Marc?"

The man's head jerked around at the mention of his name, and he looked down at Leonardo. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

The turtle carefully propped himself up on both elbows. "Okay, I think. Where are we?"

"Some army outpost," he told him apologetically.

Leo made a face. "Great. Are all our people still breathing?"

Marcus nodded. "Your brothers didn't resist, so everyone went along with them."

Leonardo's brow creased with annoyance. "Was Kamryn hit? Is she all right?"

"She's fine, Leo. Thanks to you, I'm sure. Kamryn was extremely concerned and apologetic."

"I'm just glad she wasn't shot. Nobody else injured?"

"Well...I can't say that exactly. The wreck produced a few injuries on our side, though nothing life-threatening."

"Yeah...now I remember hearing it. Who's hurt?"

"Jazz and Brandon were minor...only a few contusions, abrasions. Nate broke his left hand, but that happened in the aftermath. Their driver was stuck, car was on fire...he did what he had to in order to get him out."

The turtle cursed under his breath. "You sure he's okay otherwise?"

"He avoided his dominant hand on purpose. The Major allowed us to treat him as well as you without butting in. Good thing too, because if anyone _had_ interfered...you probably wouldn't have any medical staff left. I'm positive I can't take these people in a fight, but they've already pushed us too far."

Leo muttered something else which Marc couldn't hear. "You can say that again. If there weren't so many of them, it would be different."

"If the rest of us weren't here, you mean," Marcus corrected. "I know we're the reason you didn't fight back."

"They could have shot us whether you were there or not."

"But that's not the reason you surrendered."

Leonardo shrugged. "The best nights are when no one dies."

"I agree with you, but I'm nervous about what they're going to do next."

"Have anyone said what they want from us?"

"Not exactly. They want information, of course, but no one's talking."

"Bet that's gone over well."

"There are a lot of threats taking place, but I don't think anything's been carried out yet."

"Hey, Marc, do you mind if I sit up?"

The man gazed at him pensively. "I'd prefer you didn't, but judging from your vital signs...You're already doing better than you ought to be."

"Bet I know where the blood came from."

"Yeah. The twins with their fancy DNA are taking the drama out of medical emergencies."

"I could fake some complications if it'd make you feel better."

"I'm not _that_ bored, Leo."

The turtle shifted upright slowly. "Where are the others?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I heard one of those guys say the Major was going to address them together. Don and Luke were pulled out of here about twenty minutes ago. I was supposed to go too, but we weren't going to leave you alone with one of them." Marcus nodded toward the soldier at the door.

"If he's addressing everyone, we should be there."

"Leo, you are not going anywhere," he said sternly. "It doesn't matter how much better you feel; there were two bullets inside you, a significant hole in your side, and a close call on your neck. Shot came close enough to leave burns, and maybe some nerve damage."

Leonardo started to reach for the gauze-covered portion of his throat, and the doctor caught his wrist.

"Stop that. And you're not getting up." He leaned closer to the turtle so he could speak softer. "I don't care how miraculous their blood is. Any kind of jaunt could reopen your side. You're staying put."

"Could you ask the Major to come to _me_ then? If there's going to be an ultimatum, I want to hear it."

Marc crossed his arms. "There's a rule about getting shot, you know. It means you have to take the rest of the night off."

"It doesn't sound like we have time for that. And what about the Vagari? If they had drones following us, they probably know we're here!"

Marc's hands dropped to his side. "I'm not sure if they could have. Something happened out there, Leo. It seemed like they already had us right where they wanted us."

"What do you mean? I remember a strong storm, but...It's fuzzy."

Marc snuck another look at the soldier, then bent over Leo again. "It wasn't a storm – at least, not a natural one. I rode next to Bahri on the way here. He told me the Vagari caused it, using something called an elemental disperser. Apparently, it's one of the reasons they don't usually need to invade the planets they attack."

Leo clenched his jaw, then sighed. "Wonderful to hear. So how did we get away?"

Marcus shook his head. "We didn't. Something blew their storm up from the inside."

"Something?"

"Leo, I can't explain what happened. All we saw was this light building and expanding inside the clouds, until it appeared to rip the funnel right in half."

"Did Bahri say if it'd ever happened before? Is it possible for their storms to collapse on themselves?"

"He attributed it to another form of power."

Leo's eyes widened. "Could you be any more specific?"

"He spoke of the sandstorm you guys flew into on Zuhur."

Leonardo nodded. "You've heard the story."

"Right. Bahri is under the impression that El...intervened."

The turtle rubbed his arms like he'd caught a sudden chill. "Wouldn't be the first time. It probably sounds crazy, but I would tend to believe him."

"I believe him too. But what next? We don't know if the message got through, and now we're basically prisoners of the military. I'd ask if you have a few bright ideas, but I don't want you trying to implement anything yet."

"Thinking doesn't require moving, Marc. But I would like to talk to the Major about contacting our family, so they don't go crazy in the meantime."

Marcus could have smacked himself for not remembering sooner. He grabbed the scanner, and crouched at Leonardo's level. "Don already sent a message," he whispered. "In Japanese. And someone answered the same way."

"Did he see it?" Leo hissed.

"No, it only came through a couple minutes ago. Your brother patched it out a little while before they collected them."

"Let me have it!" the turtle urged softly.

Marcus used his body to block the view of the soldier while giving him the device. "What did he tell them?"

"He said that we weren't positive if the transmission got through...We're all alive...but we're in the hands of Green Berets? Is that who these people are?"

Marcus nodded.

"He also asked them not to try anything yet."

"And what did _they_ say?"

"Sayuri interpreted. She said they agreed not to move openly, but mentioned their concern. Victoria is researching options."

"What is it you're discussing exactly?"

A voice nearby made both of them cringe. Marcus glanced up to meet not the soldier who'd been watching them, but the higher officer who had escorted Luke and Don away earlier.

"I was showing him something," Marcus retorted defensively. "He wanted to see exactly how close the bullet came to killing him."

"Uh huh." The Captain was unimpressed. "You want to know something interesting? Our firewall picked up a transmission over half an hour ago. We've been searching for the source, but when another one came through, it narrowed the sector down quicker. Let me see the machine."

The doctor willingly released it, but couldn't repress a smile when the screen went dark in the officer's hands. "It's biometric. If you're not an approved user, it shuts down."

"You're going to show me how it works."

"I'd rather not."

"Then you can come with me and explain it to my Major."

Marcus straightened with a defiant scowl. "I don't have to show him either."

"I'll let you tell him that."

The doctor felt a sense of panic rising when the soldier took him by the arm, but it dissipated after a couple seconds. "I'll have no problem doing it."

"Wait a minute!" Leonardo called after them. "I'm coming too."

"No you're not, Leo!"

"I need to be there, Marc."

"Don't make me sic Doc or your brother on you!" At the same time as Marcus tried to force the turtle to stay down by persuasion alone, the soldier was pulling _him_ toward the door. "Would you lay off for a minute?" he demanded of the man. "Leonardo shouldn't be exerting himself."

"Do you have a wheelchair?" Leo inserted.

Marc's new handler and the man at the door exchanged a look.

"I seem to remember seeing one," the original soldier noted.

"Could you find it in yourself to help me?" the turtle requested. "If your Major is meeting with everyone, I need to be there."

The officer huffed impatiently. "Why is it so important exactly?"

"Because I'm _their_ leader," he explained. "The conversation will probably go smoother if I'm present, and quite frankly, I don't want to be left in the dark."

Gunman looked to his Officer for consent. "Captain?"

"Do it," the man allowed.

"Would you _please_ be careful with him?" Marcus pleaded. "This could wait, Leo. It isn't necessary!"

"If he says he's up for it, you don't have much right to tell him what to do."

Marc scoffed angrily. "They could experience a nuclear holocaust, and would still be fighting to stand on their own two feet!"

"It's really not your business, Doctor."

"Everything that happens to them is my business. If he gets hurt, I'm holding you responsible!"

"Now that you're sufficiently 'frightened' me, weren't we going to pay the Major a visit?"

Marcus swallowed inwardly. _I can't let them into the scanner, no matter what it takes. I won't risk revealing medical information they shouldn't see. Whatever that means for me in the long run...I'll have to deal with it._

* * *

Leonardo wasn't crazy about being wheeled into a meeting where he needed to leave a lasting impression, but it was better than being left out entirely. The space into which he'd been brought was mostly empty, but for several chairs which weren't being used.

The blue-masked turtle made a quick head count to verify everyone was accounted for, but his eyes narrowed when he noted Raphael in irons. From the family's reaction to his arrival, it was clear he hadn't been expected.

"What are you doing?" Luke stalked to the man pushing him.

"Exactly what he requested," the soldier answered coolly.

"Doc, take it easy," Leonardo told him. "I didn't want to miss this."

"You don't get to make those types of decisions after suffering massive trauma!"

"I'm fine," he answered distractedly, while searching out the extra set of gray eyes in the room. "Major. Why is my brother in those things?"

"Leo, let it go," Raphael spoke up before the man could. "I'm here, and that's what matters."

"Your brother behaved in a violent fashion, and indicated an unwillingness to comply," Stewart added heatedly.

The oldest turtle shook his head. "Gee, I wonder why."

"They didn't hurt me, Leo," Raph assured him. "Seriously – it'll be okay."

Leonardo stared at his brother for a long moment, trying to get a read on his true state of mind. Raphael felt much calmer than he'd anticipated. The situation irked the blue-masked turtle, but he couldn't very well throw a fit when they needed to talk like civilized people. "All right. Do you want to get on with this, Major?"

The man was studying him like he'd survived jumping off a ten-story building.

Leonardo sighed in exasperation. "What?"

"You look pretty good for being shot multiple times. I'm well-versed in this type of injury."

"Not when you're dealing with my kind," he replied evasively. _And yeah, that's all you're getting out of me._

"I wanted to start a few minutes ago, but we have a problem to deal with first. An unauthorized transmission."

"What does it have to do with us?" Leo bluffed.

The Major didn't acknowledge the lie. "Bring me the machine, Captain Fleisburg."

"You'll have to get one of them to turn it on, sir. It has built in safety features." He pulled Marcus forward with him, and directed a glare at the doctor. "You want to refuse to his face? Now's your chance."

"I'm sorry – we don't give out sensitive data to strangers, especially the ones who point guns at our heads and lock us up for no reason," Marc reiterated.

"You _will_ show me what's on the machine," Stewart ordered.

"No, Major, I won't."

"Would you rather disappear for good?"

"You'll probably do that anyway, so...I'm not going to help you."

Stewart looked frustrated, but recovered quickly. "Take him to the hole. He obviously doesn't want any part of compromise."

"No, don't!" Donatello put himself between the dark-haired doctor and the Major. "He didn't do it. I did."

"You did what?" Stewart's voice lowered dangerously.

"I sent the message to our family."

"Show me!"

The purple-masked turtle took the scanner from the Captain's outstretched hand, and brought it over to Stewart.

"What language is this?"

"Japanese."

"You thought that would keep us from deciphering it?"

"No, sir. Only figured it would slow you down."

"Tolnitch." The Major beckoned a young man with a dark blond buzz cut. "Translation please?"

The soldier glanced over Don's shoulder, transmitting characters into his tablet. A few moments later, he cleared his throat. "He said they weren't positive if the communication got through...but everyone is alive. Taken by Green Berets while attempting to flee. Asked the family not to do anything in response."

"Is that another message?"

Donny nodded. "Their reply."

"Tolnitch?"

"They expressed distress, but agreed not to make any moves...except someone named Victoria is starting to look at options?"

"Who's Victoria?" the Major pressed.

Donatello snorted. " _That's_ the first question to pop into your head?"

"You don't get how serious things are," the man said sharply. "I was already this close to calling you lot in, and now I _have_ to!"

Don wasn't intimidated. "Why? Because I told our family we were all right? These are wives, children, grandparents and friends we're talking about. They _knew_ we were in tremendous danger tonight. Thanks to you, we had no opportunity to tell them we're okay."

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for you? The families of our men and women overseas go weeks or _months_ without information."

The purple-masked turtle pulled his scanner close, so the screen was no longer visible. "We are not soldiers. We didn't sign up for your army. And I don't take orders from _you_."

"As of this moment, you do _._ "

"No, Major. You can lock us up, threaten us, and kill us. But you can't tell me not to communicate with my family when I have the chance. Especially when I'm only telling them not to react!"

"We _will_ turn you over to my superiors," Stewart affirmed.

"You might want to consider that a little longer before you do," Kelley proclaimed. "You're the ones who still don't grasp the people you're dealing with. So far, the turtles have done everything in their power to protect us, even surrendering to the likes of you. But if you take this next step, if you attempt to hand them over to someone who would harm them, you're going to have to kill the rest of us too. Because we'll never let it happen without a fight. You may have all the guns, but we have a lot of motivation. We might lose in the end, but _you'd_ lose some men in the process as well."

Leonardo was mildly shocked by the speech; mostly because it came from the ally who'd spent a lot of their relationship distancing himself from them.

"Are you threatening my men?"

"I'm making you a promise, and everyone standing behind me will back it up. Stop with the threats, unless you actually mean to carry them out. In which case, you've got quite a fight ahead of you. Am I right?" Matthew twisted to face bristling allies, but Jayden was the first one to dart to his side.

"Yeah, what he said! You need to quit messing around and trying to scare us, because it won't work. Put up or shut up!"

"Jay." Donatello motioned with his head for the teen to stand down.

"No, Dad, not if they're only gonna do what they want with us anyway! I'm not watching everyone, especially you, go down without a fight because you want to keep us alive!"

"Ideally, no one would die," Leonardo declared, using the wheels of his chair to shift himself forward. "But if you harm so much as a hair on our allies' heads, or put one finger on our kids...Major, you value your men, don't you? We'd rather not hurt them. I know you don't want that either. But the threats have to stop, and we need to find some way to work together, because there are much bigger things about to go down than this little squabble."


	48. Classified

Despite half the soldiers having left the room, Jake's tension hadn't decreased in the least. He normally felt it was his God-given responsibility to lighten up a heavy atmosphere, but currently he didn't have the power to fake it.

Though the young man was planted at Olivia's side, his eyes never left the Major. _One wrong word from him will spell disaster for the turtles. I don't think I'll ever be able to trust the guy._

"Can we sit down?" the man in question directed. "It seems pointless to try this now when it's been such a long night, but we're clearly not getting anywhere until a few things have been spelled out."

"If you're honest with us, we'll be as honest as we can with you," Leonardo allowed. "But what with the way you stole us off the road and shot me multiple times, I think I'm entitled to the first question."

The Major eyed him warily. "Only if I can ask my own in return."

Leo nodded. "Most people don't meet us without batting an eye. You must have had prior information concerning our existence from Lendano. Is that a fact?"

The man acknowledged the question with a nod of his own. "Our inside source. How did _you_ get tied up with the group?"

"They came looking for us the first time about four years ago. We never had anything to do with them, until receiving a panicked call from my niece that they were being pursued. Was your source among those recently killed in New York?"

"Negative. What was your business with Lendano tonight?"

Leonardo hesitated, then plunged ahead. "We needed their equipment."

"To do what?"

"To obtain complete answers, you have to give us more information on your end."

"I'm dealing with a lot of data which is technically classified."

"And _we're_ holding out details which we don't have to tell you. You decide where this goes next, Major."

"Are you pushing me for my source? Information like that could get someone killed."

"If your source was in their headquarters tonight, they're already dead." When the man's eyebrows rose, Leo scowled in return. "We didn't hurt anyone, Major. Someone else did – the same threat which tried to take us all out. But if it was one of the people who were there, I can just use the process of elimination. Doctor Ribiero wouldn't give you information to incriminate herself, and Morais was very much a company man. Never struck me as a leak. So that leaves us with the tech."

"Erika Helms," Kamryn spoke up knowingly.

The Major glanced between Leonardo and the woman. "You're sure they're dead?"

"We were there when it happened. Why were you in the neighborhood tonight?"

"Source claimed she got a call, saying one of Venturis' people was coming for a visit. Which…you are, or are not one of?" Stewart motioned to Bahri.

"I am one of them in the sense that we are all Annunakai, in the same way you share the human race with your kind," the alien explained. "But I am not Vagari."

"Is Venturis a real thing, or not?"

"They're real," Kamryn returned. "Just not the persona they presented to Doctor Ribiero."

"But you tracked them down this time," the man verified. "Are you going to tell me why?"

Leonardo exchanged glances with his brothers, and Jake knew they were deciding how much to tell the Major. "A few days ago, two of our kids were abducted by Vagari."

"You thought Lendano had something to do with it?"

The blue-masked turtle shook his head. "No. Like I said, we needed their equipment."

"To do _what?_ "

"Wherever the Vagari are, we can't reach them," Leo said bluntly. "Our only chance is to contact help from another source."

"My people," Bahri volunteered. "We were trying to send a message to my kind for help."

Stewart turned to Donatello. "Is that the communication you were unsure about?"

"We didn't have time to wait for confirmation," Don affirmed. "The Vagari were onto us through their drones."

"And the fireworks? What was the purpose of those?"

"Insurance," Leonardo clipped. "We're aware of their technology. We weren't going to give them the chance to unleash it."

"You made a real mess back there."

"Would have been a bigger mess if we hadn't," the blue-masked turtle retorted. "Have you encountered Heavy Metal? You don't want those things roaming the countryside. How much do you know about their death machines? Are you familiar with the incident on Ravensrock?"

Kelley snorted. "They're familiar with it, Leo. The question is, were they involved in the cover up?"

Irritation flushed the man's face. "When things are classified—"

"We were there, Major!" Leonardo exclaimed. "A lot of the people in this room witnessed them firsthand, as well as their destruction."

"I'm not at liberty to discuss certain aspects."

"And yet, we're expected to open our entire lives to you?" Leo scoffed. "Get real."

"I've already said things I shouldn't have."

"Then we're done here?"

"I'm not going to lay it all out for you."

"I'll be sure to extend the same courtesy. How deep does the awareness of our existence go?"

"I can't say for certain how many people have seen the file. Like several others, it's classified for a reason. But…from what I've encountered in other circles, the pictures were largely believed to have been doctored. To my immediate knowledge, no one is 'looking' for you. My previous exposure to said materials is the reason we weren't thrown off by your appearance."

The Major sighed suddenly. "We weren't hunting you down tonight either. You happened to be fleeing the scene at the same time as we got there. Rushed this direction after the source alerted us to alien arrival. What is it the Vagari want with your kids? What's so important about your family that they might be willing to delay the destruction of Earth on your account?"

Leo shook his head. "You'll have to be satisfied with not receiving some answers. That's one of them."

"It doesn't make any sense. If you're the 'good guys', why the secrecy? If you're not at fault, what is there to hide?"

"What is there to hide?" Raphael repeated loudly. "This from the guy who's been threatening to have us destroyed all night? How about we don't _trust_ you, Major?"

"You won't win this round, sir, so don't bother trying," Leo finished coolly.

"How do they know about you?" the man persisted.

"I do not know how Vagari learned about them, though I suspect Elohim must have shared information," Bahri spoke up. "Almost twenty years ago, the terrapins and some of the people in this very room were abducted by Overlords."

The Major blinked at the new title, but didn't miss a beat. "And you got chummy with your kidnappers?"

"No, we forged an alliance with the ones who were against them," Leonardo corrected.

"So they would take you home?"

"There was a little more to it than that, but it's late and hardly the time to rehash the entire story. What do you intend to do with us, Major?"

Jake glared at the man while waiting for a response.

"I can't give you an answer, because I still don't know who or what you are."

The statement rubbed the young man the wrong way. "You won't either, not with an attitude like that." Jake left Olivia's side, and traveled a few feet forward. "You look at them and see someone different. You even think you can control them. But what you don't get is that their uniqueness doesn't make them lower lifeforms, or on the same level as an animal. If anything, the seven of them are _higher_ than the rest of us, and I'm not trying to be rude."

Jake threw a glance over his shoulder at the allies, but was confident he wasn't hurting any feelings. "You haven't scratched the surface of what the turtles are capable of. Mentally, physically...they're superior in every way. But beyond that, their sheer loyalty and compassion outweighs anyone you've met. They're the kind of guys who risk their lives for people who are trying to kill them. Who sacrifice their own limbs, to keep _your_ men safe _."_

He gave Nate an approving nod. "And the same ones who'll give up their pride, dignity, and freedom to _let_ a silly band of men with guns overwhelm them to protect the rest of us. But all you choose to focus on are shells, and green skin. My dad is blind, Major, but he sees more than you ever will."

Jake took a second to breathe, then made eye contact with the orange-masked teen before returning to Stewart. "Once your boys are up to it, they owe my buddy Nate here some gratitude. He stayed in a burning car as long as it took to get them out, and injured himself to make sure it happened."

The young man was shocked to see embarrassment flash in the Major's eyes. "Actually, he shouldn't have to wait for it." The man's face was passive, but his body language indicated his discomfort. "Thank you...Nate, for helping my men. I should have stepped up at the scene." Stewart threw a quizzical glance to Leonardo, then looked back at the teen. "Do you mind if I ask how old you are? Because of my inexperience with your kind, I don't know how to tell."

"I'm eighteen," Nathaniel replied evenly.

"You're a brave individual."

Nate shrugged.

"I take it you're the youngest."

The orange-masked teen snorted. "I can't claim to be the biggest, but I'm definitely not the youngest."

Will glanced at Olivia, but the purple-masked teen called out before he could ask her anything.

"Over here, Chief."

Will cocked his head. "I hope you're done growing."

Jayden smirked. "It's possible. Who knows?"

"Your men have been ganging up on a sixteen-year-old, in case you were wondering," Donatello supplied. "Not that his age should have any bearing, but I thought you might like to know."

The man was momentarily at a loss for words. "Y...you're the ones who brought them into this situation."

"Because leaving them at home where they would have possibly been more vulnerable to an attack from the Vagari was better?" Don shook his head. "We flow better as a team, which is part of the reason people flipped out when you started separating them. Look at this from our perspective, Major. Our way of life depends on invisibility. Now we've been plucked up by a military group who honestly doesn't know what to do with us, but keeps threatening to turn us over to someone else for kicks.

"The only reason you're compromising in the least is because we have information you need. But if we knew nothing, what then? Would you have shot us on the spot back there? Once you have everything we're willing to give you, are you going to finish us? These are the kinds of things running through our heads, sir. This is why we don't want to be separated. At least if we can see each other, we know everyone is alive."

"They're not bluffing, you know." Jazz joined Donatello on the right. "If you wanna hurt them, you'll have to take us all out. That includes me. Probably wouldn't bother you much, but I wanted everything crystal clear."

"How did you get here?" the man asked bluntly.

"You and your cohorts kidnapped us."

"How did you end up with them?" Stewart rephrased the question.

"You haven't earned the right to any of our history. The only thing I'll tell you is that we're a family, and we stick together."

"They aren't your blood."

"Neither are the men in your unit, but you'd die for them, wouldn't you? You don't realize it, but you've bitten off way more than you can chew. You should think carefully before you do anything rash."

"Do you think you can frighten me, Jasmine?"

"I'm not trying to. I wouldn't attempt anything emotional where you're concerned, because I haven't seen evidence of a heart since long before James disappeared. I'm being as straightforward with you as I can. These are the facts: the turtles you've stolen don't have to be here. They surrendered for our sake. For _your_ sake, you better not piss them off."

"Jazz," Leonardo called quietly. "C'mere."

The woman flounced over to him, but her face softened when Leo said something Jake couldn't hear. The blue-masked turtle then focused on the Major.

"You need to figure out what you intend to do with our family. We have a common enemy in the Vagari, but I'm not naive enough to believe it will make you loyal to us."

"What is there for me to say, Leonardo? I don't know you any more than you do me. How can I possibly determine if we're able to cooperate?"

"You're the one holding the reins, the one who brought us here. It's a standard thing for a prisoner to be concerned about. What do you intend to do with us?"

"I don't KNOW what to do with you!" he nearly shouted.

Kamryn raised her hand. "If I can be so bold...I don't advise staying in the area. While the Vagari will not remain in your atmosphere, they have spies to do the job for them. I already showed you one. These devices are capable of tracking chemical signatures – specifically, theirs." She motioned to the turtles. "They're not going to quit until they have them. So in my mind, if you want to keep your planet safe, you'd better keep _them_ safe."

"That sounds awful convenient for your friends."

"I dunno, being abducted at gun point doesn't scream comfort," Raphael muttered.

"You could try and do things your way, and expedite the destruction of your planet, or you can hide the turtles for as long as possible, and grant the time for help to arrive," Kamryn said matter-of-factually.

"What kind of 'help' are you talking about? Do you have your own alien army at your bidding?"

"No, nothing like that," Bahri admitted. "I will not attempt to lie to you."

"Then what hope do you have for that message you risked everything with Lendano to send tonight?"

"We have a _chance_ ," the elohim clarified. "I do not know if it was heard, or if anyone will come to our aid. But we had to do something."

"The Vagari know we're in this region," Kamryn added. "They will search it high and low. The best thing we can do is leave."

"You really expect me to just take your word on everything? Uproot my men, abandon this post, and go running off somewhere else?"

"Lendano's gone, Major," Leo pointed out. "They were the reason for this post, weren't they?"

"We have a lot of work to do back there, because of the stunt you pulled!"

"You're gonna have to stop looking at us like we're the bad guys." Michelangelo scowled. "We're not the issue. We don't wanna hurt anybody. You can't say that about the Vagari!"

Will paced in a circle. "It doesn't seem like we can come to a resolution tonight. I think sleep is in order now...and we will pick this up again tomorrow."

"Leo, you're going back to bed," Luke commanded. "You shouldn't have been up to begin with."

"One of your people may go with him, if you like." Stewart sounded almost cordial. "Rest of you can stay here for the time being. It's not the Hilton, but we ought to have enough cots to supply the group."

"You could try giving us a little space too," Katherine suggested with an edge.

"They're not going away. But my men also shouldn't bother you unless they're incited."

To Jake, it looked like the Latin woman wanted to argue, but in the end, she shut her mouth. When the young man glanced away from her, he was startled to find how closely Olivia had edged toward him.

"Don't sneak up on a guy like that, geez. I'd think you were a ninja or something."

Her smile was hollow. "I had to cover your back, in case he didn't like you mouthing off."

Jake chuckled. "I thought that was mild. I know enough Japanese curse words to tell him where to go, but I didn't want to step on anyone's toes."

Olivia's fingers snapped across the back of his head. "No one is supposed to find out you _know_ those words."

"I didn't use them, did I?"

Her hands laced around him in a loose hold. "No. But you're still my hero."

"Aw, please. You guys are the heroes. I only flapped my gums a little."

"He listened to you, Jake. Didn't you see it? You got more respect out of him in two minutes than anyone else did all night."

"Only because Nate risked his shell for those men."

"Which you brought back to his attention."

"Doesn't make me a hero, Liv. I didn't save anyone."

Olivia glanced around as though someone else were spying, and tugged him to the outskirts of the group. "I've told you before, Jake...Heroism and bravery, it's not always about the big saves. They might get noticed, feel more exciting and obvious. But someone who chooses to stand up to a bully, instead of quietly fading into the background...they're a hero too."

The young man shrugged. "I was mad, Liv. That Major is one of those guys who make me ashamed to identify with the human race. He abandoned his own kid. They attacked us without any provocation. Then he has the nerve to talk down to all you, try to frighten you into submission? Who could keep quiet in the face of that?"

"Not you. And I love you for it."

Jake had honestly forgotten anyone else might be watching, but he heard muffled gasps in the background when he leaned in to kiss her. He managed to ignore the rude outbursts to focus on his young wife for a few more seconds, and then shot a smirk at the nearest wide-eyed soldier. "Get used to it, man. There's a lot more where that came from."


	49. Special

Tim didn't know what to expect after his cousin collapsed, and proceeded to flat-line for nearly ten minutes. The fact that the aliens had allowed him in close proximity with her at that point was shocking too. But it didn't prepare him for what happened _after_ Charlotte's heart responded.

In the midst of immense relief, he was dismayed to be dragged away from his cousin. _She's alive – that's what matters._ Tim assumed he would be returned to his cell, where he'd be forced to plead for periodic updates on how Charlotte was doing. The next surprise came when he was only yanked across the room, and lifted into a chair which reclined much further backwards than he was comfortable with.

The teen stared between the two aliens attending him, and his mouth dropped when they applied restraints to his arms and legs. "W...What are you doing?"

He felt like he recognized one of the aliens to be a technician referred to as a Banr. The other was built much more sturdily, with golden hair reaching to his shoulders. Staring into the newcomer's eyes, Tim's breath immediately seized in his chest. The irises themselves were deep brown, so dark they were nearly black, but rimmed with an orangish ring that reminded the turtle of flames.

The tufts of feathers rising from the alien's back were larger and purer white than any of the others he'd seen. But while faced with a creature who resembled something close to an angel, Tim's entire being was shaken by the evil he sensed at the creature's core.

He was no stranger to villains. In the few years Tim had spent on the streets with his father and uncles, they'd come face to face with a lot of gruesome sights. He'd been present for both the physical acts and aftermath of far too many muggings, rapes, attempted homicides, and murder than he liked to think about. But no human being who'd crossed his path affected Tim like the stranger now coolly standing over him.

The technician said something to the object of his horror, mercifully drawing the alien's attention away. His breath released in a short gasp, but he was then forced to watch the pair discuss a matter in their own language, fully aware they were probably talking about him.

Tim impatiently craned his neck to try and see around them for whatever was happening to his cousin. He was startled by a hand landing on his shoulder from behind, and ashamed to admit to himself that he hadn't heard a third figure coming. _The power of distraction..._

Tim couldn't see anything from the latest intruder, until he extended his arm to hand a large vile to the technician. The Banr hesitated to accept it, until the disturbing alien stated something emphatically. The turtle cocked his head while the minion withdrew a device which appeared eerily similar to a gun, and loaded the over-sized vial into the side so that it disappeared from view.

"What are you doing?"

Tim didn't expect an answer that time, but the master of all things demonic chose to explain it.

"I am protecting my investment."

The teen's eyes widened when the gun was wheeled around to face him. "By killing me?" His voice shook to his own chagrin.

The mixture of condescension and amusement the alien returned with was infuriating. "That's not my goal."

"Then what-"

The two words hardly escaped before the gun was leveled against his neck, and went off with a sharp pinching sensation. The action was so smooth and casual, Tim was left dumbfounded. He expected worse pain to follow, but instead experienced an instantanesous physiological reaction which he likened to being injected with lava. He cried out in reflex while the heat spread faster than he could blink, then left Tim with massive chills in its wake. He trembled involuntarily against restraints, straining to breath normally while the unholy alien bent over him.

"What...did you...do?" he forced out.

"We are going to find out if you're capable of being just as 'special' as your counterpart."

Tim closed his eyes. He had to block out those irises for a few moments, and the throes of upheaval his body was experiencing were the perfect excuse. "I don't understand."

"I hope you're able to reproduce them too, or I'd say we've wasted an awful lot of time."

The turtle blinked slowly, trying not to focus on the alien's face. "Reproduce...did you give me _her_ blood? Don't you think she could use it?!" Anger enabled him to address the creature easier.

The alien laughed. "She will not miss the amount you were given. And if she does, then your 'cousin' doesn't possess the necessary strength for these exercises. We yet have the other to rely on, so it won't be a complete loss. It's a pity they didn't get both of them to begin with."

Tim felt a surge of panic at the reference to Jayden. "He's not special like her," he automatically lied. "You don't need him, or any of the others." His teeth chattered against his will, while what felt like repeated waves of ice water flowed through his veins.

The creature's grin was mocking. "I'm sure you would say and do anything to protect them, terrapin, but it's quite out of your hands. We will be watching you very closely for the next few days. I have a feeling we're going to learn a lot from you."

"What about Charlotte?" he demanded. "You've gotta lay off my cousin. Your techs almost killed her already!"

"It is interesting that you insist on calling each other family, when our tests have confirmed you don't share DNA in common. That may change in the near future, but I can still assure you that she isn't your cousin."

"DNA has nothing to do with loyalty, or your real family," Tim answered hoarsely. "She _is_ my cousin."

"You are living under a delusion, young one, but whatever satisfies you. Make yourself comfortable. Your time with us is only beginning."

* * *

Tim never imagined that merely being strapped down could constitute torture, but the current hyperactivity coursing through his frame was proving him wrong. The sensation was akin to a balloon literally bursting at the seams, but incapable of popping. He felt guilty for being miserable when the aliens weren't truly hurting him, but the desire to move and expend some of the overwhelming energy was so great, he could have cried.

A soft sound from his right had the blue-masked turtle twisting his head, and sighing when he noticed his cousin finally stirring a couple feet away. "Charlie!" he hissed as loudly as he dared. "Charlotte, can you hear me?"

The girl lifted her head after a couple beats. "Tim?"

Forcing his neck to turn her direction hurt. The motion seemed to aggravate the injection site, but Tim was beyond caring. "Are you okay?"

"I...I guess. But I don't know what happened."

"You blacked out. Your heart rate dropped, and you stopped breathing. Thought I was losing you."

"Oh. I'm sorry." The far away note in her tone indicated she was still kind of out of it.

"Wasn't your fault." He seethed.

The bitter edge on his words captured her attention. "Sorry I got you into this," she mumbled.

"You _didn't_ , Charlie. And I'm not mad at you. It feels like I'm combusting from the inside out."

She lifted her head again, and brown eyes appeared to focus on him better. "What's wrong, Tim? Did they hurt you?"

"I don't know," he confessed. "They said they gave me some of your blood. But it wasn't...it didn't happen the same way as our dads. It felt like fire going in, and then winter settled on top of it. Now I'm ready to detonate! There's too much firepower, and it's stuck. It's stuck and I can't get rid of any of it. Is this how you feel _all_ the time?"

"Not...always. Not when I have the chance to burn properly."

"I'm sorry. Shell, I'm sorry, Charlotte. I never got it." He paused to take a deep breath. "I never understood. I just thought you were lucky, and I was a moron."

"You're not," she said quickly. "It's hard to grasp, until you're the one raging out of control. Tim, I bet some visualizations would help you."

"Is that what you do?"

"No, but you're better at them than me."

"I'm not sure about that."

"Try it. It's not going to last at this rate, okay? Tell yourself it'll be over soon. Our dads didn't retain Jayden's strength or my energy, so you shouldn't either."

He looked away from her. "I'm ridiculous. They didn't react anything like this."

"Tim, how did they give you blood?"

"What?"

"How did you receive it?"

"Like they were the hunters and I was the game. Shot me up through the neck."

" _Itoko_ , they infused the blood much faster than they should have. For all their technology, they either don't have a good grasp of our biology, or simply don't care. They took entirely too much blood from me for starters, then forced it into your body at a rate which probably complicated your physical response. You're not weak, Tim. They dropped an atomic bomb on your system. Of _course_ you're shaken."

He peered at her out of the corner of his eye. "They said they wanted to find out if I could reproduce it."

Charlotte nodded. "I'm sure this is about the alien markers."

"But why would I be able to? You were designed with those cells, Charlie. It's not as if my body can play monkey see, monkey do."

"Well..." The purple-masked teen faltered. "That might not be accurate."

He groaned in frustration. It would have been a lot simpler to roll over and have a real conversation, instead of barely seeing her because of the pain in his neck. "Which part isn't accurate?"

"Tim, did you notice anything different about our dads after the transfusions, besides their rapid recoveries?"

He closed his eyes to concentrate on thinking instead of the incessant need to twitch. "I think...the thing I sensed most from my dad was him holding back. He was doing so much better than he should have. What did you see, Charlie?"

"My dad was working around the clock, but he wasn't noticeably tired. I checked on his coffee supply a few times, and it barely went down. Tim, you know he lived off the stuff, especially when programming, or under an overwhelming workload."

"What does it mean?"

"It seems like the transfusions could have kicked off their own transformation. There's a good chance Jayden and I aren't that unique after all."

"How could they continue to improve without more blood?"

"I can't tell you without seeing the research, Tim. But apparently we're going to find out, whether we want to or not. I'm sorry you're stuck with me. You don't deserve any of this."

"And you do?" He scoffed. "The only reason I-" Tim suddenly went silent at the hiss of a nearby door. A rumble in his spirit confirmed who'd arrived before he bothered lifting his head.

"How gracious of you to continue living," the thing addressed Charlotte directly.

Her eyes narrowed. "No thanks to your men."

"Actually, their rapid response is the reason you still draw breath."

"Their _stupidity_ is the reason I almost died. I obviously can't afford to lose that much blood, so could you take a memo or something?"

The alien strode into the space between their two beds. "In the face of extraordinary findings, I can't blame my Banrs for being eager, although discipline _was_ meted out. You possess the most historic find in the lifetime of my species."

"What do you know about it?" Charlotte demanded. "You seem proud of yourself for some reason, but you had nothing to do with my DNA."

"Not personally, but I'm connected by extension."

"How are you connected?" Tim spoke up. "Are you Elohim?"

The term seemed to offend the creature. "I am first and foremost descended of the purest bloodline of the Annunaki, earning me the title of _Vaga_. It would be the proper way for you to address me. The Elohim are still our brothers after a fashion, but their methods are weak. Don't misunderstand me, terrapins: they are far more worthwhile than those ridiculous Legatus. But the Elohim never possessed the true will to conquer. If they had another millennium to evolve, they could have perhaps taken the next step. But such time is not a luxury any of us can afford."

"Then...you're related?" It took Tim longer to dissect the statement than it normally might have. "Is that how you learned about us?"

"Partially, though the Vagari have taken greater strides in the last few days than the Elohim's greatest genius did."

Charlotte snorted, seemingly unaware of the extreme danger the figure posed. "All you've done is mess around with someone else's experiment. How is that a greater stride?"

The newly named vagari cast Tim an uncomfortable smile, then returned to Charlotte. "You could ask your 'cousin', but then, I know you were already discussing it. As of this hour, I've received the confirmation I hoped for." He tapped the clear tube feeding into the back of the blue-masked turtle's leg. "We are taking intermittent samples from your friend here, young one. Would you care to hear what we've found?"

"Not really," she answered haughtily.

"We've discovered that pursuing all of you isn't a waste of our time or resources. The years we waited and watched, every one of them was worth it." When his hand landed on Tim's arm, the teen tried to jerk away. "You still don't understand how pointless it is to resist?"

"You don't have our family," Tim declared.

"Yet. In a matter of time, that failure will be remedied. Or do you actually believe they can oppose us? I can't number the star systems which have fallen to the Vagari in the last five hundred years. There are too many to recount. As for your pathetic excuse for a class three civilization, they will never fathom what attacked them."

"Why do you need to destroy anyone?" Charlotte inserted. "What are you trying to prove?"

The Vaga shook his head. "I don't have to prove anything, least of all to you. We were chosen to exercise dominion over that which is unworthy of life."

The purple-masked turtle scowled. "What gives you the right to decide who should live? Why do you think you're so much better than everyone else?"

"I was born for it," he replied calmly. "But it's not enough to rely on natural genes; in this, the Elohim were correct. It is necessary to continue growing and improving. But while they were obsessed over the perfection of beauty and skill, I would rather focus our energy on continuing to expand outward."

"Why?" Tim had to ask. "Why do you need to expand? Why do you need to control _everything?"_

Keen, fire-rimmed irises fixed on him. "I know you are capable of understanding better than you pretend. Our current project has provided me with fresh insight, and a greater hope for our continued ascension as a race. We have united with the Elohim once more, though they will never be more than mere subjects to serve us, as a price to pay for their part in orchestrating the rebellion which split the Annunaki to begin with."

Tim didn't know what to make of anything the vagari said, so he simply moved on. "And what will you do with us?"

"Our first goal is to study, and then take the next steps our unfortunate doctor could not. We will discover the secrets for not only reproducing the _dunamis_ cells inside each of you, but independently. With the cooperation of the finest technicians in the universes, coupled with some of the best remaining minds in the Elohim faction, I'm confident we will not 'need' you terrapins forever."


	50. Okay

For Michelangelo, it was impossible to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time. The simple knowledge that they were being closely observed and in constant peril made it difficult to relax. He was glad Donny had managed to fire off a message to their family, but it wasn't a replacement for talking to Becky himself.

 _Shell, they must be going crazy. I don't know how_ any _of them agreed not to respond. Unless they just told Donny that to satisfy him. Our options aren't great this time, regardless. Whenever we've been in the hands of bad guys, they generally had to keep themselves hidden too, so there wasn't much danger of them outing_ us _. This ain't like any situation we've ever been stuck in._

Mike huffed in frustration. _We could get out on our own if we timed it right, and absolutely nothing went wrong. But since when has that worked in our favor? We outnumbered Lendano hugely, went in there prepared to take out their death machines, and still ended up running for our lives…Right into this mess. We don't have_ time _to deal with this crap!_

Something occurred to the turtle, causing him to cross his arms. _We wanna take action, but don't have a way to do it yet. We made it to Point B, but where the shell is C? I'm starting to think letting ourselves get taken by Vagari would be a lot easier than figuring out a way to get to them on our own. Course, I wouldn't want the kids to go, or any of our allies. And they might kill Bahri and Kamryn on sight, so they'd have to be left out too._

He stared at the dark ceiling, studying metal framework absentmindedly. _But once they had the four of us, what could we do then? Sure, we escaped the Overlords, but we had help. All of us did. The one attempt I made to get away on my own was a total fail._

 _We're also not_ dealing _with Overlords now_ _. Kamryn knew them really well, so if she says the Vagari are worse_... _Man. I don't even want to think about it, but we can't ignore 'em. They have our kids, they're gunning for us, and they got their sights set on Earth._

Michelangelo heard a sigh nearby and his head instantly rose from the cot, seeking out who else was awake. A tall figure was set a few feet apart from them, standing in the one spot where a tiny sliver of sunlight was peeking through a gap in the door. He recognized Bahri at once, but the alien's posture suggested he shouldn't interrupt.

He studied his friend a few seconds longer, trying to determine if Bahri had been segregated by their babysitters, or if the elohim had staked his own claim for space. There was only one way to find out for sure, so Mike slowly got to his feet. He eyed the men on the perimeter of the room who were tracking his every move, but no one reacted to him approaching Bahri.

The orange-masked turtle hesitated behind the alien's back a little longer, still unsure of bothering him. The way Bahri's head bowed suggested he could be praying, but when it bobbed upright, Mike seized the opportunity.

"Bahri."

The alien jolted and glanced over his shoulder at the turtle. "I did not hear you."

"Yeah, sorry. You know we do that." He folded his arms in the most nonchalant move he could imagine. "So...whatcha doing? You're not tired?"

Bahri shrugged. "Immensely, but I cannot be the only one who struggles to rest in such a place. I also needed to change positions for my back."

"Are you in a lot of pain?"

"I am mostly used to it, terrapin. But at some times, it is worse than others."

"I don't wanna bug ya, Bahri, because it looked like you might have been praying. But I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I have been trying to pray, Michelangelo. But there is not much point."

Mike's eye ridges rose. "Really? I mean...I feel like something came to our rescue earlier, don't you? Made me think of other stuff I've seen on _your_ planet."

Bahri shook his head. "I am well aware of what took place, but in a way, it makes things harder."

"Harder? I don't...how does that work, Bahri? You said it was like El didn't care anymore, but then, what happened with the storm has gotta prove He _does_."

"It leaves me with more questions, terrapin. It makes me feel as though there must be a secret formula. El has provided all kinds of promises pertaining to healing, protection, and salvation. But they do not seem to be entirely consistent. I can recall seeing His hand at work during times when I did not actively cry out for Him. I did not expect His help last night, but He came.

"Yet on Zuhur, when we were attacked...there was nothing. No help. No mercy. No compassion. What am I supposed to think, Michelangelo? Did we do something wrong? Are we missing a vital detail, which would prevent Him from coming to our aid? Because with my whole heart, I believe He is able to do anything. And yet...He chooses not to. Are you capable of explaining any of this? Do you know where we failed?"

Mike was a little taken aback, and nowhere near prepared to answer such a deep question on a moment's notice. After a long pause which he spent staring at the traces of light in which they were huddled, he turned to face his friend.

"I don't think it works that way, Bahri. God isn't somebody you can reduce to a formula. You're a smart guy, so turning this into an equation makes sense to you. If one plus one equals two, then you know how to get there in your mind. Problem is, one plus one isn't the _only_ way to get to two. How many different math problems could you use between subtraction, addition, division and multiplication to get that answer? That's not even including algebra or trig, at which point, Donny's gotta take over.

"Point is, there's more than one way for God to get things done. Just because the solution takes a different route than you figured, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong."

Mike stretched a tentative hand to the elohim's shoulder. "Bahri, I know your heart. I remember the Nalikjan, and none of us could ever forget Ghyath. I have a hard time believing you guys did anything to bring this on yourselves."

"Yet, it does not explain why my people are lost."

"Did you see all of 'em die, Bahri?"

"No, but I am aware of the Vagari's intentions, and know they cannot fight back."

"Were we in a position to fight back during the storm?"

"No, but-"

"Why does there have to be a but? God helped us, okay? We were royally screwed, about to be caught, and He came through. Can you admit that for me?"

"Admitting it is not the problem. The issue is not knowing what to expect. How can there be any kind of confidence when you are not sure how El will respond? Perhaps He will listen, and you will be saved. But if He does not, even though you sincerely believed He would, what then? When that which you hoped for is dashed, what is the next step, Michelangelo?"

The turtle rested his chin in one hand, wishing his wife were present. _Becky was raised on this stuff. She could explain it so much better than me._ "I think part of the problem is that you're looking at the situation like it's already over. You say your people are lost, when you haven't seen anything to prove it. You've suffered some terrible losses, so you figure there's no reason to fight anymore."

"I want to fight, Michelangelo. I just do not think I have it in me. I have lost more than family and friends. I have lost hope. I cannot see a way out of our current dilemma, even _if_ the Nalikjan heard our call."

Mike shook his head. "You can choose to give up right now if you want, but it won't make the end any easier. Or, you can dust off the crap that's been thrown at you, and stand with _us._ I don't know if we can win. But letting the bad guys roll right over us isn't the answer."

"We cannot stop them."

"We didn't stop the Overlords either. Bahri, did you ever read anything about the American Civil War?"

"It was not one of my favorite historical periods on your planet."

"I never liked to study it much either. But there are some important things in there, Bahri. The South had a really good general, and a lot of motivation. Even though the North had way more going for them in terms of numbers and money, the South won a lot of those early battles, didn't they? But it wasn't over.

"Donny laid it all out for me when Sensei made us study the war as kids, told me something that coulda saved me a lot of reading. He said the South won a ton of battles, but they lost the war. Maybe that's too simple for some people, but I look at it like this: you can lose a hundred fights, but still get back up again. I grew up with three brothers, so I know it firsthand."

Mike paused to wink at Bahri, and his friend smiled faintly. "But it ain't over, until it's over. Losing some bad battles doesn't mean the war is finished. And it's not, Bahri. We're not quitting. Nobody knows what to do, but we're _here_ , right? We still have a chance to fight back."

"Yes, terrapin. But I am yet at a loss for what to believe."

"I think God can handle your doubts...but you ought to give Him a chance. Just 'cause He doesn't do things the way any of us want Him to, it doesn't mean He's not up to something."

* * *

Jonathan stared at the front door from his perch on the stairs. The action was meaningless, but he couldn't tear himself away from the entrance. The fifteen-year-old heard others nearby, but pretended he didn't. He had no desire to speak to anyone about the insatiable impulse to run from their poor excuse for a "hide out".

 _It's not like we're safe here. We never were. Eventually the Vagari will find this spot too,_ he thought grimly, and was distracted by the sound of Isabella crying from the next room. _First they'll kill us all, then they'll take what they want. They'd_ have _to murder us to get their hands on the baby._

"Jon."

He glanced up at Reina's voice.

"Will you come in here?" she requested.

"What for?"

"Do you plan to watch the door until they come back?"

If _they come back,_ Jonathan was tempted to retort, but he couldn't do it to his sister. _It's not only our parents out there. It's Nate too. I can't say they're not coming back, even if it doesn't seem like they'll be able to._

"I don't feel like pretending everything is okay," he answered.

"That's not what we're doing. C'mon, Jon."

He rose sullenly and followed the twenty-one-year-old into the seating area. Jonathan was immediately struck by the sight of Alexis bunched up on the couch with Aidan and Alena, then looked over at Reina. _We could form an orphan's club at this rate._ The teen shook his head at the horrific thought, and dropped in a chair to Lex's right.

Three-year-old Alena seemed to be asleep with her eyes open, and the fourteen-year-old girl holding her didn't look much better.

"Lex, did you get any sleep?" Jon asked.

His cousin gave him a withering glance. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Why don't you let me have her, Alexis?" Reina offered.

Jon had a feeling it wasn't the first time his sister had asked.

"Be my guest," Lex mumbled, but the toddler wouldn't let go of her sister. Chubby fingers wrapped around the teen's hair, and held on tenaciously while Reina tried to relieve her.

"Alena, come on," the blond encouraged. "You're tired, and your sissy is too."

The little girl whimpered into Lex's shirt, and she sighed wearily. "It's not happening, Reina."

"Yes, it will," the older girl proclaimed, but turned and left the room without describing how.

Jon shifted awkwardly in the chair once his sister was gone. He hated the empty silence. It was why he wanted to be _alone,_ but the lost look on his cousins' faces made him feel guilty for it. "Did you guys eat?" he wondered at last, only to be able to say something.

Aidan met his gaze briefly, then shook his head. All of the ten-year-old's spunk seemed to have evaporated in the span of a few hours.

"Guys...look." Jonathan hesitated. "Things aren't great, but I guess they could be worse."

Aidan gave him a strange look. "How?"

"The house is still standing," he pointed out.

"A good wind would finish it off," Alexis muttered.

Jon gave the young woman a pointed glance, mentally begging her to help him out.

"We have each other too," she added with resignation, and turned to her little brother. "And Uncle Don got the message out. That tells us something."

"What does it tell us, besides that they're in big trouble?" Aidan challenged.

Jon smiled in spite of discouragement, hoping to rub off on his cousin. "It means they're still fighting...and they can get themselves out of this."

"Do you really think they're okay?" the boy wanted to know.

"I think that..." The young man had to pause again. "I think the turtles and our parents are extremely strong, and they can take anything this group dishes out. They've faced worse, haven't they?"

"Yeah, but what'll happen to them? Are they going to jail?"

"It doesn't sound like they were arrested, Aidan," Jon said hastily. "More like the military ran into them right after they finished off Lendano. They probably have questions."

"But then they'll let them go? What if they don't wanna give the turtles up? What then?"

"Then our people won't give them a choice," Jonathan stated firmly. "We won't let them keep the turtles, Aidan. You'll see."

The boy nodded, but his expression didn't change. "I wish they'd call."

"Me too, but I'm sure they will when they have the chance." Forcing optimism for his cousin's sake wasn't as hard as Jon expected.

Aidan crossed his arms with a huff. "Don't the cops always give you the one phone call? These military guys suck. They get to make their own rules."

"Maybe some of them do, but they're no match for our family," the young man reminded him. He was floundering for more encouragement to offer, when he was saved by two figures coming through the door.

It was his sister returning with Isabella in her arms, and Karina at her side. The Latin woman crouched in front of Alexis, and called out to the toddler.

" _Angelito,_ c'mon. Alena, let go of your _hermana_."

The little girl looked over her shoulder, sniffling quietly.

"Come to _Tia*_ Kari." (aunt)

With some remaining reluctance, the child allowed Karina to pick her up. "I'll fix you some oatmeal. We have strawberries and cream; you like that one most, _si_?"

"Tia, you don't need to look after her," Alexis protested. "You have your own baby."

"I also have help, _sobrina*_ , and you deserve some too. Breakfast is almost ready." (niece)

"I'm not hungry," Lex returned, climbing to her feet. "Thanks. But I think I'll sleep while I can. Don't let me go down for too long. I'm not going to saddle you with Alena."

"Lex, I can't be 'saddled' by my family. I'll check on you later, but only because you need to eat too." Karina stroked dark hair off the teen's forehead, which made Alexis noticeably emotional.

"I'm going," she said quickly.

Jon's stomach felt like lead watching his cousin flee, but there was nothing he could do to help her. _There's still_ so _meone else here though..._ He fixed on Aidan, and beckoned the boy to follow him. "Let's get something to eat, huh?"

His little cousin followed his lead, but the boy's eyes never left the floor. While walking into the dining room, Jonathan grasped for an activity he could do with Aidan to pass the time. _He was working on that model car with Jayden, so that wouldn't be a good plan. He hasn't touched a video game since the night Tim disappeared. Options are starting to dwindle. But there must be something we can do..._

Jon pointed his cousin to a chair and sat down beside him, dutifully waiting to be served some eggs and sausage. While grinding extra pepper over his portion, an option finally came to mind. "I've been pretty bored, Aidan. What would you say to passing the ball with me?"

"Where? We can't go outside."

"The basement. There's some open space down there."

"My dad never lets me play soccer in the house."

"That was before we _all_ got grounded." Jon cast Karina a swift look as the woman set Alena up with her oatmeal. "It's okay, right?"

The Latina nodded. "As long as you keep it in the basement, and away from anything fragile. I say you can go to town. I won't tell on anyone." She nudged Aidan's shoulder.

The boy brightened a little. "Jay's not here to kick it through a wall, so we ought to be fine."

Jon surprised himself with a snort. "Yeah, we will be. But no drop kicks, just to be safe."

Aidan made a face. "I still can't get them right anyway."

"That day will come, Aidan," he reassured him, and reached for his fork. _I might not like pretending everything will be okay, but I think it's the only way we'll survive this. A new twist on innocent until proven guilty...Act like it's all right, until the world actually comes to an end._


	51. Band-Aid

Charlotte wasn't looking forward to staring at the inside of another space ship, but her relief over being locked up _with_ Tim was so great, she wasn't tempted to complain. Her cousin had improved over the course of a few hours, but the haunted look in his eyes remained.

 _That weird Vaga had a more negative impact on him than the others._ She wanted to ask Tim about it, but they hadn't enjoyed anything close to privacy yet. Now that they were on the fringes of "outer" space and their handlers seemed to have grown bored of them, the timing was better.

"Tim."

When he glanced up, blood-shot eyes conveyed more than words could have.

"I get that you still aren't feeling well, but I can also tell there's more to it," she said softly. "If you don't want to talk, I understand. But it seems like you know something I don't so...I'm all ears, and I have nowhere to go."

"I'm the one who doesn't know anything," he murmured. "Never realized the price you pay for what was done to you. A price our whole family is about to pay."

"But they don't have them, Tim."

"Not yet." His voice was faint, and the way he stared into space without blinking worried her.

"Tim," she repeated to get his attention. "Did you see something? Feel anything? Because you're different now, and I get the sense it's not about being injected with my blood."

"It's that Vaga."

"I thought it was. Why does he bother you so much? You can't let him see he's getting to you. Guy is a text book villain. He just wants to get under your skin."

"There are no text books about him," Tim countered. "Charlie, he's got the darkest soul I've ever encountered. Everything he's threatened, he'll do...and more. He isn't trying to scare us. They'll find a way to recreate the cells without us, and then we're finished." He looked uncomfortable instantly, but then shrugged. "You wanted to know what was in my head. Sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Tim, but help me understand. We've dealt with evil to varying degrees our whole lives. The depth of his depravity doesn't take anything away from _you_. Why are you acting like he's sucked the air out of your lungs?"

"Because we can't compete with him, or any of this. You mean to tell me you're not discouraged at _all_? I mean...not that I want you to be."

"I don't 'experience' things as deeply as you do. I'm not putting you down, itoko. But I don't want you to give up."

Tim fixed on the floor. "Why'd he say I could figure out his wretched reasoning? Who would _want_ to?"

Charlotte swallowed. "Getting inside his head could help our cause, but it's not something I'd encourage you to try."

A tremor took the blue-masked turtle. "Probably wouldn't survive it."

"Okay, I'm sorry. Let's talk about something else."

"I'm open to suggestions, Charlie."

She paused to think. "There's always alphabetical insults."

"You're a lot better at that game than me."

"If you weren't so scared of hurting someone's feelings, you'd have a better time, you annoying abrasive absurd antagonist."

He managed a smile. "I don't have the brain power for it right now."

"It's not that hard, especially for a brashly belligerent brute of a barbarian."

"You only pick this game because _you're_ good at it."

"You're not even trying, you callous chaotic compulsive catastrophe!"

He snorted. "I bet you could actually come up with one for every letter of the alphabet. I don't know why I'm laughing. Feels stupid."

"It's better than crying."

"True, but...it also seems like trying to stick a band-aid over a bullet hole."

Charlotte was silent for several seconds, and almost gave up the effort of distracting him altogether. "Band-aids still serve a purpose, don't they?"

"They don't make much difference for big wounds."

"Maybe not, but they can protect an injury. They cover it up, and keep contaminates from getting in. They help prevent infection, and generally make a wound feel better, right?"

"Yeah, but they don't last either. You have to change them constantly."

"But they provide protection in the meantime. We can agree there."

"A little bit."

"And they stop some wounds from getting worse."

He nodded.

"So what's wrong with laughing if it makes you feel better for a couple minutes? No, it doesn't solve anything, but we could go crazy up here, Tim. At least we're together this time. Let's enjoy it."

"Enjoy it?"

"Okay, maybe that's the wrong term for this, but you know what I mean. Work with me here. You've just been through hell, and these last few days were terrible, but they could have separated us again...and they didn't."

Tim's head bobbed lightly in return. "I'm glad we're together too."

"Let's take advantage of it. Don't you want to play with me?"

"Only if I get to pick the next game."

"Deal, Tim. Although, it's definitely your turn. I've already satisfied three letters."

"Oh, fine. If you're going to be a delirious deficient delinquent, I guess I have to play along. You're pretty good at this for an exhausted eccentric extremest."

"Yes! See, I _said_ you're better than you thought."

"I'm not too bad for finicky faltering fanatic."

"Well yeah, but you're not supposed to insult _yourself,_ you gawky gutless grisly goof!"

"That's why I never win the game."

"Oh, all right. What do you want to play?"

"I think I'd like to tell a story."

"If you're narrating, I get to set the scene," she insisted.

"Deal. Where are we starting?"

"You're in a deep forest."

"Real or mythical?"

"You pick."

"What about my character?"

"He's an archer. But he also has the ability to control or freeze large bodies of water."

"Interesting. Does he have an objective?"

"He's got to unite humanity under one leader to face a larger threat."

"Is he supposed to be the leader?"

"You tell me, Tim."

"All right. Let me get into character." He hesitated for a long beat, and then continued. "Dante was far from comfortable in the tree he'd chosen for a perch, but experience told the young man he'd spend the night safer _off_ the ground."

"How old is he?"

"Seventeen. Do you want me to tell this?"

"Sorry – no more questions."

"You're good. I'll let you have input later. Anyway. The slight breeze ruffled changing leaves, creating what could have been a peaceful atmosphere, if Dante were able to relax. A full day of running had left him exhausted, but not weary enough to fall asleep without fear. His green eyes slipped close several times, only for him to startle himself awake again.

"Every time he did, he was greeted by the sight of familiar stars peeking through the branches of his tree. 'Too familiar,' he thought. 'I haven't covered enough ground. If they choose not to stop tonight, if the hunters keep looking for me...this evening could be my last. Would it be such a bad thing? What's the point of trying to outrun Immortals?'"

"Are they literally immortal?" Charlotte had to break her promised silence.

"No, they can be killed, but it's difficult. A lot of the villagers where Dante came from insisted they had multiple lives. Even if one _was_ taken down, he'd rise up stronger than before. That's why they call them Immortals."

"And they want to get their hands on Dante?"

"Since when have bad guys liked anyone else having power?"

"Do others know about his abilities? Does he still have a family?"

"You'll find out, Charlie. You will get to enter the story too, but you have to let me lay the groundwork, since you set the universe."

"Okay. I won't keep interrupting you."

Tim gave her a half grin. "You need a little patience. As for Dante...The idea of simply giving up was tempting. It would certainly be easier than evading the monsters out for his blood. He was also left with the dilemma of not knowing where he would end up, or what he'd do when he got there.

"His supplies were few, limited to the clothes and cloak on his back, the bow he and his father had carved when he'd advanced to an adult size, a baker's dozen of arrows, and a flask for water which had long been empty. 'I will have to find something to drink tomorrow, first thing,' he told himself. 'If I'm even able to sleep tonight, that is.'

"To rest required surrendering to the elements around him, regardless of the possible danger. 'I don't have a choice anymore,' he realized. 'I have to trust that I'll be all right, just for a little while.' When he closed his eyes that time, he willfully kept them shut, and conjured up the images of his younger brother and sister. 'Hopefully, she can keep them safe until I get there'."

"She?" Charlotte repeated.

"Yeah – your character. But she isn't around yet. Dante has a ways to go first."

Charlotte was startled to realize how _much_ she'd relaxed over the last few minutes, but it took the door hissing open for her to recognize it. The purple-masked turtle scowled at the familiar figure who'd entered. "You need something else? Or would you rather try and kill us again?"

Varij smiled mockingly. "I didn't try to kill either of you."

"You allowed them to push me too hard-"

"And yet, you still draw breath, terrapin. I don't see what you have to complain about. As for why I've come, we are about to make a jump. Which means it is time for both of you to be suspended."

She wasn't as nervous when he strapped the mask over her eyes as she'd been the first time, but Charlotte couldn't pretend to like it. "Tim, are you all right?"

"I am not hurting your 'cousin', terrapin. And if I wanted to, there's nothing you could do about it."

 _You think what you want,_ she fumed silently. _But we're not going to be tied up forever. I can't wait to show you exactly what I can do about it._

* * *

Jayden groaned audibly when heavy footsteps disturbed the deep sleep he'd _finally_ achieved. He raised his head to glare at the owner of the boots, and saw the annoying figure of the Major standing over his father.

"Up! I need you up now, this is important!" the man commanded.

The older turtle didn't look half as tired as Jayden expected. "What is it, Major?"

"Do you have some means by which your people can track you?"

Donatello blinked, but successfully revealed nothing by his expression. "What are you talking about?Is there a problem?"

"I need to know _right now_ if your people are capable of tracking you here!"

Don peered at the man closely. "Why would you ask me something like that?"

"Because our equipment is experiencing glitches that our tech can't explain."

The older turtle rose swiftly. "And you think the rest of our family has something to do with it? Major, even if our people _were_ attempting something, which they already told me they wouldn't, they couldn't possibly be in position this quickly. They're nowhere near here, and you already have our group's pilot and copilot locked up."

"Hey, you're teaching me to fly too!" Jayden protested.

Don sent over a swift look to silence him. "And the junior copilot. Point is, whatever's interfering with your equipment, it's got nothing to do with us."

"I was afraid of that," Stewart murmured.

"Major, what's actually happening?"

"I can't explain it," he answered. "We're experiencing technological black outs. They only last for a few minutes at a time. The feed clears up, but then the signals are lost all over again. Cycle has repeated every thirty minutes for the last three hours."

"That doesn't sound random," Donny agreed. "Any idea where the interference is originating from?"

"That's what I'm telling you! There isn't an opportunity to get a fix on it. Surveillance goes dark, stays that way for about ten minutes, and comes back. Only to repeat in the same time frame during the _next_ half hour."

"It is Vagari transmitters," Bahri spoke up. "That is the same technology they apply within your atmosphere, to prevent your satellites from detecting their ships when they come near."

"What are they doing?" Will demanded.

"They are searching for us," the elohim stated. "We told you they want the terrapins. The Vagari will not stop just because their last attempt failed."

"But why would they repeatedly shut down our systems? Are they screwing with our heads? Do they like to play with their prey before they take them out?"

"It is more likely they are performing a general sweep of the area with their drones, which in turn affects your equipment," Bahri explained.

"Then you don't think they've found us?"

Donatello crossed his arms. "Major, if they'd found us, the aliens would be here already."

" _Will_ they find us?"

"If we stay here, yes," the elohim acknowledged. "You were warned against remaining in the area."

"Yes, I recall that, but how are we supposed to leave the premises without being seen by whatever is out there?"

"First, we need them to believe we're not here," Don said thoughtfully. "Don't you employ reverse radar technology?"

The Major seemed startled by the question. "Well, yes. But it hasn't had any effect on the encroaching signal."

Jayden bit his lip to contain a snicker. His father's third prototype had taken off in the last year within military circles, although the man speaking couldn't have a freaking clue he was dealing with the designer.

"Would you mind taking us to your control room?" Donny suggested casually.

"To do what exactly?"

"We might have some insight. You never know." Donatello motioned to Bahri, and the elohim went to his side.

Jayden rapidly searched out the other cots for stirring family members, but saw no sign of his red-masked uncle. _Must still be with Leo. Guess I'll have to be ol' dad's backup for now._ He got to his feet, and was faced by the Major warily.

"What are you doing?"

"I like watching my dad work, Major. You could learn something too."

"I don't see why you need to go anywhere."

"If you want us to trust you, you've gotta start trusting us," Jayden challenged. "It goes both ways. I'd like to stick with my dad, and see what's happening too."

Stewart grunted something indiscernible, but didn't prevent the sixteen-year-old from joining them. He _did_ however hold up both hands when Brandon and Greg began rising together. "I've got a full house on this field trip. Rest of you are staying here."

Jayden grinned smugly to himself at not being left out for a change, but didn't boast about it in front of everyone. The Major led the way briskly down the first corridor, through a heavy set of steel doors, and into another bunker which reminded the teen remarkably of where they'd come from. With the exception of a technical-looking bank of equipment which formed a semi-circle against the far wall, the room could have been an exact replica of the other.

"It's just starting over, Major," a man called over. "We're getting the static. If it follows the same pattern, we'll lose everything in the next three minutes."

"And your reverse radar has no effect?" Don asked.

The soldier turned to him in surprise, and cast a questioning glance to the Major. "No, but the programming has been so full of bugs, we've almost scrapped it a few times."

"Bugs?" The older turtle echoed like it was a foreign term. "That's not what I've heard about ServSafe."

"What do you know about reverse radar?" Stewart scoffed.

"Oh, I get around, sir. For instance, I know that 40% of your active units are already using it."

"You do good research, stranger, but that doesn't make you an expert. Leave the logistics to my people, and give me background on the Vagari."

"Honestly, I'd rather see these 'bugs' for myself." Donatello went toward the tech. "Would you mind? For curiosity's sake."

"No civilian has any business being this near our equipment!" the man returned.

"Humor me," the older turtle suggested. "What am I going to do? You said it's about to go dark again."

"Please stay back!" the soldier insisted.

"Leave Lieutenant Samuels alone, Donatello. You're quite missing the point of why I brought you here." Will gave him a severe look. "If you're wasting my time, I'll simply take you back. My people don't need technical advice from a flipping turtle!"

Don cast a glance backward, and caught Jayden's eye meaningfully. The teen understood the request, and acknowledged it by blinking. He only had to wait for his father to move first.

At the first hint of the older turtle's spring, Jayden focused _his_ attention on the gun strapped to the Major's side. He latched onto his target in the span of two seconds, while Donatello removed the Lieutenant from his chair, and took possession of the terminal.

The teen placed himself between his father and the two disgruntled men with the Major's own gun in his grip, though he didn't point it at them. "Let him fix it."

Stewart snapped off his radio, but he was met by nothing but static.

"Let him fix it!" Jayden snarled louder.

"Desist, or you'll both be killed!" The Major shoved Samuels toward the door, at which point Bahri stepped into his path.

"I would rather you allow my terrapin friend to show you the error of your ways before you overreact."

Jayden's estimation of the alien went up a few notches as he staunchly blocked the Lieutenant from reaching the exit.

"You're all getting locked up!" Stewart bellowed.

"Go ahead - right after I'm finished correcting this," Don called back. "I already see the problem. Someone ditched the original parameters. Now who would do a thing like that?"

"This isn't a game! You're going to get your son killed!"

"I'm only defeating the nonexistent 'bug' which is hampering the reverse radar from doing its job. If you give me a few more seconds to adjust the frequencies, I think we'll be back in business."

"Major, he could be damaging untold programs-"

"Shut up, Samuels! Donatello, you've got _five_ seconds to remove yourself!"

Jayden held up the man's gun. "You willing to take me on without a weapon? 'Cause I don't need one."

"You think I won't?"

"I bet you'd try _._ " Jayden chuckled. "Just like your men _tried_ to use the program." He was determined to keep the Major's attention diverted on him for as long as possible.

"DONATELLO!" Stewart shouted loudly enough to hurt the teen's ears.

"There," the older turtle stated calmly. "Does that look better?"

Jayden shot a quick look over to confirm the clear monitor, and then stepped aside from his post.

"You're welcome." Donatello rose from the chair and folded his arms while waiting for the others to investigate.

Samuels was the first to come forward. "What...did you do?"

Don shook his head, annoyed. "Someone's been treating ServSafe like a pulse Doppler radar. Which it isn't. The military has a long history of reducing the transmitted power of the Doppler to achieve a higher rate of performance, but you can't apply the same thinking to new technology. The wave length it operates on isn't remotely similar. Long story short? You ought to stick with the parameters recommended by the creator. It's not fair to blame problems on a 'bug', when you're not using the program correctly to start with."

Bahri wandered closer. "What does it do, Donatello?"

"ServSafe is designed to deflect radar technology," he told the elohim. "The point is to trick radio waves into thinking they're not coming into contact with anything, and thereby...have no reason to interfere with our operating frequencies." Don fixed the Lieutenant with a glare. "So stick with those parameters, and you should be fine."

The Major looked utterly flabbergasted, and Jayden had a hard time not busting out laughing. "How? How did you do that?"

Don shrugged proudly. "I'm just a turtle, Major. I guess I got lucky."

The teen's grin was now irrepressible. _I've got the best dad in the universe._


	52. Negotiate

Donatello hated revealing more knowledge than he wanted to, but the threat of encroaching spies forced his hand. He was relieved the Major hadn't followed through on the promise to lock them up, but the man wasn't going to let him off the hook either. He'd been sitting across the table from Stewart for several minutes, ignoring one question after another.

"You went to all the trouble to fool with the program, but you're not willing to admit how you know anything about it?"

It was the fifth variation of the same question Don had heard, and he wasn't any closer to talking.

"I can only assume Director Kelley is your inside source. There doesn't seem to be another explanation."

 _That_ got the turtle's attention. "No. You're wrong, Major. We've made it clear: you don't know what you're getting into with us. My understanding of ServSafe doesn't originate with Director Kelley."

"Then where does it come from? What do you know about Jewel Line?"

"I know they didn't invent the software."

His answer only seemed to irritate the man more. "Who ARE you? _Really?_ "

Don contemplated the question a few seconds. "I'm no one, Major. I'm not supposed to exist – none of us are. What you're doing here complicates that, and makes it extremely risky for me to give you information."

"You're not nobody. This is the second time you've intersected with my investigation, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again!"

"That's why no one's eager to talk to you, Major."

"This isn't a joke to me." He fumed. "You're becoming a greater threat with every passing hour. The more I learn about you, the less I like."

"You don't like the fact that I prevented alien technology from shutting you down repeatedly, and delving deeper into where our signal was coming from? Because despite the terrain, they would have eventually picked up our life-readings too. In all likelihood, they haven't given up searching the area."

"What I don't _like_ is not knowing how you did it!"

"Get used to it, Major. I'm not any closer to opening up than before."

"All right then. What's it going to take?"

Don was almost too stunned to speak. "Are you...offering to negotiate with me?"

"It depends on the demand."

"I want my family to go free."

"That's not going to happen."

" _Ever?_ "

"I can't give you assurance on that point."

"And I can't give you any intel. Too bad for both of us."

The Major rubbed his temples. "Something else. C'mon, let's hear it."

"We need to leave. It's true that ServSafe was successful in deflecting their drones, but the only reason it's working is because they haven't detected it. There hasn't been a technology created on Earth which can compete with Vagari. So, if in the process of their searching they come in contact with our chemical signatures, they're going to find us, regardless. You don't have a tool in your arsenal which can stop them."

"You don't know everything."

"I know they've been doing this for a long time. That their 'information age' is light years ahead of ours...and they have no qualms in killing everyone on the planet."

"Have you met Vagari?"

"No, not personally."

"What about Elohim then?"

"You want to _get_ something out of us, Major? You have to give something first. We need to leave before they're at our doorstep. By then, it'll be too late."

"How would you propose we escape? If they're out there searching, their drones would have access to us the moment we emerge."

"It depends. How hard would it be to repurpose some of the windows in this place?"

"Windows?"

Donatello felt like rolling his eyes. "Don't act like you can't figure out what I'm inferring."

"That could be tricky. It also might not work."

"But you're obviously aware that while glass allows visible light to pass through, it mostly blocks infrared heat waves." Don leaned slightly across the table. "If you have another suggestion, please share it. What do you say, Major?"

"You want us to just roll up out of here with nothing by a fragile sheet of _breakable_ material to protect you from what is undoubtedly the greatest threat known to mankind? Sure. Why wouldn't I be down for that?"

"Do you have another idea?"

"I'll confer with my people. We did manage to learn a few things in the course of our training."

Donatello shrugged. "Hey, I'm not pretending to be smarter than anyone. If your guys come up with something better, more power to them. In the meantime though, could you break up this little chat? Because we're not getting anywhere. I'm kind of tired, but I have a feeling you need sleep more than I do."

"Yet you're not pretending to be smarter than anyone."

"Still not holding to that claim. But if your facial tic is any indication, your migraine isn't going away by itself. You should consider resting."

The peculiar shade the man's cheeks turned was a new development. "I can't even..." Stewart was at a loss for words, then motioned to someone standing near the door. "Take him. Just get him out of here."

Don smiled grimly while rising. "Better confer with your experts soon, Major, because I'm sure time is running out. Let us know what you decide, and consider taking care of yourself too. No one else can do it for you."

Stewart waved off the soldier who was nearly gripping Don's arm. "Stand down, Opfer." He glared at Donatello. "I don't need advice from some...some..."

"Some what? You don't have a clue who I am, yet you still refuse to believe I have anything to offer."

"If you chose to give me more than a few crumbs, I wouldn't have to question everything!"

"Not likely, at least based on what I've already discerned about you."

"So you presume to think you know _me?_ "

"You'll have to forgive me, Major, but I have pre-existing knowledge to draw from."

"By that, I assume you're referring to Jasmine."

"Technically, yes, sir."

"You don't think any of the information could have been tainted in her favor?"

"You know what, Major? Jazz isn't perfect. She's never pretended to be. Right from the beginning, she owned up to the role she played with Daystar. Regardless of what you think, my brothers and I are good judges of character. It's part of the reason we accepted her so quickly, and also why we never harmed any of your men, despite the danger you pose to us.

"Because while you get your kicks from threatening our continued existence, and your guys are far too cocky for their own good, you're not evil. We learned to tell the difference a long time ago."

"Whatever you think you know about my daughter, the picture is incomplete."

"So is your picture of her. You haven't had anything to do with Jazz in decades. You don't know her husband, children, or what she's been doing with herself. While you're struggling to come to terms with what to do with us, you're throwing several more lives besides ours into upheaval. The sooner you make up your mind, the better off everyone will be."

"It's not that simple."

"It could be, but I understand how hard it is to give strangers the benefit of the doubt when you couldn't believe your own daughter."

"You have no right to comment on her!"

"You have no right to hold on to our people, but you are."

"You aren't her family."

"Maybe not, Major, but we act like one. At the end of the day, there's nothing we wouldn't do for each other. By my definition, that constitutes a family. I'm sure you've experienced similar feelings for your men. If someone tried to hurt them, how would you react?"

"I wouldn't let you have another chance."

"That wasn't a threat, Major. In case you haven't noticed, we value all life. Probably more than you do, when it concerns those outside your circle."

"I have to focus on the big picture. I have to be concerned about _everyone!_ "

"And you honestly believe we're putting them in danger?"

"You're connected to the danger."

"Not by choice," the turtle countered. "We didn't ask for any of this. Never went looking for aliens. We are very much unwilling participants, in the same way we are here."

"Why? What do they want from you?"

"There is nothing you could do to make me answer that question. Please don't ask it again."

"Are you that important?"

"We're done here," Don stated firmly. "If you can make up your mind about anything, let us know. Hopefully it'll happen _before_ the bad guys destroy the world."

* * *

Vaga-Arzhan was disappointed in the time it'd taken to deliver the news he'd waited for, and _somewhat_ less than pleased with the results. " _Josaad, I must say, I'm starting to lose confidence in you._

 _"Vaga, we reacted as swiftly as we could. We created the right element to slow them down, but then-"_

 _"Then_ what _, Chakor?"_

 _"I can't account for what happened,"_ he admitted. " _Our technicians are studying the atmospheric conditions and the core of the disperser, but they haven't detected any anomaly or glitch to attribute to the storm's collapse. It doesn't appear the machine malfunctioned."_

 _"Would you willingly tell me if it had, Chakor?"_

 _"Vaga, I would not lie to you, not even from a distance."_

 _Which is the reason I_ made _you leader in Muhsin's absence,_ Arzhan inwardly fumed. _But that doesn't mean I can tolerate any form of ineptness, especially when it comes to high level targets of this nature._

 _"Do you have any leads on them, Josaad?"_

 _"We believe their group united with the military presence who has been stalking Lendano."_

 _"Are they actually working together?"_

 _"The drone footage suggests that their meeting wasn't entirely...peaceful. But it didn't come to a real fight."_

 _"Who is it that stands in control?"_

 _"The legendaries appear to take commands from the humans."_

 _"Tell me you are already tracking them, Josaad. Give me some reassurance please. "_

 _"We don't know which direction they went after the storm imploded. We released four issues of drones today to comb the countryside. It's quite likely they will turn up again on their own. The group is sizable, and their vehicles distinctive."_

 _"I want them found, Chakor. Do you understand? My patience is thin. If you aren't able to perform this task, I would rather you withdraw now."_

 _"I am able, Vaga-Arzhan. We will find them."_

 _"Alive, Josaad. Don't bring them to me worthless."_

 _"I wouldn't betray your trust."_

 _"See that you don't. Make this happen, Chakor. I have room for another Kumne at my side, but not a failure of a Josaad."_

 _"Understood, Vaga. Happy landing."_

 _"Bring me better news, Chakor. I will be waiting to hear from you."_

Arzhan flicked the switch to end the transmission, and rose to walk up behind one of the seven Quoh who was currently at the helm of the ship. " _Umrao, how is the atmosphere?"_

 _"It appears much smoother than the Doctor described, Vaga, but that was from several years ago. The planet is not what I expected from his report."_

Arzhan wasn't surprised about the state of Zuhur, but chose to remain impassive. The research which had been carried out prior to the first three waves of _Bek_ arriving on the scene gave the Vaga a good idea of what they were getting into. He _hadn't_ expected what his Kumne Ojasin discovered upon initial review of Zuhur, but it explained the lack of follow-through from his old friend.

 _I knew Yasir could be dead – I expected it even. But a complete overhaul of the Elohim's caste? I wouldn't have believed such a thing was possible from within their own people, especially the ones who call themselves "reclaimed". Something very odd happened here, and I mean to learn about every aspect._

He openly admired the golden disc, noting the existence of large bodies of water which were exempt from Yasir's detailed notes. _But then, I sense there are many things the Doctor didn't share. Such as his true motivation for reestablishing contact._

Arzhan claimed the over-sized chair in the center of the control deck which was reserved for his use, and settled into contemplation as the ship descended over Zuhur. _That the fragility of the Elohim could be so badly exposed by these legendaries is both odd and daunting. Were it not for the dunamis gene, I couldn't allow them to live for another moment. But then again, were it not for the gene, I wouldn't have come here._

Arzhan had no knowledge of what ended up being Yasir's final transmission until seven years _after_ the message itself had been lost inside of the large network of communications; the hub for all twelve star systems they currently occupied. By the time the transmission was stumbled upon, it took a couple more years to unlock the file from heavy encryption.

The Vaga activated the crystalline screen to his right, recalling the cryptic transcript of Yasir's message.

" _...I would like to now reaffirm the trust I placed in your father many years ago, and as such, share with you the most valuable find of our time. Were I to tell you where it came from, you probably would not believe me._

 _I never expected to relinquish this discovery to another so easily, but events of these last few days have warned me against keeping my knowledge so close. There is a minor threat at hand, one which ought to be dispatched with a little more time._

 _But as my life and research have already been in serious peril, I find it necessary to protect my discoveries the only way I know how. The dunamis gene is not a myth, nor an impossible dream, as some have claimed. Those were small-minded individuals, with even punier courage. I tell you, I have seen the gene successfully implanted and reproduced, all within the last couple of months._

 _After many attempts to design a hybrid capable of both carrying and perpetuating the gene, I found the answer in the most unlikely and legendary of creatures. I have discovered none others like them in all of my study. It would seem Nature itself has rewarded my patience with the perfect specimen._

 _My seeds are planted, and I can hardly wait to see them come forth. With perfection soon at hand, I urge you to again consider aligning with the Overlords. We are mighty, but together, we were always stronger. As a race fractured we may yet endure, but united we would do much more than exist. We can be the ultimate power, harness unbreakable genes, and create a dynasty which will never have an equal._

 _I promise to serve you, and you alone, Vaga-Arzhan. I will share with you everything I have learned and implemented. You have only to show your face, and I swear it will be yours. Altus Abeiron no longer seeks transcendence, but only for every heart to worship him. I find myself seeking a goal which much more closely aligns with yours..."_

Arzhan tapped the screen to close the transcript, and gave the planet they were approaching one last glance before getting up again on sudden impulse. He'd spent a good portion of their trip observing their terrapin captives, but hadn't spoken with them at length since before taking off. _Now is a fitting time to pay them another visit, and discern their state of mind before we arrive._  
He used a transporter to descend to the lower deck, and was greeted by a surprised Safyni on the other side.

 _"Vaga, I didn't expect you. Aren't we on our final descent?"_

 _"Yes, Varij. You may strap yourself in for landing, but I wish to speak to the terrapins before we get there."_

His Safyni made a signal of deference and stepped aside to let him through. Arzhan didn't see any others on his trek down the hall; it was common procedure to be seated during landing.

He let himself into the room the aliens had been sharing, and entered to find a pair of apprehensive brown eyes already fixed on the door, like the blue-masked terrapin expected him to come. _It wouldn't surprise me if he did. I had my doubts of the usefulness they would present, but this one has certainly succeeded in peaking my curiosity._

"Greetings, terrapin."

The youth said nothing right away, but sent a rapid glance to his companion. "She's finally asleep," he pleaded softly. "Please don't bother Charlotte now."

"I will be satisfied to speak with you."

The terrapin's nerves were on display, but he managed to back them up with a scowl. "Your people really hurt her."

"I'm aware of that, and corrections were implemented. Would you like to hear how the offending Banr died?"

"I...no! Just don't do it again."

"You don't honestly expect me to take orders from you, do you?" Arzhan crossed the room to stand at the alien's side.

The youth struggled to sit up at his approach, and fiddled with the tightly fitted band around his forearm.

"Don't tax yourself on my account." The Vaga smiled disarmingly. "You have recovering of your own to do, but I'm greatly encouraged by your gene activity."

The anger in his brown eyes only deepened.

"I'm aware you don't appreciate becoming an important stepping stone in our history, terrapin. But you have no idea how special the dunamis gene is."

"I think my cousin would, since she's lived with it her entire life."

Arzhan shook his head. "No, young one. I guarantee there are things _none_ of you know, including its most unique component. However, that's not a topic I'm inclined to discuss at the moment. You should enjoy holding this value to us while it lasts."


	53. Negative

Kamryn rubbed her arms against the chill in the air, subconsciously fearing the worst. As if the two sets of eyes watching her every move weren't enough to make her feel paranoid, now the dropping temperature had her anxiety spiking even higher. It had become so intense that a hand landing on her shoulder almost sent the woman into orbit.

"Easy! Sorry, I should have said something."

Kamryn met the bronze-haired woman with a nervous shrug. "It doesn't take much to set me off, Katherine." She glanced up at the gathering clouds and hugged her arms over her chest. "I don't know about this. I don't like it. I think the Vagari are on to us. It doesn't feel natural."

"What doesn't feel natural?" The other woman sounded much more even-keeled than Kamryn could fathom.

"It's too cold. Isn't this your hottest season?"

"Well, yes, Kamryn, but temperatures can fluctuate quite a bit in this area of the globe. It's not unusual to have cooler nights, even in the summer. Is anything bothering you besides the weather?"

"Only everything," she muttered.

"At least we're getting out of here."

"To be transported somewhere else, that we don't control anymore than we do this place. There doesn't seem to _be_ anywhere safe for them to go. The turtles need to leave entirely."

"Then what would happen to everyone else?" Katherine asked softly.

"I can't help them, anymore than I helped any of _you_. We were too late to stop Vagari from cornering their children. There's little chance the communication we risked everything to send got through. And my reaction to our capture nearly got Leonardo killed. At this point, all of you are better off without me."

Katherine gave her a look which was difficult to interpret. It seemed to be a mixture of sadness coupled with sympathy. "I asked Olivia and Nate to tell me their side of things from that awful night so many times, I know they got sick of it. But I think it helped me realize something you haven't."

Kamryn couldn't imagine feeling better about it, but motioned for her to go on.

"Bahri's pod managed to land safely, but yours couldn't, right?"

She shook her head. "No, not after being hit. I had to bail out early in that park."

"And your ship ended up exploding."

"Yes, that's what happened." Kamryn was mystified as to where the woman was going.

"Afterwards, Olivia said the momentum of the attack changed. Do you know why?"

"It seems they got more violent," the younger woman lamented.

"They became desperate," Katherine corrected. "Their cover was blown. The kids said they acted like they didn't want to leave the park to begin with, though they ended up chasing them. But when the risk for exposure became greater, they had to flee."

"And take the children with them."

"Yes, but they didn't get them all, and judging from the weapons Liv described...they certainly could have."

Kamryn bit her lip in concern. "Yes. I'm surprised they didn't."

"Instead, they ended up with only two out of five. I can't help thinking the exploding pod may have done more to help their cause than harming it. They were forced to cut things short."

She honestly hadn't thought about it that way, but she wasn't encouraged. "It doesn't help their other young ones."

"Do you think it makes no difference to the rest of us that Nate, Olivia, and Jayden aren't missing too? I can see why you made such good friends with our boys."

The amusement in the older woman's tone struck Kamryn as strange. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I find that you're very similar to them, in the best possible ways. Loyal and sacrificial to the end...but guilt hits you just as hard. The turtles don't even like killing someone who's bent on destroying _them_."

"We differ there," Kamryn replied sharper than she intended. "I harbor no shame in killing someone who's trying to do the same to me, or another I care about. I've never apologized for it, and I'm not going to."

"You sure don't have to say sorry to _me_. But you're still carrying a lot of guilt for something which isn't remotely your fault."

Kamryn searched the Latina's brown eyes, and was struck by the sincerity behind them. "We wanted to stop them altogether. It shouldn't have gotten this far!"

"That doesn't make your actions or sacrifices worthless, Kamryn. My family is in your debt."

The younger woman blinked back unexpected tears. "No. I am very much in theirs, and always will be. Meeting Donatello saved a part of my soul which was so dead, I never thought it'd live again. The very idea that his little girl suffers in the hands of those...those _monsters_ , it makes me want to scream night and day."

"You're not alone there, but we still have a chance. Can you admit it for me?"

"A chance, yes..." she faltered. "I would feel better if we'd at least made contact with someone. They would come, Katherine. If they knew the situation, the Nalikjan wouldn't hesitate to respond, even if it spelled their certain doom. Which it probably would."

"Kamryn, what does expecting the worst get you?"

Katherine's question caught her off guard. "Well, I...I don't know. I don't enjoy it, but what choice do I have? I can't lie to myself, or see our circumstances for anything other than what they are. I'd do anything to change the outcome, but it hardly seems possible at this rate."

"But what does it get you?" she repeated.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"I mean you can be 'realistic' about the situation, and accept abject failure as the only future. But why bother fighting after such an admission?"

"I guess you wouldn't."

Katherine nodded. "We have much greater reason for despair than optimism. But since expecting to be destroyed won't do us in favors, I'd rather take the revolutionary approach of believing things can still work out. I don't know how. Yet rather than abandoning all my energy to negativity, I have to look to hope."

"How?"

"You can't choose what happens at every turn, but you get to decide how to react. Our matriarch Victoria told me something once, and I never forgot it. She said hope for the future gives us power to act in the present. I try to live by that idea, especially at a time like this."

"But I don't feel hope in the slightest."

"That's because it's not technically a feeling, any more than faith is. It's a choice, one you can make in spite of everything else."

Kamryn shifted her weight awkwardly. "It doesn't say much about me if I can't accept there might be some hope left, does it? I _should_ have more faith."

"No one has it all together, Kamryn, especially me. But the words you speak and the thoughts you think are significant. They shape your mindset, and ultimately, what you choose to believe. If you want to see hope, you can't focus purely on negativity and fear."

She stared at the ground. "I really wouldn't care as much if it was only me. The turtles don't deserve to suffer this way."

"Neither do you," the older woman declared.

Kamryn snorted unintentionally. "Their motivation has always been purer than mine. At the root of everything, I'm still fighting to take back a life which was stolen from me. I'll be struggling forever, it seems."

"I can't pretend to understand what you life has been like," Katherine acknowledged. "But you're with us now. We need all the help we can get...but it also means receiving support in return."

"I'd do anything to help you."

"It will begin with helping _yourself,_ and letting go of perceived failures. You showed up, Kamryn. That's more than anyone could have asked. You risked your life, and accepted being captured to get the chance. Regardless of whether you 'feel' it's good enough, you have to accept that it was."

* * *

Kamryn was still feeling a little skeptical before their transport showed up, but when she saw the size of the approaching vehicle, she had the urge to hide her eyes. She watched bleakly while their armed escort began herding their group to line up, but then quickly moved to get behind Donatello.

Her gaze narrowed when someone stepped directly in the path to cut her off, and found herself glaring at the Major. "Am I allowed to walk, or do I need permission?"

"I want you to stick close," the man directed. "I have a couple questions for you, which may determine where we go next."

Not laughing was difficult. "I'm not the person to ask for directions on your planet."

"So I gathered. But you _are_ the one who can detect their drones when no one else does. _"_

Nerves assaulted her stomach, but she tossed her head as if unconcerned. "I have experience with their technology. I can't tell you where they are exactly, but if they're nearby, I can find them pretty quickly."

"How do you know?"

Kamryn glanced at the purple-masked turtle instead of the man, and could see Donatello's protective side gearing up. "Maybe I'll tell you, if I have a good reason."

"We're leaving like all of you wanted."

"But where are we going?" The Major shut his mouth at once, and she sighed. "Exactly. You want us to blindly trust you, when you don't trust us."

The man motioned his head toward the monstrosity of a vehicle. "We'll talk inside."

 _Sure we will, if you open up first._

Kamryn edged closer to Donatello when the Major moved on. "Do you know what that thing is?"

The turtle chuckled softly. "It looks like a tour bus. So we're either going to be pegged as a bunch of traveling foreigners, or looked at like groupies."

"What's a groupie?"

Donatello merely smiled. "That sort of bus isn't what the military would typically use, so it's a good move for starters. The question is whether other precautions are in place."

"You think we'd have you out here otherwise?" Stewart scoffed from a couple feet away.

"Don't pretend to care about us, Major," Donatello retorted. "Everything you do is to benefit yourself."

The man scowled in response. "Last I checked, I was trying to keep you alive."

"If you really want us alive, you wouldn't be carting everyone around like cattle. You'll probably want to brand us next."

"There's no making you happy, is there?"

"Sure you could make us happy," Raphael interjected. "But ya won't."

"I'd hoped we were moving past the insubordination stage and closer to collaboration."

"Oh, is this a collaboration?" Donatello challenged. "Then where are we going?"

Instead of answering, Will wheeled around to face the line getting on the bus.

Donatello leaned closer to Kamryn when the man wasn't looking. "I don't think you should be telling him anything."

"Donatello, he knows I'm not normal. Everyone can tell, just by looking at me. He probably already suspects my origins. I won't share any of it unless he's more open with _us_ , okay?"

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do, Kamryn. But I don't trust him."

"Neither do I, and I'm sure I never will. But you said this would be a 'give and take'. Doesn't that imply we have to share information eventually?"

"Yes, but on our terms."

She nodded like she understood, even though she didn't. The turtle stood back to let her on the "bus" first, and she climbed up the unnaturally high steps with confusion. Once Kamryn got a glimpse of the unusual interior, the number of benches was a good indication for why the transport had been chosen. In addition, the sheets of glass installed directly overhead seemed strategic.

"Everybody watch the roof," the Major announced gruffly. "And if you have 'turtle' DNA, stay the heck down." Then he nodded to Kamryn, and pointed to Donatello behind her. "C'mon to the back. I'll be with you in a minute."

"So will I," Leonardo spoke up.

"Leo, you've got to get some rest," Donatello objected.

"As soon as I have a clue what we're doing, I will."

Kamryn caught the perplexed look the Major gave the blue-masked turtle, and bit her tongue to keep from chuckling. _He doesn't understand how Leonardo can function so well after being shot. The Major will be in the dark forever, because no one's giving up the secret._

While walking down the aisle between seats, she felt a sudden chill. _Am I actually considering telling this man my own story? His kind would probably like to take me apart as much as they would the turtles. Better me than them, but still..._

The sensation of fingers protectively gripping her elbow made her smile back at the purple-masked turtle. "This feels familiar."

"Not quite," Donatello grumbled, and shot Leonardo a sharp glance. "You shouldn't even be mobile."

"Don, you can't make a big deal out of it, or _he'll_ delve deeper," Leonardo hissed. "Act like everything's normal, or the Major will realize it's not. Is that what you want? He already knows the blood for the transfusion came from Jayden."

Donatello dropped his forehead into his palm. "Me and my big mouth. All right, I get it, but seriously...You need to rest."

"I'll be fine. If we both lean on him, I bet we can get some clue where we're going."

"You think?" The purple-masked turtle sounded doubtful.

"We have to try, either way."

Donatello nudged Kamryn to a seat, and positioned himself beside her. She was tempted to bask once more in the glow of his overprotective nature, but the Major coming toward them forced her to remain somber.

The man claimed a seat of his own, and sat down backwards to face Kamryn and Donatello, before inclining his head to Leo across the aisle. "I need to know how much advance warning you can get us on the drones."

"Not much," she admitted. "I can tell you when they're close by, though probably not from inside the...bus. Maybe if a window was open, but the glass is probably in the way."

"Would you rather have your friends exposed to thermal technology?"

"I'm not complaining," she said defensively. "But I'm also not magical, Major. I can't conjure up their location for you."

"But you'd know if they were here now."

"Probably."

"You have to explain some of this."

"I will – after you tell us where we're going."

The uncertainty in Stewart's eyes wasn't encouraging, but he leaned toward them nonetheless. "We have to do something unconventional. I've been 'dark' up to this point, which means no communication with my superiors. I can't maintain that atmosphere without qualifying factors."

"Which means?" Leonardo asked crisply.

"It means setting foot somewhere no sane person who knew better would go. We were already planning to head that direction eventually, so the move won't appear out of place."

The two turtles exchanged a look.

"What do you have in mind?" the blue-masked one pressed.

Stewart hesitated, resting his arms on the seat back. "Venezuela."

Donatello cocked his head. "That's a pretty tumultuous atmosphere."

Kamryn fingered the turtle's shoulder. "What does that mean?"

"It's one of the most dangerous places on Earth, outside of an active war-zone," he filled in.

Leonardo cleared his throat. "What's the point of the destination?"

"It goes back to our connections with Lendano. Traveling to Latin America won't look suspicious to those I report to. I also have some contacts in the country who are prepared set us up with arrangements in Caracas."

Donatello's eyes widened. "You want to send us to the epicenter of the madness?"

"I don't _want_ to do any of this. I'd rather unload you lot and never have to look at you again, but I can't risk someone else finding you. You want to hide somewhere out of the way, right? I can't think of anywhere better."

"I can," the purple-masked turtle countered. "If you think-"

Leonardo stretched a hand to his brother's arm to cut him off. "You have to let us contact our people at some point."

"We can address that later. You wanted to know where we're going, and that's the plan. Are you ever going to explain how you know about the drones?" he directed to Kamryn.

She grinned in return. "You seem to have some intelligence, Major. You can clearly see I'm not a normal human being."

" _Are_ you in fact, human?"

"I was born one. What I am now is up for interpretation."

"Are you from Earth or not?"

"Not. I'm a product of two of the many slaves who were abducted from your planet over the course of several years. But if the Vagari get their way, things will turn out much worse for the rest of you. I hope you know what you're doing, Major, because you aren't just gambling with the turtles. The future of your planet is on the line. You'd better not screw it up."


	54. Ally

Nathaniel was anything but happy about being driven to a mostly deserted airstrip, and the idea of flying somewhere else against his will. _It's amazing how everyone treats us the same, whether we're talking about family or a military conglomerate who spells potential disaster for us all. There's something to be said for consistency I guess._

He felt a set of eyes observing him, which wasn't unusual as of late. This pair, however, felt more curious than suspicious. When the teen cast a sidelong glance at the individual, he understood why. Nate turned to face forward, but spoke up nonetheless.

"It's Burrall, right? I remember you."

"Yeah, and I remember you," the young man returned sheepishly. "Um...how's the hand?"

"Broken," he said distastefully. "But it could have been worse. The other guys from the car, are they okay?"

"Sort of. Rodriguez needed intensive care, and Caldwell...his mind was shaky at best. Neither of them were in any position to tag along."

Nate's breath seized in his chest. "Wait, are they...Where are they then? In a real hospital? Do they report to someone else? Are they gonna tell-"

"Hey, slow down." The awkwardness left Burrall's voice, replaced by a reassurance Nathaniel didn't expect. "Yeah, they needed the hospital. They were sent off base about an hour after arriving at the FOB last night. But they won't talk."

Nate's gaze intensified. "How do you know?"

"Classified means classified. Besides, who would believe them?"

The orange-masked turtle scowled at the soldier and shut his mouth. _Nothing but freaks to him, obviously. Why would I expect any different?_

"At this time, we are going to disembark from the bus, and approach the hangar directly to your right upon exiting the vehicle," the Major announced. "You will maintain a straight line and not deviate from the set course. Once on the plane, you'll be debriefed with some house rules.

"Clearly, it's a risk to employ weapons in a pressurized cabin, but I don't want anyone to think we don't have the means to control you. I'd rather it didn't come to violence, but we require your complete cooperation. If any of you get out of line, we'll have no choice except to enforce restrictions on your entire company. I won't go easy on you, no matter who it is. My advice is to sit back, and do as you're told."

Leonardo raised his hand. "Major? You could save your breath. A simple, 'behave, or else', would suffice at this point."

Nate covered his mouth to a contain a snicker at the incredulous look the man sent the blue-masked turtle.

"Then _behave,_ or else," Stewart ordered through clenched teeth.

The young orange-masked turtle shook his head. _This guy doesn't have a clue. I can't wait to see him get taken down a few notches._ He caught his dad looking toward him, and waved his good hand. "Still here. They didn't manage to lose me. Shocking, I know."

"I'll have quiet please!" the Major demanded.

The face Michelangelo made behind the man's back was too much for Nate. He had to bury his head against the seat in front of him to muffle laughter. _It's not funny. It's really not,_ he told himself to no avail.

"Fall out!" Stewart barked.

Nate took his time getting up, in no hurry to rush off the bus with so many others waiting to exit. He felt Burrall's stare again, but tried to ignore it. _No desire to talk to him, not anymore. Why should I waste my time on someone like that?_

The soldier crowded in closely behind him when Nate entered the aisle, but the turtle noticed he'd holstered his weapon. Looking around, he couldn't find another Green Beret who wasn't brandishing their firearm. _Does he think I'm not a threat? Well, why would he? It's not like I've attacked anyone. And I'm not going to either, at least until our dads decide to do something. The plane won't be a good place to start, but I don't like the sound of where we're going..._

In a fashion similar to Telephone, the news of the violent country to which they were traveling had filtered through the vehicle like wildfire. Admittedly, he didn't know a lot about Latin America, with the exception of the recent political unrest and coverage on riots against armored tanks from the news. _How does a normal citizen fight a tank exactly? Uncle Don could find a way, I'm sure. That Battle Shell would have a few tricks up its sleeve._

The thought of the family van made him grimace. _I wish we were home, facing our old enemies, the old way. I wish_ all _my cousins were here, and we weren't in this mess. I wish I could tell Reina everything is gonna be okay and actually mean it._

A chill took him the moment he hit the night air, and Nate drew his injured hand close to his plastron. _Stupid injury. Wonder how long it'll limit me. Don't need this, especially for the sake of people who'll never appreciate it._

Someone's arm hovered too close to his back for comfort and Nate shifted away, already aware it was his personal "body guard". _We've all got one assigned to us, naturally, but he doesn't have to be so flipping annoying. Needs to let me breathe a little._

While ascending the stairs to the plane inside the hangar, he shot a glare at Burrall. "Get off my shell. If you can't tell, I'm not trying to escape."

The young man was visibly flustered. "I know that, I'm just...trying to do my job."

"Not every day you have to cart around the teenage freak. If I were you, I'd be paranoid too."

"I didn't call you-"

"Lay off. Seriously."

Burrall fell back a little, but continued to follow him upon boarding, confirming Nate's theory about being "owned" by him. _That's okay. I can ignore him, and I'll be happy to do it._

Nate stared straight ahead while another soldier directed him to a window seat, then proceeded to face the dark hangar.

"I think you've got the wrong idea," Burrall spoke up. "I never-"

"All right, I want to get started, so we can be on our way," the Major interrupted from the front of the cabin. "I don't want anyone getting up and down repeatedly. This is a five hour flight, people, not a seven day cruise. You can use the bathroom, but if I pick up the slightest suggestion of a resistance forming, you'll go down hard, and the rest of your family will pay the price. Am I making myself clear?"

"Crystal," Luke answered. "But do you intend to, I don't know, feed us a real meal at some point? Or does everyone get to starve until you make up your mind if we're worth keeping alive?"

"We'll get to that soon, Doctor. We've been dealing with things which are a little more vital."

"Someone has to speak up for their welfare, and I have no problem being the annoying mosquito in your ear."

"That will do, Doctor Barrows! As I was trying to say, we will not be flying directly to Caracas. Conditions are not optimal for such an arrival, so I am making other arrangements to get to the city. When I have the logistics nailed down with my contact, I will share information at the appropriate time. In case any of you aren't aware, I'd like to reiterate some of the risks of the region we'll be approaching. Caracas is unstable at best, and exceptionally dangerous at its worst. The environment is unpredictable, and the violence, unprecedented. Organized crime and gang activity are at an all time high, so to make a long story short-"

"You're not very good at that," Greg cut in. "Just say it's a crazy, stupid move, and be done. We don't need to hear the bedtime version."

Stewart's gaze would probably have vaporized the man where he sat if it were possible, but Heff didn't seem to care. "Your cooperation will be required every step of the way. Aliens aren't the only things which can kill us, people."

Brandon shrugged. "That's all you had to say."

"The talking stops now!" Stewart declared. "Take rest while you can, because I can't guarantee when you'll get to sleep again. Lights out until we land."

That was fine by Nate. He preferred to be left alone, but the problem was the eyes _still_ trying to bore a hole through his shell. He avoided them and intentionally deepened his breathing, even as the plane taxied down the runway for take off. He was close, on the verge of being able to relax a little, but the young man sitting to his right was making it more difficult.

"I think you misunderstood me," Burrall said quietly.

"I don't need to understand," he murmured back. "Just leave me alone, like your Major said. Shut up and let me get some sleep."

"I will, if you give me a chance to say this."

Nate huffed softly and turned to look at him. "What? What do you want from the freak?"

"I never called you that."

"May as well have. You didn't want me touching you back in the SUV, and like you already pointed out, who would believe your friends even if they _did_ talk?"

Someone cleared their throat in a warning manner, and Burrall instantly ducked his head closer to Nathaniel, then lowered his voice.

"It's not like that, okay? I mean, yeah, you're different. But not in a bad way. You're not some monster – I get it."

"Monsters don't usually go around saving people's lives."

"No, that's what I'm saying, or what I was trying to. Nate, I wanted to thank you. And to apologize. I've never met anyone like you, and I keep doing the wrong thing."

Nate stared back at him, searching for authenticity in the statement. "I might be a little sensitive given the circumstances, but you don't expect me to buy whatever you say, do you?"

"You don't trust me, I know that," he acknowledged. "I can't speak for anybody else, or control them for that matter. But I swear, I don't want to hurt you, or the rest of your people. I'd never tell anyone about you either."

Nate blinked slowly. "If it comes to it, I can't guarantee I won't hurt _you_. Do yourself a favor, and don't underestimate me."

"Seeing as how you've been kidnapped and threatened repeatedly, I wouldn't blame any of you for fighting us. But I still don't want to hurt you."

"That won't go over well with your Major."

Burrall actually chuckled. "Are you gonna tell on me?"

"Not necessarily, but it won't stop anyone else."

The young man glanced around to check if others were listening, and leaned even closer to Nate. "For the record, not everyone is on board with this...assignment. It's not what we signed up for."

Nathaniel drew a sharp breath. "I'd keep that to myself if I were you."

Burrall nodded. "The Major offered to let me out. I didn't have to be here, but I couldn't see walking away with what I know now."

Nate paused, then asked the question which had plagued him. "You guys really can't have phones?"

"Yeah, it's true. I don't want to call anyone either way."

"You don't have family at home?"

"Only a step dad who used to beat me, and a mom who was too scared to do anything about it. Does that count?"

Nathaniel stared at the ceiling for a few silent seconds. "The family waiting on us is a little different."

"I can tell, just by watching all of you. If...uh...you can help it, I'd appreciate it if you don't kill me. Always believed there was more to life than the back woods of Tennessee. I'm hoping to find it."

Nate sat up slightly. "We don't kill people for kicks, Burrall. That ought to be obvious."

"I think it is, but if the Major tries to hand you over to someone else, and it comes to a death match, I wanted my position to be clear. I'm not okay with giving you up to the government."

"If you don't try to kill us, I won't try to kill you. Neither will my family."

"Good, I'm down with that. At the same time, we probably shouldn't look chummy in front of the others, y'know?"

"It won't be hard to act like I can't stand you," the turtle jabbed.

"Now you're gonna hurt my feelings," he complained.

The teen managed to smile. "We have to play it cool. If anything goes down, which eventually, I'm sure it will...I'll try to keep you out of it. But what happens will ultimately depend on you." _I'm also not about to start handing out information because you act friendly. Don't expect me to trust you_ any _time soon._

The orange-masked turtle bent closer to the soldier. "You don't want to cross us, Burrall. When I say I don't want to hurt you, I mean it. But I'll do what I have to when I'm pushed. Don't underestimate any of us."

"I wouldn't – not after seeing how the blue one reacted when they tried to shoot...who is she?"

"Kamryn," Nate answered automatically, then winced. _Still feel like I shouldn't tell him anything. Guy might be on the level, but that doesn't give me the freedom to be lax. And even if he isn't against us, it doesn't mean he can help when it comes down to it._

"I've never seen anyone move as fast as he did. I can't believe he wasn't killed."

Nate shrugged. _I'm not spelling out what we're capable of. The paranoia is high enough._

"I don't expect you to trust me," the young man continued. "But as far as I'm concerned, if I can do anything to help you guys get out of this, I will."

Nathaniel swallowed nervously. "You've got to keep your mouth shut then, because it's not time yet. I don't know when it will be, and I wouldn't tell you if I did. You might get the chance to help us, and if you do...Burrall, you won't regret it."

"You can call me Chris. Maybe I can't say it in front of the others, but between us...I've already made up my mind to assist you. I just don't know how yet."

"I already told you. Keep your mouth shut, and your eyes open. You'll have an opportunity...and I'll be waiting to see what you do with it."


	55. Perception

Tim's senses were on high alert while being escorted down yet another unfamiliar corridor. He was tempted to look over his shoulder every so often for reassurance that his cousin was being led behind him, but hated making eye contact with her regular handler, Varij. He finally satisfied himself with being able to hear the over-sized alien's footsteps.

The blue-masked turtle was distracted from the sound by what felt like an influx of fresh air. He fleetingly hoped the _Qif_ they were heading toward was outside instead of another laboratory, but knew it wasn't worth expecting anything good to happen. He shot an uncertain glance to the vagari accompanying him; he was yet another of several aliens whom Tim couldn't name or place. _I don't understand why Charlotte has the same guy over and over, but mine always seems to change. Not that I_ want _some creep like that Safyni escorting me. I'd rather have no one at all._

Tim noticed the tunnel in which they were walking led to a darker area, and hesitated from crossing into the connector. The air he felt was definitely originating from whatever lay on the other side. After a brief lapse in stride, he was pressed to keep going by his captor, who clearly harbored no appreciation for being made to wait.

The teen fought down trepidation while being directed from the hall onto a metal cat-walk like structure, which at first seemed unstable. On either side of the narrow walkway there was nothing but thin air. A glance up revealed silver framework that traveled several stories above his head, and he felt the presence of the air current being driven downward by some force he couldn't decipher. When Tim looked below the platform, he picked out more of the same walkways, dropping to a depth which was impossible to determine in the low lighting.

His vagari grunted at him suddenly, poking the turtle in the side to prod him down an adjacent set of stairs. One flight led to six more, and Tim continued looking around to try and get his bearings in the strange place. _Not that it'll do me any good. This entire building is a maze. I'd never be able to find the way around on my own. Doesn't mean I wouldn't try._

He saw light upon reaching the next landing, and then took in the sight of the predictable lab with a sigh. _I guess I ought to get used to to it, but how does someone do that? I'll have to figure it out._

The moment Tim set foot on the floor which the lab was located, a rumble within his spirit confirmed the last thing he wanted to feel; namely, the presence of a familiar vagari. He took a deep breath to steady his heart rate. _Charlie's right. I can't let this guy get to me. I'm sure that's what the Vaga wants. I shouldn't give him the satisfaction. If nothing else, I can fake it._

The teen wore an impassive expression while being marched toward the lab, and his captor paused for a moment at the glass partition which marked the separation between the walkway. It gave him the sinking sensation of looking into a fish tank, and he liked the idea of the lab even less.

His frame shook involuntarily when the Vaga crossed into his line of sight, and made some signal to his guard. A hand closed around the back of Tim's neck to drag the teen into the room with more force than the alien had previously displayed. _He's showing off for his superior, no doubt. Under better circumstances, I would show off a little too._

Tim braced himself to face the foe inside, and was relieved to be able to control his outward reaction this time. _Maybe it's only a matter of adapting to his presence. I might_ _get to a point where the Vaga doesn't bother me at all._ The vagari locked gazes with him, setting off a miniature earthquake in his spirit. _Then again, it's probably better to avoid him as much as possible._

The Vaga gave instructions to the others in their language, and Tim was dismayed to be led directly to the leader. He was set up in another chair for one of the Banr to immediately begin searching for a vein, and the blue-masked turtle did his best to ignore both of them. He felt Arzhan's stare, but made a show of pretending the Vaga _wasn't_ standing directly over him.

At least the alien didn't try speaking to the teen. Arzhan focused on conversing with his other man, which suited Tim just fine. Meanwhile, he resumed searching for Charlotte, and was relieved to catch her being brought in through the same door. _I'd rather they left her alone entirely, especially with the way they almost killed her. But I still feel better when I can see Charlie._

The purple-masked turtle nodded to him grimly, and he shook his head. _I'm not sure if I would ask for a joint torture chamber under a different situation, although, it's really not as bad as it could be. We're captives, they're taking blood, but they're not_ really _hurting us. Yet._ Tim groaned and barely resisted berating himself. _I've got to shut up while I'm still ahead._

The sharp snap of something metal returned Tim's attention to the action taking place beside him, and he was startled to see what appeared to be a pump filling with an amber-colored liquid. "What's that for?"

The tech behaved like he didn't hear him, but the Vaga leaned closer.

"We are fortifying your system with nutrients it has lost."

Tim scowled. "Wouldn't it be easier to feed us?"

"The infusion provides a better quality of minerals than you can receive from eating, though, meals aren't out of the question. Especially once we've taken the time to get to know one another."

The turtle shifted backward in alarm, though he was incapable of moving far in the chair. "Why would I wanna do that? And since when do you _care?_ "

"We're going to spend a lot of time together, terrapin. I see no reason for the two of us to be at odds."

"But...didn't you say you wouldn't 'need' us forever?"

"Not needing you as such doesn't mean I _have_ to kill you, or that I want to. In any case, I know I'm making you uncomfortable, and it's not my intention. I'd rather have a mutual understanding. We are, after all, not so different from one another."

Tim's mouth dropped. "From where I'm strapped to this chair, we're light years apart."

"That's true, terrapin, but it says nothing for your potential."

"My potential?" he repeated, incredulous. "What are you talking about?"

The alien chuckled. "There are certain things you can't hide from me, young one. There is no point in trying."

"I don't know what you want from me. You think we can be _friends?_ "

"No, that isn't the term I would choose for it. But I would like to give you the chance to know me, and learn about you in turn. It would be mutually beneficial for our relationship."

"What relationship?"

The Vaga held out a hand toward him. "I'm inviting you to find out. I've discerned a few things about you already, and wouldn't mind sharing myself as well. Are you not the least bit curious?"

Dread seized him at the suggestion, and a horrible realization of what the alien could be capable of. Tim stared at the proffered hand like it would bite, and let out a startled laugh. "No! Not at all."

"I haven't harmed you thus far, terrapin."

"Really? Because I remember you dropping a load of my cousin's blood on me so fast, it sent me into shock for a couple days. Do you wanna know what that felt like?"

"I was able to pick up on some of it when you weren't as guarded. But I would like to feel more, if you'd let me."

The ludicrous nature of the request made Tim laugh again. "Seriously? No. Not a chance. I don't want to see inside your head, and you're _definitely_ not getting into mine."

"I'll let you think about it, terrapin."

"I don't need to think about it."

The alien took a couple of steps back. "We'll see, won't we?"

Tim shook his head. "You're insane. To think I'd let someone so evil anywhere near me... _I'd_ be insane to let you do it!"

"How am I evil?"

The blue-masked turtle had the urge to bang his head against the chair, but sensed the question wasn't rhetorical. "How are you not? You've made it your mission to destroy as many planets as possible."

"We don't destroy planets, young one."

"Do you think I'm stupid, or just forgetful? _You_ told us your race are murderers."

"That's not how we see it. We merely take our cues from Nature, and use what has been given to us."

"You kill off entire races in cold blood, and you'll keep doing it until someone stops you."

"There is nothing 'cold' about the selection process," he argued. "What you portray as murder, I consider to be regular maintenance of the universes."

Tim cocked his head. "What does that even mean?"

"If you want the answer, you can get it. I'm not trying to hide anything from you. I have no reason to." The Vaga offered a hand once more.

Tim glared at the offending limb. "You can drop dead."

"Perhaps when you're more eager for information, or once the rest of your family has joined us, you will find yourself resigned to this role."

"What role? You only want me for the genes."

"If you're willing to open up to me, you'll find out."

Tim held his gaze sullenly. "It's not happening, alien, so forget it. If you wanna kill me, get it over with. But I don't have to let you in, and I'm not going to."

* * *

The encounter in the lab left the blue-masked turtle in such a bad mood, he didn't speak for the rest of the field trip. Not when being prodded by additional needles, or when his vitals were tested for the tenth time, nor when he'd finally been released from the room back to the metal maze of staircases.

Upon being delivered to a new cell, he retreated to a corner and sank into his own private moment of despair. Tim was so consumed by heaviness, he didn't realize someone else was still with him, or that said person was his cousin. The soft clanking of chains was his first indication that she was near, and surprise melted into instant relief.

"Charlotte. I didn't know you were there."

"Been behind you the whole time," she mentioned. "Tim, what's going on?"

"Nothing," he murmured, resting his chin in both hands.

"It doesn't look like nothing. That idiot was messing with you?"

"The Vaga? Now he thinks we can be buddies, Charlie! Wants to let me 'understand' him, and why he's not actually a cold-blooded killer."

"He sounds delusional, Tim."

"I think he must be, because he doesn't consider himself evil."

She snorted. "Wow. I'd hate to see what he labels a 'bad' guy."

Tim broke eye contact with her. "That's just it. This isn't an act where he's concerned. He really doesn't see anything wrong with it. If you're capable of doing something, you do it. There's no shame in hurting anyone, or ending a life."

"How are you supposed to convince someone they're wrong when they don't _see_ it as being wrong?"

"I don't think we can, Charlie. A guy like him can't be reasoned with. But he honestly wants to get to know me."

"I can see that, Tim, but why? What does he want from you?"

He hesitated before responding. Tim didn't want to admit the truth, which was that he was dealing with someone who would eventually see through him, whether he wanted the Vaga to or not. "It's probably like you said before. He knows he can get under my skin, so he does."

Charlotte growled. "I'd like to get under his skin and show him what we're made of."

"But we're not fighting back," he reminded her quickly.

"No, we can't," she agreed, though the fire didn't leave her eyes. "It's only wishful thinking, Tim."

He sagged against the wall wearily. "Can we talk about something else?"

"We could talk, or you can," she said meaningfully. "What's up with Dante? Did he survive the night?"

Tim opened his eyes to pick out his cousin across the room. "Yeah, he did. But the Immortals are gaining on him."

"What's he going to do?"

"Beats me. I don't try telling people what to do. I observe them from afar."

Charlotte sank to a cross-legged position, resting manacled wrists in her lap. "Can you pick it back up?"

Tim nodded thoughtfully and considered the forest atmosphere. "Waking up to broad daylight was shocking to Dante; almost as surprising as waking up at all. He shifted on the strong branch which had supported him, and felt moisture descend from the leaves above him.

"He reached up toward the foliage, but a few drops of dew weren't going to satisfy raging thirst. 'I can't think about it right now, that's all," he told himself. 'I've already lost time by sleeping longer than I should have.'

"Dante swung off the branch and shimmied down the tree. The soreness of his calves indicated he was nowhere near recovered from his mad flight. 'It doesn't matter', he thought. 'If I'm going to see this through, I have to get moving again.'

"Touching down on earth made him immediately tense up. 'Like I was so much safer in the dumb tree? Because everyone knows Immortals are no match for bark'. The sarcastic thought resounded sharply in his mind. 'But if I could reach the Valiant, if anyone knows where they are...We might have a chance.'

"The snapping of a twig and the crashing of something through the nearby thicket made Dante jump and notch an arrow in his bow. He lowered his weapon slightly when he caught sight of brown animal hide speckled with white spots, and watched the fawn prance through the tall grass, unaware of any threat.

"Dante waited silently to see what the animal would do, and stared on as it crossed in front of him, and proceeded to dash through the meadow. The braying of a mother deer nearby wasn't surprising, but the youngster didn't heed the female's call.

"Dante slowly backed behind the tree for cover, and then saw the older animal approaching with twitching ears. 'Probably knows something else is in the area'. He watched the deer longingly, estimating how much usable meat he could glean from her, and how long he'd be able to keep it before spoiling. 'Not long enough to make killing an entire animal worth it,' he rationalized. 'If my family was here too, maybe...but not just for me'.

"He lowered his bow, but realized something else as the female chased after her young. 'They need to forage, but they have to get water too'. Thoughts of numerous lost meals returned to his most pressing need of the moment, which was to find more than a couple drops of dew.

"Dante took slow, deliberate steps to follow the animals' progress, intentionally silent. The adult still might catch his scent, but they were deep enough in the forest that the deer may not have encountered humans before. The fawn barely noticing him was a good indication that men were unfamiliar beasts.

"Dante felt stupid for trailing the deer when God know's what else could have been closing in on him, but by now he was single-minded in his quest. If he couldn't eat, he was at least going to satisfy his thirst. The process was agonizingly slow, particularly because the fawn was interested in practicing his leaps, while his mother wanted to stop every couple of feet to browse for her preferred vegetation.

"Dante was half tempted to start eating foliage just for the water content, when the soft sound of lapping made him jerk his head away from the female deer. Her young one was a couple yards off, having disappeared over a hump in the path, but the mere suggestion of the presence of water almost made the young man take a flying leap out of hiding.

"Begrudgingly, he waited. It was the animals who'd led him to the spot, and he didn't have the right to scare them off. Minutes passed like hours until the creatures finally moved on, and he was allowed to approach what turned out to be a natural spring.

"The water was murkier than he preferred, but he leaned over the small trickle, and concentrated on the invisible underground source. Silently he beckoned the flow to increase with nothing more than a motion from his fingertips. Something akin to happiness resulted when the spring expanded in a moment's time, and Dante allowed the water to continue building to rid some more of the surface impurities. He was thirsty, but he still had his standards, after all."

"Keeping him supplied with water might not be so hard," Charlotte interjected.

"He can't make it appear out of nowhere. It has to exist for Dante to do anything with it."

She snickered. "Figures he'd be picky about what he drank, though. What about the Valiant? Who are they, Tim?"

The blue-masked turtle smiled. He didn't know himself yet. The tidbit had come purely from the mind of his character. "These things tend to unravel at their own pace, Charlie. You can't rush a hero or a plot to completion."

"No, but I can stay on your shell until it does."

Tim sighed inwardly. _I wish there was a fast forward button for the wretched stuff. But neither real life nor fiction work that way. For now, all we can do is wait it out._


	56. Permission

Raphael cursed softly under his breath. Being forced to follow the plan of someone he didn't trust was getting old fast. _Especially since the morons think we don't know_ anything _. Shell, we're probably better suited to get into this city without being seen than any of these army "kids". But no. We're stuck taking orders from freaking newbies who haven't seen anything close to the action we have. What I wouldn't give to knock these guys off their high horses._

"They're coming," Stewart spoke up defensively.

"Did I say anything?" the red-masked turtle hissed.

"Maybe everything works on a perfect time table in _your_ world, but in the real one, things sometimes go wrong, or even get delayed."

 _Yeah, man, because we don't know anything about Turtle Luck. Nothing I'm gonna tell you about._

"You don't see it yet, but I'm doing this for you," the man continued. "My superiors don't like being out of the loop."

"Right. I'm sure ya kidnapped us for our benefit," Raph retorted.

"Bro, not now," Leonardo said into his ear.

He cast the blue-masked turtle a look, but didn't argue with him.

"How well do you know these people?" Leonardo asked the Major.

"I'd trust them with my life. That's what matters, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but this isn't only about you and your men. The more people who come under our umbrella, the greater risk it is for my family. So naturally, we're a little concerned about strangers," Leo explained more patiently than Raphael would have.

"I'd love to fly under the radar entirely, but unfortunately, I can't pull everything we need out of my back pocket. We have to get help from somewhere."

"You're not the only one with contacts, Major," the oldest turtle countered. "Our people could help a great deal. But that would require listening to us."

"No matter where you came from, or what you did previously to this point, you're not prepared for what you're dealing with this time around," the man answered doggedly.

Leo's eye ridges rose. "That's a very narrow minded thing to say for having no idea where we came from, or what we've already done. I have to warn you, Major: if we're truly threatened, you shouldn't expect blind cooperation from any of us. We're much more equipped to deal with things than you realize.

"I'll play along with you for now and allow your superiority to remain intact. But if our world goes to hell, and it usually does, we're going to do things our way. I want that to be clear in advance."

Will scowled. "You don't get to things 'your way' on my watch. You'll do as you're told, or all of you will suffer the consequences."

"I'll do things your way, until it puts _my_ people at risk," Leo corrected. "Then I'll take whatever corrective action I deem necessary, regardless of what anyone else does."

"That's unacceptable," the man argued. "You ask me to trust you, but warn me you have no intention of respecting my authority."

"You ain't our authority," Raphael interjected. "And we've respected you enough not to lay a hand on you. That don't make us your obedient puppy dogs."

"You agreed to work with me."

"Not if the safety of our family is in jeopardy," Leonardo clarified.

"Why are we discussing this right _now?_ "

Raphael smirked to himself. _This guy doesn't know how Turtle Luck works yet, but I bet he'll learn soon._ "So what's your guys' hold up?"

The Major drew back as if he'd struck him. "Everyone runs into problems – your family included."

"It's just a question, Major. I'm not doubting your abilities." Raphael had a hard time not sounding sarcastic.

Will folded his arms. "They were banned from driving through the area, and had to take the longer way around."

The red-masked turtle's brow creased. "Banned? Like they got in trouble or something?"

"No, it happens to everyone on a random basis. It's part of a local district effort to reduce traffic within city limits. Every week day, cars with certain license plates aren't allowed to enter various points of the downtown region. The numbers rotate, so everybody ends up taking a turn staying out of the city once a week."

Raphael exchanged a glance with his brother and almost burst out laughing. "You gotta be kidding me."

"I'm not," the man said sharply. "But they're still on their way, and they will help us get on the train."

Leo cleared his throat. "I would prefer for no one else to see us."

"Then how do you intend to get into the city?"

Leonardo shook his head. "We'll catch up after you're already on the train. You can't expect us to go around introducing ourselves to everyone in sight."

"And you can't expect me to let you out of _my_ sight!"

"Major, you have our people," the blue-masked turtle pointed out. "If you haven't noticed, they're important to us. We're not going to abandon them to your hands, therefore, you know we're coming back."

"What if you can't get on the train without being seen?"

Raphael face-palmed. "Man, you don't have the first clue what we're capable of. How 'bout you worry about yourselves, and let us handle business like we always have?"

"If you think-"

Leo's tap to Raphael's side alerted him to the approaching Jeep, and both turtles disappeared over the side of the wall, while the Major was still mid-rant. The red-masked turtle snickered at the man's colorful language, even while he and his brother stole in deeper shadows. While retreating, he also picked up the sound of a car door slamming, and another greeting called out.

They only had to backtrack a short way along the water-front warehouse to get to where the others were waiting. The turtles went toward the group silently, making a point to slip right past the young man diligently guarding the bridge under which everyone else was perched.

As it was, Greg was the first to take notice of them when they casually rejoined the rest. "Oh, you're back. Does that mean we're getting out of here?"

"Something like that." Leonardo nodded to the bewildered soldier trotting up behind them.

"When did you get here?" the Captain demanded.

Raph snorted. "Your guy on watch was busy. We didn't wanna bother him."

"Your Major's contacts have arrived, and we're not interested in meeting them," Leo explained. "We'll stay out of the way until they're clear, and meet you after you're on the train."

Captain Fleisburg looked between both turtles. "Major didn't say nothing about this."

"Wasn't his idea," Leonardo told him. "But it's better for all parties involved."

"I'm not just gonna watch you legendaries disappear."

Leonardo smiled. "You don't have to watch, but that's what we're doing. We'll be right behind you."

"And how are you supposed to follow us through the train yard without being seen?"

Raphael couldn't help laughing. "Maybe the same way we got past your sentry back there?"

"Hey!" Donatello called, running up from their right. "What's up? Are we moving?"

"Gonna have to," Leo answered. "We need Mike and the kids so we can get out of sight before their contacts catch up."

"You're not going anywhere!" the Captain insisted.

Donny gave the man a funny look, and turned to Leonardo. "Were you asking for his permission?"

"Nope. Just letting him know the plan."

"That's what I thought. Mike got bored waiting. I think he was trying to jazz up some of their rations, but I'm sure he'd rather play hide and seek with the rest of us."

"You're not in charge! You don't get to decide what you're doing!" Fleisburg tried to stand in the three turtle's path, much to Raphael's amusement.

"If we didn't listen to your Major, what makes you think we'd listen to you?" Leo challenged. "This is how it's going to work. We're not into meeting people for the shell of it. My brothers, our kids and myself will be fine for the next few minutes, and we'll get on the train before it leaves. Don't like it? We didn't ask for your input. We have every right to protect ourselves, and the rest of our people are still with you. You can call them hostages, if it makes you feel better."

"Doesn't make me feel better," Greg grumbled.

"It's temporary, Heff," Raphael whispered. "Don't fight this, or _they_ will!"

The perturbed Captain didn't move from their path.

"We're going," the blue-masked turtle proclaimed. "We'll find you after the newcomers are out of the way. If that's not good enough, are you prepared for a battle here and now?"

"This isn't what we agreed on!"

Raph huffed. "It ain't what we agreed on either, seeing as how none us chose to be arrested for being a turtle. You guys wanna punish us later, I guess it's your choice. But you can't force us to meet any more strangers. We're way over our quota for the year as it is. We're going, whether you like it or not. Deal with it!"

* * *

There was something tremendously satisfying about slipping away from the military clutches. The small taste of freedom from being watched like a hawk and intermittently having guns pointed at him would have been easy for Raphael to get used to, but it wasn't to be yet.

 _Our friends probably_ wish _we'd book it out of here, but we can't do that to them. Not to mention, we're in a foreign country without any resources. But if we could get a phone and call the States, they'd send help for sure. Not that we have time for anything like that. Too busy chasing after our kidnappers._

Raphael sighed heavily. _This sucks. Feels so much better to be running our own show. I don't wanna play along with that moron anymore._

Presently they were poised on a bridge, watching the rest of their traveling buddies make their way onto the train. The red-masked turtle glanced at his older brother out of the corner of his eye, and noticed Leonardo scanning several directions.

"Do we have to go back down there?" Mike wondered. "Couldn't we like pretend we got lost or something?"

"And let them hold on to our family?" Donatello scoffed. "We can't trust this guy, Raph. He'd absolutely use the rest of them to get to us, especially if he's desperate."

"I think he's above killing them, but definitely not beyond putting our friends in jail," Leo agreed. "No. We have to go meet them."

"I have a feeling we're supposed to, regardless," Nate murmured, as though afraid to speak louder.

"What are you saying, _Chokkan_?" Olivia growled. "We don't need those men."

"It isn't that we need them, Liv, it's just...Things have a weird way of eventually working out in our favor, and I think this could be one of those times."

" _I_ think you're flipping insane."

Raphael sent his daughter a stern look, though he low-key agreed with her assessment.

"Whether it's part of some 'master plan' or not, we still have to deal with them," Leonardo said rationally. "Let's go."

Sticking to the shadows of the leafy thicket made it fairly easy to avoid railway workers. It wasn't difficult to determine which car their own people were occupying, based on the soldier nervously pacing in plain clothes, bereft of his gun.

Raphael snickered softly. _He looks so lost. And to think those idiots believe we're the ones who don't know what we're doing._ He turned to the blue-masked turtle on his left, and nudged his shoulder. "We could scare the crap outta him. That'd be fun."

Leo shrugged. "Be more fun not to, don't you think?"

"I'm down."

Jayden cracked his knuckles on Raphael's other side. "Are we ever gonna show them what we can do?"

Leo's chuckle was proud. "Oh, it'll come out at the right time. For now...we have to satisfy ourselves with confusing them."

"Which won't be hard," Don inserted. "We could go right over the roof and use the other door."

"You prepared to handle it if it's locked?" Leonardo verified.

"Jonin, do you know who you're talking to?" Jayden was _almost_ too loud, and received a sharp glance from his dad for it.

"If the locks are the same as the other car I investigated, it'll be a cinch," Donatello confirmed.

"Let's move then."

Stealing across the train yard was child's play for the ninjas. _It's not even a real work out,_ Raphael sulked. He was drawn out of disappointment by a low hum coming from his orange-masked brother. "Are you making up your own theme music again?"

"You act like you don't."

"Not out _loud._ "

"Well, if these guys presented an actual challenge, I wouldn't have to entertain myself, would I?"

Raphael grinned in the moonlight, though he didn't let Michelangelo see it, lest he encourage his brother to act up worse. He followed Leonardo's lead when the blue-masked turtle climbed up on the hitch connecting one train car to another, and snuck around the opposite side.

Once on the other platform, the red-masked turtle hung back and motioned for Donatello to go first. The purple-masked turtle had only begun the first stage with his pick when a low hiss signaled the train was about to start moving. Raphael immediately boosted himself on top of the car, and waved for Mike and their kids to join him while the his brothers perched on the blind side. He instinctively knew it wouldn't take the genius much longer to finish the job.

Sure enough, it was barely another two minutes before Leo's voice drifted up to them. "We're in! C'mon down one at a time, and don't make a sound."

Raphael carefully dropped off the roof onto the side of the car, and slipped through the still cracked door right after Leonardo. The moment they were inside, the strains of an argument including several curses could be heard. Raphael covered his mouth with a snort, as it was more important to be quiet than ever.

"...we can _trust_ them? They just ditched all of you, but you're still standing up for them?!"

Raph rolled his eyes at the Major's self righteous tone. _Guy is a piece of work._

"I wish they would ditch us!" Kelley was the one to answer. "Unfortunately, I'm certain they haven't."

"They're not here, Director. So they either screwed up and are being left behind, or they abandoned you altogether."

" _Or,_ " Leonardo spoke up, suddenly entering the cabin in which the men were residing. "We wanted to let you see that we're perfectly capable of getting around without your help."

The red-masked turtle punched Don's shoulder, and pointed for him to go in next.

The purple-masked turtle crossed his arms against the Major's stunned look. "It's amazing to think we got through these years without you, huh?"

Raphael followed right on his heels, relishing in the man's shock with a smirk of his own.

"We told you!" Heff declared. "If they say they're doing something, that's what they do."

"It doesn't make it right!" Will objected. "I thought we had an understanding. We're supposed to be working together—"

"Not if it comes to unnecessary risks!" Leo interrupted. "It's not the time for us to meet more people. No matter how much you trust them, this is our secret, and we're going to keep it."

"You can't go running off whenever you choose. Anything could have happened!"

Raphael took a step forward, choosing to ignore the Major altogether, and focused on Kelley. "You got any clue how far we're going?"

"It's about forty miles from Cua to Caracas," the Director told him. "We're looking at a little over an hour to go."

The red-masked turtle plunked down in a seat to Matthew's right. "Don't sound too bad. 'Course, who knows what's waiting for us there? I hope the big men with guns can protect us."

"I can do without the sarcasm," the Major butted in.

Raphael glowered back."I can do without you people treating us like we can't handle ourselves. I got news for you, Major: you ain't seen nothing yet. You keep underestimating us, but by the end of this you're gonna be feeling pretty stupid."


	57. Adapt

***Just a reminder: if you kill me, I can't fix this.**

* * *

Arzhan took a few seconds to admire the DNA strand displayed on the monitor. The inspiring representation of life and death moved him to give Nature a moment of praise, though present company didn't allow for more than a brief pause. He enjoyed staying on top of his Crael's progress with dunamis, but the Vaga also wanted to speak to the elohim whose glare had been fixed on him since entering the room.

Arzhan had chosen not to address the prisoner when he arrived. He sometimes didn't mind ignoring outright dissent, as doing so removed any illusion that the cared what the elohim thought about him.

" _It seems we are progressing well, Crael-Pachal_ ," he told the tech.

The slender vagari turned to him with youthful excitement. " _It's my opinion that we're getting closer to a perfect union. The experimentation already completed confirms the fusion can coexist outside of a nervous system. I'm not quite ready to move forward with a live subject yet, but I hope you have a few in mind."_

 _"We won't be short on subjects, Pachal, even if we are a little low on genes. With any luck, that won't continue to be the case."_

 _"What you are attempting is ludicrous,"_ the captive announced. _"The terrapins are_ unique _, unlike any creature our kind has ever known. Even Yasir did not know why their system readily accepts dunamis, but it did not matter to him by then. Regardless, you cannot control the gene is this fashion! Only a fool would try."_

Arzhan chuckled. _"Thank you for your input, elohim, but that sort of small-minded thinking is at the root of why the Overlords failed to begin with."_

 _"The Overlords failed because they tried to exalt themselves higher than El. It is not a name I willingly take on."_

 _"I know you would rather be called 'reclaimed', Shukri. But to whom are you looking? You have to accept reality. Your only hope for a future lies in cooperating with us. I don't see fit to waste a mind like yours, which is why I'm willing to give you time to adjust for circumstances."_

 _"I am_ not _going to adjust! I will never agree to help you."_

The Vaga gave him a thin smile. _"We'll see. Oh, Crael? Have you prepared the enapryl I requested?"_ He noted Shukri stiffen out of the corner of his eye and laughed. " _Not to worry. This gift is meant for one of my special guests."_

Shukri never appeared more nervous than when Arzhan bragged about his terrapin prisoners. " _You are not genetic experts. You cannot grasp the risk of applying such compounds to a creature you do not understand!"_

 _"On the contrary, Shukri. We have learned more about the terrapins in the last few days than Yasir chose to record. Although it's tempting to describe to you at length what I intend to do with them, I don't want to take the time right now. Perhaps I will return after I have paid my visit to the blue-masked one."_

The elohim shook his head. " _You do not realize the danger, vagari! You are risking their lives."_

 _"You are in far more danger than they, Shukri. It would benefit you to remember that."_

 _"Will you let me know how he responds to the enapryl, Vaga?"_ Pachal requested.

 _"I will report back to you. In the meantime, keep your mind on the fusion."_ Arzhan turned to face Shukri. _"You may continue to sulk in your corner, or choose to wake up. You're being given the opportunity to join the winning side. If I were you, I'd take advantage of it."_

 _"You have not won yet!"_ he spat angrily.

 _"I haven't?"_ Arzhan glanced right and left. _"Who opposes me, Shukri? Who has been able to stand against our regime throughout the galaxies? You are fooling yourself, elohim. I hope you can come to terms with this life. I know of a few more uses for you, but I'd rather make certain you won't change your mind about working together."_

 _"My mind was already changed, Vaga. I cannot change it again. I was once hopelessly lost, but even under an energy binder, I am more free than you are."_

 _"You 'Nalikjan' are the strangest lot I have encountered. I expect this from Legatus, but not_ Elohim. _Your kind were once so much better."_

 _"You are wrong. It was worthless – everything I lived for, before the Light. Because of El, what you do with me hardly matters. I am secure and at peace with my future. Can you say the same, vagari?"_

 _"I don't know what fear is, Shukri. I've never had a reason to experience it. You may not be afraid for your future, but I know you care about these terrapin creatures. For_ their _sake, you should consider helping me."_ He smirked over the successful terror that lit in his captive''s eyes.

 _"You would dare not harm them. Not when you need the terrapins this badly."_

 _"I will not always need them. I don't need you either, but that doesn't mean I don't wish to keep you. You are my best surviving link to Yasir."_

 _"Do not compare me to him."_

 _"You dedicated your life to the Doctor. You had closer access to his research and experiments than anyone else enjoyed."_

 _"I also turned against him, and the Overlords. Why would you believe I can be swayed to listen to you?"_

 _"Perhaps you can't, but I find great joy_ _in seeing what was broken, restored. I still believe our race can be one again."_

 _"You have no desire to be one. You want to dominate the Elohim, as you do everyone else!"_

 _"I want you to take your proper place,"_ he negated. " _If domination was all I intended, you would already be dead, Shukri."_

 _"You are wasting your time, Vaga. The goodness of El is all that compels me. Though I am a prisoner, you have no power over me."_

Arzhan held eye contact with the elohim for several seconds. Shukri's former anger was replaced with a renewed resolve. He shrugged as though unconcerned, rather than baffled. " _I don't mind waiting a little longer, Shukri. I have other things to occupy my time, as you well know. One of them is being delayed as we are having this conversation, so I am tempted once more to end it."_

 _"Take care of what you do with the terrapins, vagari. El's hand is mighty upon them."_

 _"El doesn't oppose me, or any of my actions. You shouldn't look at me like you did Altus Abeiron. I heard how he sought to be glorified over our Creator. It was an obsession that destroyed him."_

 _"Are you so different?"_

Arzhan nodded firmly. _"I would never attempt to transcend El himself, Shukri. To do such would be like trying to capture the wind. You may take advantage of air currents, but they aren't yours to control. In the same way, I prefer to work_ with _Nature, and embrace its themes in every aspect of life. The strong survive, and the depraved are weeded out. Creation is then healthier as a whole, and more plentiful as result. El is the one who set these laws into motion. He enables us, the mighty, to enlarge our territory."_

 _"El has nothing to do with your conquests!"_

The anger returned to Shukri's eyes, and Arzhan reveled in it. It was a more satisfying sight than his unnatural peace. _"He has everything to do with them, Shukri. How else would we experience such unparalleled success? Our blood line is pure, our diligence to Nature, undaunted."_

 _"Have you honestly convinced yourself the Vagari are doing these conquered star systems a favor?"_

 _"Favor is never in the best interest of the wicked_ _,_ " he corrected. _"If they were allowed to survive, Nature would suffer for it. It's our inherent birthright to ensure that doesn't happen. We were charged, Shukri."_

 _"To protect life!"_ he exclaimed. _"You only deign to destroy it."_

 _"I_ am _protecting Life – the most valuable assets in Creation. Your precious Nalikjan gave way and folded under the first tempest. That which isn't strong enough to stand up under assault, is not deserving of a lasting legacy."_

 _"The Nalikjan did not fold."_

 _"Your leaders were destroyed, and your people are scattered. You are the perfect example of Nature's selection process."_

The elohim looked like he would argue, but then shut his mouth.

" _I have enjoyed this, but it's delayed my meeting long enough. Think about what I've said, Shukri. You don't have to be at odds with Nature. We were brothers once, and could be again. The choice is yours for now, but it will not always be available. Don't take it for granted. I will see you again soon."_

* * *

Arzhan sauntered into the subterranean lab to find an examination in progress on the young male. He made a quick stop by two huddled Banrs to see how the terrapin was faring from their perspective, and to drop off the enapryl. " _What are the results of his red blood cell survey?"_ he asked without any sort of greeting.

Both Vagari immediately came to attention under his gaze.

" _All of his counts are positive, Vaga, and the oxygen content in his blood has also increased. The dunamis gene continues to replicate, several times over the original sample,"_ the senior of the pair responded.

Arzhan smiled broadly. _"It's exactly what Yasir hoped for, but didn't have the opportunity to test. Feel free to draw more this time. It's apparent his system can withstand it."_

 _"I anticipated drawing an extra two units, with your approval, Vaga."_ the same Banr answered.

" _That will do for now, Sadhu."_

 _"Do you want the enapryl applied?"_ the other spoke up.

" _Not yet. I'm going to ask him again first. I would rather the terrapin cooperate willingly, but if he doesn't open up, I will use it to persuade him."_

The Vaga crossed the room and noticed the blue-masked terrapin intentionally looking away from him. "Why are you doing that?" Arzhan was genuinely confused. "You can't avoid me. I won't disappear if you pretend I don't exist."

When the terrapin said nothing, he pulled over a chair from nearby. "You don't have to be unfriendly, Tim."

The use of his name had the effect of getting the young one's attention, and he made reluctant eye contact.

"Your refusal to speak to me is strange, terrapin. What are you accomplishing?"

"I'm not trying to accomplish anything. I just don't want to talk to you."

"Are you not intrigued, Tim? It is a rare person I have allowed such access to myself, and yet, you want no part of it."

"I want no part of _you_. You can strap me down and steal my blood until I don't have any left, but you can't force me to get to know you."

"But you see, I can," he informed him.

The terrapin's fierce gaze faltered. "N-no. You can't."

Arzhan chose not to correct him, but looked over his shoulder. _"Sadhu, the enapryl please."_

Tim peered at him warily when he was joined by the Banr. "How much are you taking this time?" He seemed resigned to his fate.

"We can concentrate on that later. I want you to have something first, which will help you relax."

The terrapin tensed when a needle was produced. "Why? I'm not fighting you at all."

"You're also not cooperating with me, Tim. I can be fairly patient, but in the end, I appreciate getting my way."

The youth's eyes widened when he was injected with the solution. "What will it do?"

"All I have asked is for you to be open with me, as I am trying to do for you. I think it's a reasonable request."

Tim gave a small shudder, which was followed by a tremor that didn't stop. He was practically vibrating on the table, even as brown eyes rolled back in his head.

" _How does he look?_ " Arzhan requested after a few moments.

Sadhu lifted the terrapin's wrist to scan it with his hand-held screen. _"His heart rate and blood pressure have diminished, but not traumatically, Vaga."_

 _"Continue to monitor his vitals for me, but give us some space."_

The Banr disappeared with a nod, and Arzhan scooted his chair closer to the alien. He silently observed the terrapin as the trembling subsided somewhat, and the stress-lines in his forehead eased. From the outside, the legendary could have been asleep, but the Vaga knew better.

"Tim. Are you listening?"

His head shifted to orient on the vagari, though he didn't open his eyes. "Uh huh."

"You know you're safe here, terrapin."

"I'm not," he murmured.

"I have no interest in harming you, young one." Arzhan kept his voice soothingly low. "I'd like to get to know you, and you me. That would be nice, wouldn't it?"

"I don't want to."

In slow motion, Arzhan stretched over to remove the terrapin's restraints, hoping to reinforce the illusion of safety.

"What are you doing?" Tim wondered.

"We require more of your blood, but I would also like for you to trust me. Will you take my hand?"

The terrapin didn't respond at all that time.

"Open your eyes, Tim."

The youth obeyed, blinking slowly. Arzhan held out a hand to him.

"What I'm asking isn't difficult. It's time to let go, terrapin."

"I don't share myself with people," the youth said honestly.

"Nor I – which is why you should consider it an honor, young one. Take my hand, and come meet with me."

Tim didn't reach for him, but he at least unclenched his fist. The Vaga clasped his fingers tightly, finding them warmer than expected.

"Now open yourself, Tim. Allow your mind to roam freely, and I will do the same. We will see what we can discover about one another."

* * *

* **Forgive this brief interruption. For the majority of my fanfiction career, my writing has been fairly blunt. I've embraced all manners of disasters and violence with the misconception that it is "mere fiction." However, after medical complications in "Comfort and Joy" had an unexpected negative impact on a few readers, I finally realized the potential to accidentally harm someone.**

 **For that reason, the end of this chapter includes a warning label for disturbing content. If you're in a sensitive position, I suggest you proceed with caution, or request a summary from me. I will share events without the necessity of seeing them, or you can wait for the next chapter to fill you in. You are still safe for the following sequence, but you may wish to skip what comes after the next break.**

* * *

 _The connection came faster than Arzhan anticipated, and he was shocked by the blaze of his counterpart's inner presence._ I knew he was capable of intuition, but this is more than mere dabbling. He knows how to use the unconscious regions, even if he chooses not to.

 _Arzhan silenced his own intrusive thoughts to focus on the terrapin, and tiptoed around the tender blue-hued flame of his understanding. Any sudden move to disturb the host could hinder his progress. In the surrounding shadows, he registered the appearance of several different doors._

 _Arzhan edged toward the closest one, but to his annoyance, found it locked._ The enapryl is supposed to make him open to suggestion, yet his guard remains largely intact. I will try searching a bit more, and see if there is anything to be found.

 _While he wandered past more doors and jiggled e_ _very handle, Arzhan sensed the twinge in his spirit, confirming the terrapin was on a journey of his own._ I don't know what he'll find in me, but I have nothing to hide. The same can't be said of him, obviously.

 _The Vaga jolted in surprise when he found the next door standing ajar, and gleefully leaped on the opportunity. Stepping through the frame was like setting foot on another world – one considerably darker and danker than his own. He silently surveyed what appeared to be a tunnel, and surmised he was underground._

Yes, because that's where they lived. But why am I here now? What does it mean?

 _The sound of softly approaching footsteps made him automatically shift to the shadows, but it was unnecessary. The purple-masked female trudging his direction was entirely unaware of him. He sensed sorrow and frustration from her in roughly equal proportions. Anguish for her family and a tremendous burden for her cousin._

The relationship is not a matter of convenience, simply because they were captured together. Their bond was strong before this, for years, perhaps. Though, she is nowhere close to understanding him. But I don't think he makes that easy for anyone.

 _Arzhan traveled in the direction of faint light, and came upon the end of the tunnel, where the blue-masked terrapin was relentlessly pacing. Unlike Charlotte, however, the youth instantly took notice of him._

" _Why are you here?" he demanded._

 _"It was you who left the door open, terrapin."_

 _"This is pointless."_

 _"Why_ are _we here?" Arzhan ventured. "What does it mean?"_

 _Tim appeared as if in a trance. "She's going to save my father. They both are."_

 _"Ah. Charlotte and her twin. Had you never used their blood before this point?"_

 _The youth scowled. "Why would we? They're not a science experiment. None of us are!"_

 _"But why choose to let me see this, Tim?"_

 _The legendary stared into space as though the Vaga hadn't spoken. The creases in his face were suddenly wiped clean as expression vanished._

 _"Terrapin?"_

 _Tim blinked twice, then turned toward Arzhan. "I won't let you do it," he whispered._

 _"Do what, young one?"_

* * *

An earth-shattering cry broke the delicate balance between them, and left Arzhan's ears ringing as he opened his eyes with a wince. The first thing he noticed was that the terrapin was no longer on the bed. That discovery was followed by a loud crash from across the room, which made him spin with alarm.

Arzhan was too stunned by the sight of the youth flipping _over_ the vagari in his path to react immediately, but the explosion of glass when the prisoner's shell collided with the partition broke the spell. The Vaga jerked to his feet to pursue him, just in time to catch sight of the terrapin lunging off the edge of the bridge, and disappearing into the abyss.


	58. Attempt

***Though we are now dealing with aftermath, there is still a possibility for disturbing content.**

* * *

Charlotte couldn't sit still. It was hard to keep track of passing hours, but she was certain Tim had been gone too long. She couldn't sleep or take her eyes off the door for one moment, lest she miss the chance to jump on someone for information. The opportunity probably wasn't as long in coming as it seemed, but she was tired of waiting either way.

 _Did they decide to separate us? Is this some new form of torture? Or are they doing something to him that I don't want to think about..._

Not knowing what was happening or how Tim was only made the situation more tense. _He wouldn't have to ask anyone about me if the roles were reversed. He would just_ know _, the same way he always does._ _Tim is so quick to demean himself and underestimate his value, but he's more powerful than he thinks. He can recreate some of my "abilities" with a simple blood transfusion, but I could never be like him._

Charlotte wandered from one corner of the cell to the next, never breaking eye contact with the door. _Convincing him he's got something to offer has always been impossible, and I don't understand why. Tim's been loved by everyone since the day he was born. His parents are nothing but supportive, even when he's hard on himself._ Why _is he so hard on himself? How is it possible for Tim to be hyper-aware of_ _the people around him, but not capable of recognizing his own strengths? I don't get it. I wish I did. I wish-_

The sound of a nearby hiss preceded the unlocking of her own door; a noise she and her cousin had quickly come to identify. Her first instinct was to rush the entrance, but she held her ground, and waited to see who would appear.

Charlotte's hopes went up the moment the door slid open, and she expected to watch the beaten down version of her cousin walk through it. She was dreadfully disappointed to see the Safyni instead; a title she recognized, though she still didn't know what it meant.

"Hey. Where's my cousin? It's been hours. What are your people doing with him? Why isn't he here?"

Varij gazed down at her coolly with folded arms. "Your 'cousin' tried to kill himself, terrapin. He somehow broke a crystalline partition, built to withstand hundreds of pounds of pressure per square inch, and jumped off the bridge."

Charlotte shook her head, brain refusing to comprehend what he claimed. "No. No, he wouldn't do that! Tim would _never_ try to kill himself. I don't believe you."

"You don't have to believe me." The vagari reached to the wall and tapped a portion to reveal an invisible keypad. Then he motioned to the wall behind her. "See for yourself."

She twisted against her better judgment and peered at the wall turned projector to see the crystal-clear image of her cousin shattering through the lab's observation deck. Watching Tim jump over the metal framing of the catwalk was like observing a movie, and Charlotte couldn't accept that it was real.

"What is this? What have you people DONE with him?"

" _My_ people are the reason he lives, idiot. His suicidal leap ended up breaking nearly every bone in his body. Such organic material is not hard for us to repair, but the severity of his injuries required extensive attention. I am told the combination of our medical technology and your adaptive genes gave him a chance he wouldn't have had otherwise."

The purple-masked turtle was still in disbelief. "He would never do it!"

"How many times do you need to watch, terrapin? I can play it again."

She closed her eyes, praying it was possible not to relive those fleeting seconds of footage for the rest of her life. "Then take me to him. I want to see Tim myself!"

"One in your position doesn't get to make demands."

"Safyni, _please!_ " The plea rose to her lips without shame. "Why would you report it and not let me go to him?"

"I was _told_ to report it," he answered crossly. "And to retrieve you."

From his tone of voice she surmised he had no desire to do so, but she wasn't tempted to gloat. "Then you're taking me to him?"

Varij nodded gravely, but produced another pair of manacles.

Annoyed, she held up chained wrists. "Do I need more than one set?"

"They're for your feet, terrapin. After what that fool did, we aren't taking the chance of you attempting anything similar."

"My cousin didn't try to commit suicide. He couldn't!"

"It's the truth, whether you choose to accept it or not."

He bent down to snap the new pair of irons around her ankles, which included a longer length of chain that hampered her ability to walk, while not being impossible. Charlotte's heart skipped a beat while the vagari led her out of the cell, and marched her down the corridor to the closest transporter.

His rate of speed was greater than shuffling steps allowed, and before she could recover, the teen was pitching forward. Varij caught her around the waist, and set the turtle roughly back on her feet without apology. Charlotte would have settled for him throwing her over his shoulder in order to get there faster.

On the transporter she noted when he selected a different button, and their descent lasted less than half the usual distance. The floor upon which they landed was brilliant with white lighting; much brighter than anyplace she'd visited in the self-contained city so far. She blinked rapidly to take in the screens lining either side of the hallway, which were shifting rapidly through images. It registered as nothing more than colored dots before bleary eyes.

Her throat constricted while being led past rooms with large pieces of equipment she couldn't identify, and aliens in long coats of azure blue, in contrast to the white robes worn by those referred to as Banrs. She was distracted by trying to determine the difference in their stations, and didn't notice Safyni pulling her up short until it was too late.

He caught her by the chain linking her feet, and dragged Charlotte backwards with a sharp jerk. The female cursed inwardly at the pain, but irritation fled when a familiar figure appeared.

"Ah, good. You've come." The Vaga took her by the arm almost warmly, and waved Varij off. "I will see her from here, Safyni. You will be summoned when needed."

"Yes, Vaga."

Charlotte glared at the vagari leader. "What have you done with Tim?"

"It isn't what we did, terrapin, but what he did himself. He is the one who jumped."

"I'm telling you, he wouldn't do it!"

"I was there, young one. I assure you: he did. Are you ready to see him?"

She wasn't. She felt sick to her stomach and weak at the knees, but she couldn't abandon her cousin. The Vaga took her non-response in stride, and pulled her into the room which was more reminiscent of what she associated with a hospital than a lab.

Charlotte took halting steps – both because it was all her restraints allowed, and she couldn't force herself to go faster. The turtle stopped altogether upon her first view of Tim, swollen and covered in more bruises than she could fathom. From where Charlotte was standing, he looked more dead than alive. It wasn't like gazing at her cousin - it was some other stranger in a suit that didn't quite resemble the blue-masked turtle.

"Intensive work has been completed to repair the damage," the Vaga offered. "He'll need time for the swelling to come down, and abrasions to heal. Bones are mended, but strength will take a few days to return. That part is hard to determine, because of your own regenerative qualities with the dunamis gene."

She heard the vagari speaking, but nothing he said made sense. "I...I don't understand. He couldn't have done this. _Why_ would be do it?"

"You will have to ask him, terrapin. The pressure on his brain stem has stabilized, and his other vital signs are approaching a normal range. Your presence here will aid in the process of waking up."

"What does my presence have to do with anything?"

He chuckled, which felt entirely inappropriate. "I am aware of your bond, young one, and _you_ must know about some of his abilities. We will wait here for him, you and I, that we may receive the answers we crave together."

* * *

 _Lighting flashed in near unison with the thunderous rumble, causing the young turtle to cower behind her fingers. She saw traces of brilliance from behind her hands, and crawled further under the "fort", which was nothing more than a blanket-draped folding table and chairs. It offered little by way of protection for her, but she huddled closer to the wall it was pressed up against, and hid her face toward the floor. 'Tornadoes don't happen in the city. They're really rare. That's what Daddy said. We're not going to blow away.'_

 _"Charlie?"_

 _The small voice made her lift her head, but she couldn't look out of the fort._

 _"Charlotte."_

 _She remained frozen under her perch, but soon little hands were tugging at the comforter anyway. Her blue-masked cousin peeked under the table at her, and got down on all fours._

 _"What are you doing?" he asked._

 _"I...I lost Ginny," she admitted. "I came back to find her, but it was too dark, and the storm..." Charlotte sniffled, eyes brimming with tears. "I got scared."_

 _"That's why I came," he offered brightly. "I'll help you find her."_

 _"She might not be here. I don't remember what I did with her..."_

 _The beloved rabbit puppet with soft blanket-like texture and satin binding rarely left her bedroom, but she recalled bringing it up to the Lounge for the pretend camping trip. She couldn't sleep through the storm without her favorite toy, which was why she'd ended up in this predicament._

 _"C'mon out, Charlie. We'll find her."_

 _She started to venture forth, but a peal of thunder halted her progress._

 _"You can stay there," he reassured her. "It'll be okay. She's here, I know it."_

 _Charlotte remained under the edge of the table, but watched her cousin begin to search under couch cushions for the puppet. "How'd you know I was up here?"_

 _"You were afraid."_

 _"But how did you_ know? _"_

 _He stopped to look down at her and shrugged. "I just do. It's like...this little light blinking at me, until I do something. But it's not bad. I like helping."_

 _She came out of the fort and joined him on the end of the couch, emboldened by having a partner in crime. "Ginny likes being looked for."_

 _"She'll be happy you saved her from the storm. You were brave to come up here to find her."_

 _Charlotte shook her head. "I'm glad_ you _came. I was only hiding."_

 _She saw the dim outline of his return smile. "A search party needs more than one person. Next time, come get me first. Then you won't have to be scared alone."_

* * *

"Terrapin."

Charlotte was jolted out of the doze by the single word, and nearly fell off her chair. She scowled at the Vaga for startling her, but he merely pointed to the bed. The purple-masked turtle caught her breath when she found dark eyes gazing back at her.

"Tim? Are you...do you know where you are?"

"Sort of," he answered softly. "I'm...catching up."

She whirled to the Vaga. "Doesn't he need a doctor? Shouldn't you call someone?"

"I will, after I have an answer."

"An answer for _what?_ "

"The same question you have. Why?"

Charlotte's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You're not going to bother him right now. I won't let you!"

"If you don't help me get the answer, I will simply remove you."

"Give him a few minutes, for God's sake! He probably doesn't even remember what happened!"

The Vaga laughed, and it was just as improper as before. "He remembers. His sub-conscious mind has clarity you're not aware of."

From the dark look her cousin directed at the alien, Charlotte was tempted to believe him. She touched Tim's wrist to draw him back to her.

"Itoko, what do you remember?" The overpowering guilt in his eyes felt like a punch in the gut. "You...you didn't try to kill yourself. You wouldn't. Right?" She waited for him to negate it, but he was silent. "You couldn't have," she repeated, giving him another chance to deny it.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you," he admitted finally.

Her hand flew before she could stop it, slapping him across the face. " _How could you?_ "

His grimace didn't faze her. "I don't...I didn't...I know how it looks, Charlie, but..."

"But what?" Her voice rose. "We're in this together. You're all I've got! How could you do this?!"

"Yes, terrapin, how could you do such a thing?" the Vaga added, crowding over Charlotte's shoulder.

She jerked sharply to force the alien to retreat from her personal space. "You stay out of it!"

"I want an answer," he stated firmly.

"You drugged me!" Tim accused.

Charlotte stiffened at the revelation, her hands forming fists. "You didn't tell me that part!"

"I didn't have to." The Vaga dismissed her anger with an unconcerned wave, and persisted speaking to Tim. "I want an answer."

The blue-masked turtle glanced between Charlotte and the alien. "I can't."

"Then you should say goodbye to your cousin, because I will be separating you for the foreseeable future."

"Wait a minute!" he squeaked. "My head is fuzzy, I'm barely awake-"

"You _are_ awake, terrapin, and fully aware of what happened. I know for a fact that you discovered more than you desire to speak, so I'll give you one last chance. If not, I will remove your cousin from your side. The mere idea that you recall what occurred after receiving enapryl is testament to your intuition."

"You don't know anything," Tim retorted.

"On the contrary, young one. At present, you are not the only empath in the room."

Something about the casual announcement made Charlotte feel like she was shrinking.

"We can begin with what you've already surmised about the drug you were given," the alien suggested.

"It was the same thing Lendano gave our dads," Tim confirmed.

Charlotte had the urge to throttle the Vaga. "Are you crazy? You've got no clue about the sensitivity we have to-"

"Had," he interrupted. "The sensitivity he _had_ , terrapin. Yasir noted that the dunamis gene canceled out the instability of your DNA. As it is, he resisted the full effect of the enapryl, and remembers everything that happened, including why he tried to kill himself. Now I demand an answer."

Tim was quiet for a few moments, then focused on her, instead of the alien. "Charlie, I'm sorry. I was so caught up in the moment, I just reacted. I was afraid, and took what felt like corrective action. It seemed like the only way."

"If you were drugged, your judgment was compromised," she agreed, already feeling a little better about it.

"But his judgment isn't the reason he jumped," the Vaga insisted. "I want to know what you saw, terrapin."

"What he saw?" Charlotte glanced back in confusion, then looked to her cousin. "Tim, what does he mean?"

"I was inside his head, Charlotte. I know what they want to do with our genes."

Her brow creased with the questions she wanted to ask, but the alien spoke up first.

"Enlighten your cousin, terrapin."

Tim swallowed deeply. "I saw what looked like locusts – hoards of them. But they weren't real, that is...they were machines. And they after people. Most of them didn't seem to notice they were being attacked, but their effect was instantaneous. They were killing them, Charlie. I don't know how, but the gene has something to do with it." The blue-masked turtle shook his head with a shudder. "I couldn't let him. I had to stop it somehow."

Charlotte was shocked by the smile on the alien's face, and braced for disaster when he reached for his belt. The Vaga moved her chair to get between them, and revealed the tiny object in his palm. "You've not encountered one of our drones, have you? We employ them for numerous purposes. They are our eyes and ears, but they're also our first line of offense. They harbor a weapon of their own, so tiny, you couldn't detect it with the naked eye. It is a technology your humble planet has only started to use, but _we've_ finally perfected."

"No, you haven't," Tim shot back. "You still need the gene to cooperate."

"Given a little more time," he allowed.

"What are they?" Charlotte didn't want to give him the satisfaction of asking, but she couldn't help herself.

"Our terminology is irrelevant. You would probably relate to them easier as nanotechnology. What small ventures Earthlings have taken are nothing in comparison to our work. In their tiny frame, they hold a greater efficiency to address our enemies and weed out the depraved than the most destructive of weapons created.

"They have demonstrated usefulness for many years in carrying diseases, but there are limitations. While it was impossible to hide from them, the process of destruction has been a long one. It is difficult to create a virus which is completely effective in wiping out everyone, everywhere. Immunities exist in the most unexpected places. The goal has been to find a better solution.

"We won't need diseases or plagues, not once the fusion is complete. After the nanotechnology is introduced through a nominal DNA strand and takes root in the host, the hardest part will be over."

"Nominal DNA?" she repeated, incredulous. "That won't work any more than pumping a random blood transfusion into a stranger on the street."

"That is where dunamis comes in," he explained. "You're aware the unique gene has adaptibility unlike anything before it. When the fusion is accomplished between dunamis and the nanomites, we will be able to successfully implant it into anyone we choose. We can order the cells to impact the host in whatever manner is most effective, to which no immunity can possibly resist. We're well on our way to constructing the most perfect weapon ever made."

"Can you be this delusional?" She scoffed. "There's no such thing. It's a monstrous idea, which has just as much potential to backfire on you as it does to carry out mass genocide."

"Our idea of perfection differs, terrapin."

"Clearly."

"But you should still hear me," he said sharply. "Nature had been our guide from the beginning. The balance between death and new birth, the survival of the strongest, winning out against the deficient. You have only to look at your own wildlife to understand. On your planet, what happens whenever a predator species is heavily preyed upon by humans? The ones they kept in check, the grazers, cause catastrophic damage to the environment.

"The pattern is as true throughout Creation as it is on your world. In order for Life to prevail, Nature selects the strong to survive and prosper. The inadequate things must bow, if the fragile balance is to remain intact.

"Moving forward with the drones, we'll be able to mimic Nature more closely than ever. No one blames a predator for feeding on his prey. He is performing an important function, one which I understand well. It's my God-given birthright to maintain that balance, at whatever cost."

Charlotte felt utterly deflated. "And you want to use us to do it?"

"You don't own the dunamis gene, terrapin. You are nothing but a carrier as of this moment, which makes you an important factor. But ultimately, you are only one piece of a much larger puzzle. In the meantime, you will not have any more opportunities to jump off bridges."


	59. Refuge

***No, this chapter has nothing to do with Tim and Charlotte, but I feel it's necessary to clarify something. Tim was under the influence of a mind-altering substance. The trick with enapryl is that it doesn't just make the user more open to suggestion, and therefore susceptible to manipulation. It cancels out inhibitions, and the all important voice in your head that interrupts when you're about to do something crazy/impulsive/dangerous. He was subject not only to the Vaga's suggestion, but the inner panic which drove him to take immediate action. I feel like that's important to note.**

 **As for the following chapter, like usual,** **there is a lot of truth mixed into this fiction.**

* * *

Michelangelo knew he needed to avoid the window, which was why Marcus was seated to his left to partially block him from what was on the other side. _Like an old, protective mother hen._ But at the same time, the orange-masked turtle found himself repeatedly drawn to the unusual sight of compacted dwellings. The "homes" were clustered so closely together in the surrounding hills, it was difficult to tell where one structure ended and another began. From Mike's viewpoint, it was hard to distinguish any of the green area between the literal wall-to-wall slums.

"There are so many of them," Mike muttered. "You gotta wonder the number of people living up there."

Marc shook his head. "It's nothing like I imagined seeing. In a way, it...it attracts and repels at the same time. You want to get closer, but you're almost afraid to. I'm speaking for myself, of course. You'd think that my stint in the DRC would prepare me for something like this, but it's still extremely intimidating."

"You're not making house calls on this trip," Heff added, twisting around in the seat in front of them. "I'm sure there's no end to the need, but _nobody_ can afford the risk."

There was an exclamation up front, which had Michelangelo straining to see over his friend's shoulder. "What are they going on about? Do you know, Heff?"

"Probably caught a glimpse of the Tower of David. It'd be hard to miss."

"That's where we're heading, right?" Mike's uncertainty was rising like flood waters.

"That's the plan." Greg seemed agitated, and it was doing nothing for the turtle's nerves.

"Did they tell you anything about this place?" Marcus asked.

Heff glanced up front, then bent over their seat so he could speak softer. "I've done my fair share of intelligence and research on the structure. It's got an interesting history."

"Don't try and make it sound fun or anything," Michelangelo cracked, merely to lighten his friend's somber mood.

"Tell us about it," the dark-haired doctor requested. "Why is it interesting? And why did you research it?"

"There was a point a few years ago, the FBI had information which pinned down a well known South American drug lord to the location. He was connected to the stateside Cartel. Never got any hard evidence to back it up, but I learned quite a bit in the process. It's actually a sad situation."

Mike motioned for him to go on, but Greg shot another look toward soldiers.

Marcus crossed his arms. "Who cares if they're listening? They can't fault you for telling us a story."

"They can do whatever they want," Heff said bitterly. "But you're right. It's only a story. The Tower of David was planned to be one of the tallest buildings and most beautiful achievements of Venezuela's financial district in its hay day. But it was never finished. The gentleman leading the investment in the complex unexpectedly died in '93, and around the same time, the entire banking system just...collapsed.

"Financing for the unfinished tower dried up, and construction ceased altogether. It was basically a concrete core partially covered by a glass facade. A lot of the building was still completely exposed to the elements. It sat empty for years.

"In 2001, the government tried to auction it off, but the 2/3 completed building didn't attract a single bidder. About six years later, things went off the rail when roughly 200 families invaded the tower, and claimed it as their new home. See, about 40% of the population of Caracas live in the type of informal/self-built housing all around us, which is prone to destruction based on the whim of the elements. It means there are always many people searching for a safe place to go.

"Supposedly, the 200 families were led by a group of ex-cons to begin squatting in the abandoned complex, which was nothing more than concrete rooms, and unfinished hallways. The first wave was eventually joined by several more who lived in the slums, filling the tower all the way to the 28th floor, along with the 18 floors of the smaller building next door.

"Keep in mind, they had nothing in terms of electricity, plumbing, or even elevators. Regardless, some estimated the population ballooned up to over 5,000 people taking refuge in the Tower of David. They renovated, and built walls and rooms in the empty shell of the structure. Businesses opened on the lower levels to serve the 'community'. Electricity and water were bootlegged into the building, and the people eventually got organized.

"Inhabitants paid a monthly fee to cover utilities and maintenance to the common areas. When the residents rented out the attached parking structure, it enabled them to become paying customers of the utility company.

"Some reports suggest the tower was controlled by a criminal organization, but the evidence we uncovered was inconclusive. What _is_ fact was that it was extremely difficult for outsiders to gain access to the building. The government kind of tolerated the illegal occupation for a while, but in the end, the officials did something about it.

"By 2014, the leaders started evicting squatters, and relocating them to public housing outside the city. They'd reportedly struck a deal with China to redevelop the Tower of David. Over the course of that year, all the families and residents were forced out. The last of them were evicted a couple years ago, and the structure has been empty ever since.

"Apparently the Chinese redevelopment deal fell through, and they haven't done anything else with it yet."

Michelangelo sighed softly. "They couldn't just...turn it into public housing themselves?"

"There was talk about converting the building to a government office, or using it for multiple purposes ranging from residential to commercial. They're also considering trying to sell it off again, but nothing's happened so far."

"Dude. That sucks. They've got these homeless people with nowhere to go...Did they manage to get everyone placed somewhere?"

Greg grimaced. "Not even close."

"What a waste," Marcus murmured. "That's horrible."

"Especially when you consider they had a working infrastructure erected. They could have made something amazing out of the place. Some would argue that they did. Others couldn't justify the illegal occupation. It had a reputation as a den of thieves and criminals, but our own findings suggested the majority of the inhabitants were only seeking a safe haven from crime-ridden streets.

"The people had to work so hard, just to make it livable and 'finish' the areas which were still too dangerous to live in. Can you picture hauling bricks, supplies and everything you need in life up 28 floors with no elevator?"

The orange-masked turtle whistled softly. "They got their daily steps in. And now it's empty again."

"Until the administration figures out what to do with it."

"But we're invading?" Marcus ventured. "Isn't there anyone watching the structure for people to return?"

"Some officials have a price," Stewart supplied suddenly. "Others owe a debt. Both of those factors can work to our favor in an environment such as this one."

"What's the point though?" Greg wanted to know. "Seriously, they tell foreigners not to travel here for a reason. But you're leading us right into the Barnos de Caracas, where it's not unusual for 40 people to be killed in a single weekend."

"It's not your place to comment on any of it," Stewart answered.

"Actually, it is, Major," Jazz shot back. "Especially since you brought us along against our will. Now that we're here, what do you intend to do with us?"

Stewart ignored the woman. "The attached garage is about two miles away. We can drive up through the first few levels, but we'll be on foot after that."

"You still don't know what you'll do with us, huh?" Jazz persisted.

"Jasmine, it's not the time," the man retorted.

"Knowing you, it never will be. You'll use the turtles for whatever you think you can get, and then leave them high and dry."

"Jasmine, that's enough!" His harsh tone made Michelangelo wince, but the woman seemed unaffected.

"You don't scare me anymore, Major. If you wanna make an impact, you'll have to change your tactic."

Mike muffled inappropriate laughter to avoid drawing further wrath from the Major. The turtle was prepared for fireworks from the man in any case, but Brandon redirected the conversation first.

"You're fairly sure we'll be safe there?"

"I can't guarantee your safety anywhere, but the point of coming to this place was to enable me to keep our operation in the dark, and your people out of sight. Does that sound okay with _you_ , Jasmine?" he challenged.

"It would be, if you were acting from pure motivation. Which we both know you're not."

Brandon said something in the woman's ear, and Stewart reached across the seat to seize his shoulder. Mike nearly lunged toward them, but Jazz was the one who threw herself in front of her husband.

"Don't you dare touch him! Is that how it's gonna be now?"

"Gotta agree with her, Major," Mike called warningly. "You wanna pick a fight with us? Hurting our allies is a great place to start."

"I can't afford to have anyone conspiring against me either!" the man replied heatedly.

"Conspiring?" Bran repeated. "Only told her it's no use arguing with you. I figured at the core you've probably got a good heart, but you're proving me wrong."

"Put the gun down, and he'll kick your tail all the way back to America," Jazz said proudly.

Brandon shook his head slightly to the woman.

"Don't give me that look, Bran. He's _not_ gonna put his hands on you!"

"I apologize," the Major stated formally, much to Mike's surprise, and the woman's shock. "I'm jumpy for a few reasons, but I won't touch you again without a good reason."

"We prefer not to fight either," Brandon said evenly.

"Then we should be okay," the man returned, as if they were nothing more than casual acquaintances.

"I don't see how anyone can be 'okay' under the circumstances," Greg interjected. "A little more information would be helpful. Such as whether we're in Caracas for the long haul, or you consider this a brief stopover. The tower is empty now, but how do we know the authorities won't track us down there? It _was_ habitable, but is it still set up for a lengthy stay? We don't need much to get by, but it'd be nice to gauge where things stand."

"Electricity is non-existent," the Major began slowly. "It was running off the grid legally at one time, but not anymore. We have a couple generators for the basic necessities, lights, charging equipment, and the likes."

"That'll be fun to get up the stairs," Mike mentioned.

Stewart glanced at him, but didn't acknowledge the statement. "Water won't be a problem. The artesian wells are intact, and with the work the squatters did on plumbing, we ought to be able to find some apartments in good repair."

"Yeah, that made for a great story," Marcus said distastefully. "The homeless took over an abandoned structure, completed all kinds of improvements, and ended up back out on the streets."

Stewart cocked his head. "You realize we aren't the ones who kicked them out, right?"

Marc made a face. "Of course. My annoyance wasn't technically aimed at you, for a change."

Michelangelo snickered behind his hand. The mild-mannered doctor was probably one of the least mouthy of their allies, but even Marcus had his limits.

"It would help to have a time range in mind for my case as well," Marc continued. "We brought a fair supply of my medication, but if this journey becomes indefinite, I'll need to acquire more."

Mike paled and cursed himself for not thinking of his friend's asthma sooner. "Shell," he said under his breath. "If this place is dusty, it'll wreck havoc on your lungs, Marc."

The man shrugged. "I can probably handle it better than I used to, especially with access to fresh air. Only reason it got so bad inside the mines in the Congo was because I was stuck down there for a long period."

"I admit, I didn't take that into consideration," Stewart answered blandly. "If you give me the information on your prescriptions, I'll speak to my contacts about finding more. Even basic supplies are so limited within Caracas, I don't know how long it will take to find medication. I'll let them know as soon as possible."

Mike cleared his throat. "If worse comes to worse, you'll need to send him back to the states. It'd be better for him to go now."

The look Marcus gave him was wounded. "I'm not going anywhere, Mikey; not unless you guys are too."

"Nobody wants a repeat of Africa." Greg threw his support behind the turtle.

"This is entirely different!" the doctor protested.

"Not really," Mike wheedled. "I mean, think about it. You were kidnapped by an armed band of men who could have had government ties."

"What are you talking about?" It was one of the young soldiers who spoke up that time.

Mike half-expected the man to be chided for opening his mouth when it seemed like they weren't supposed to ask questions, but the Major said nothing about it.

"You were told being abducted is nothing new for us," Greg offered. "We're used to these international affairs."

"International affairs?" Stewart was baffled. "What are you referring to exactly?"

Michelangelo snorted."Nothing. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Okinawa...Outer space. We get around."

"You've traveled extensively? Why would you take the risk? And how do you get around overseas without being detected in the process?"

"We have our ways," Greg answered vaguely. "If we were in the presence of friends, we could tell you some intriguing stories. I'm afraid that's yet to be determined."

"You've got to be the strangest people I've ever met."

Mike grinned at the Major. "Pretty good compliment coming from you."

"If just one of you would tell me what it is you do exactly, it would be extremely gratifying."

Greg and Marcus exchanged a look and broke into laughter.

"We enjoy the idea of you finding out on your own so much more," Heff retorted. "That, and we don't feel like we owe you anything. Now if you'd let us contact our family, it could get you a little leverage."

"But the fact that I haven't turned you over to anyone means nothing?"

"It means you haven't done it yet," the turtle emphasized. "None of us knows what'll happen next, so it makes it hard to tell you anything. Put yourselves in our shoes, Major."

"I can't," he said tersely. "I don't know enough to figure out what it would be like. Maybe you're all around good guys who happen to be turtles, and you run amok spewing peace, joy and happiness to the world. But if, as I suspect, you have a habit of getting into trouble, taking the law into your own hands, and employing dangerous explosives on a regular basis—"

"Who said it was a regular basis?" Greg scoffed. "You think that sort of thing can be swept under the rug?"

"My point is, I can't be confident about your methods or motivation."

"We can say the same," Mike replied. "So we either have to come to some terms where we _try_ to understand each other, or we ought to call it quits altogether. 'Cause whatever this is, it's not working."


	60. Pretend

The first rays of daybreak were startling enough to wake Donatello from a light doze, which was the most he'd been able to achieve. The purple-masked turtle sat up on his sleeping bag, and instantly sensed movement by the door. He spotted familiar paranoia in the frames of two young men guarding the exit, and sighed softly.

 _They have no idea how easily we could walk out of here. It's so ridiculous, it's almost laughable._

He cracked his neck from one side to the other, and stretched out his arms until he felt the light popping of sore joints. It wasn't until he took a closer look at his surroundings that Don realized two spots were already vacate: the one belonging to his oldest brother, and that of his son.

Donatello's brow creased, but it didn't take a genius to figure out where the turtles could be, or what they might be doing. Quietly he tiptoed across the area, ignoring the blatant stares of their "watchmen", and headed for the source of streaming sunlight.

He crept silently past the sleeping figures of a few more soldiers, and went by the two lone females in the Green Beret's group. Donny knew one of them was a medical officer, but had only learned the night before that the other was some kind of specialist in meteorology and atmospheric conditions. _They've got a little bit of everything in this company. I'm sure we have similarities, but I can't see myself trusting_ any _of them._

Without a sound, he slipped over the half-wall that separated the apartment (if it could be called that) from the balcony. On the other side Donatello found the missing pair of turtles, and smiled impishly at Leo's wave. "Is this a private party?"

"Nah. We're only exclusive against people who are sleeping," Jayden offered. "Which you aren't, so you're good."

The purple-masked turtle gave his brother a probing look. "Leo, you probably _should_ be resting."

"I feel fine, Don, and the stitches haven't budged. Not even after climbing 23 floors. You medical people are good with those."

"You might still need some extra sleep."

"Well, it's a given that _we_ don't," Jayden spoke up. "After all, not everyone is part super hero."

Donatello glanced backward anxiously, but it didn't appear anyone was awake enough to have heard the teen. He motioned severely to his son and knelt down at his side on the terrace. "Jay, you can't say stuff like that. There are certain things we can't afford to tell these people – it's definitely one of them."

Jayden nodded vigorously. "Yeah, I know, Dad. I'm not smart like Charlotte, but that doesn't mean I'll blow our cover."

Speaking the name of his missing twin appeared to have a sobering affect on the young turtle, and it broke Donatello's heart. He rested a hand on his son's shoulder, but Jay didn't look up.

"Sorry," the teen mumbled.

"Jayden, apologizing isn't necessary. You don't have to pretend to be okay. Do you honestly think _we_ are?" Donny asked gently.

The youth glanced up and made eye contact with both adults. "I don't know. It seems like you're doing what you're supposed to. You might be upset...All right, I _know_ you are, but you control it better than me. Honestly, I've never slept so little in my whole life, and I love sleeping," he clarified, in case his father didn't know. "I try, but I can't. I feel like there's a huge hole in my gut, and I'll never be good for anything again."

"I'm sure there's a hole," Don agreed carefully. "We feel it too, but it's different for you, Jay. We're all grieving, even if no one wants to give up hope."

Jayden looked away again and didn't say anything in response.

"We're not faking it, Jayden," Leonardo told him. "We've been dealing with this sort of thing for a long time. It doesn't make it easier, just...awkward, in a way. It's the huge elephant in the room that no one wants to bring up, like you not wanting to talk about Charlotte. But it's not wrong or disrespectful to mention your sister, or maybe feel lost without her."

"I hate it," he whispered. "And being there when it happened, screwing up so badly in the first place..." The teen trailed off with a sniff. "Never shoulda got that far. I shouldn't have let it."

"There's nothing you could have done," Leo negated. "I know why you feel this way. I probably would too, and then my brothers would have told me what I'm about to tell you. No matter how prepared you are, you're going to be thrust into situations where elements are out of your control. In your case, it was especially true. You weren't equipped to face an alien race. Yet most of you evaded capture, against all odds."

"Doesn't make me feel better. I had nothing to do with escaping."

"I understand," Leo went on. "But torturing yourself over what happened or wishing to go back, it won't fix this either, Jayden."

The young turtle crossed his arms and gazed at his father. "You think we'll ever be normal again?"

"It would be difficult, since we weren't normal to start."

"Seriously, Dad," Jayden complained, not amused. "You know what I mean. How much longer do we have to stick with those bozos?"

"We don't like them anymore than you," Don allowed. "We also haven't been the most compliant prisoners on the planet."

Jayden managed a snort. "Getting to see you repair ServSafe right in front of them was priceless. I bet that tech is still scratching his head."

Donatello smiled smugly. "Wish I didn't have to give anything away, but I enjoyed it too, Jay. And having you for backup. We made a good team."

"Yeah, we can," the youth faltered. "But it's not the same. I don't know if it ever will be, if Charlie and Tim don't..." Jayden couldn't finish the statement.

"No one can say anything for sure," Leonardo said quietly. "But, Jayden, worrying about what will or won't happen in the future doesn't help you right now. I know how hard it is to turn that off."

Jayden looked exasperated. "Then why are you telling me to?"

"Because it's possible," Leo replied. "Carrying on without your twin and Tim. We can do it, but it doesn't feel like it's worth it."

"No, it doesn't," the teen admitted.

"And we're not ready to write them off," Donatello offered.

"No! But where does that leave us? In this weird, in between place where it hurts too much to breathe and you wanna quit. But quitting would hurt everyone else. So you keep going and pushing. For what, Dad?"

"You know what, Jay."

"I told you. I'm not smart like Charlie, or intuitive like Tim. The two of them could handle this way better than me."

Don folded his hands together, searching for words that sounded like more than platitudes. "They'd have a hard time with it too. The three of you have been a lot like the musketeers over the last few years. You all have different strengths."

"Wish I was with them," he said sullenly.

"I wish I was too," Leo said. "But we aren't. We have to face the decision not to give up in the meantime."

Jayden turned to gaze at the hills which were laden with too many shacks and shoddy structures to number. "I don't feel like deciding today. Can I take a break?"

"You don't have to do anything," Donny assured him. "Including pretending to be okay, when we know you're not."

His son settled into a slouch, visibly illustrating the massive weight on his shoulders. Donatello wished he could ease it, but he was clueless about how to lift the tangible burden when he couldn't even banish his own.

* * *

With persistent prodding and annoying of the Major, Donatello achieved the right to a small expedition of the Tower of David later that afternoon. The purple-masked turtle suspected part of the reason the man finally caved was his own desire for intelligence on the building, so Donny was careful not to complain about the ten soldiers who accompanied the small group. _At least, I won't complain as long as they keep up. Passing the tests to become Green Berets sounds tough, but it still doesn't make them ninjas._

For the most part, the soldiers were only standoffish escorts, but Donatello couldn't help noticing the young man tailing Nate was much more relaxed, and talking with the orange-masked turtle intermittently. _Makes sense, I guess. That's one of the guys Nate helped get out of the car. Looks like he might have made an impact. That could work in our favor later, but who knows what the soldier will do in a pinch?_

"Place isn't bad," Jake spoke up. "It needs your touch, Donny, don't get me wrong. Could you imagine what you'd do with a building like this?"

Don shook his head. "It's a little mind boggling. A project this big, I'm not sure I'd want it. Especially in its current location."

"You don't think everyone is up for another international move?" Jayden arched an eye ridge at him, and Donny mentally told him to keep his mouth shut.

Raphael slung an arm over the purple-masked teen's shoulder despite their height difference, and effectively captured Jayden in a head lock. Don smirked appreciatively for the gesture, even as the over-sized turtle fought to get free. The use of a pressure point still provided advantages that could rival Jayden's strength.

In the end, it was his older brother who released the youth with a chuckle, and Jayden looked aghast to a snickering Donatello.

"Dad!"

"What?" Don shrugged. "You can't handle your Ojisan's love?"

"It's not love – it's manhandling!"

"I think you'll live, kid." Raphael winked in Donny's direction.

"What if I came after you?" Jayden threatened in return.

The red-masked turtle held out both hands in invitation. "You think I'm scared of ya? Bring it on, _Kaiju_."

"You will be scared before I'm through!"

Raphael paused in the middle of the common area through which they were traveling and squared his stance. "You're welcome to try."

"In front of everybody? Isn't that kind of risky...for you?"

"You wanna fight or run your mouth, Jay?"

"Are you in a hurry to catch a beat down?"

"Nah – I'm just sick of listening to you talk."

Donny stood back in amusement while the pair circled each other, but their soldier counterparts weren't as accepting.

"What are you _doing?_ " One particularly suicidal individual tried to get in between the two facing off.

Don smoothly redirected the man. "Chill out. They're fine."

"You're gonna watch your kid go at it with your brother? That's messed up!"

"How do you think we've learned to defend ourselves?" Donny was exasperated. "Hands on is the best way to go. Are you telling me you never grappled in any of your training? Stand back, and let them do this."

"Whatever, man. If someone gets hurt, it'll be on you."

"Only thing getting hurt is Raph's pride!" Jayden crowed. "He'll never live it down."

"If it's up to you, Gigantor, it'll never get started. I could talk as much as you, but then we'd be here all day."

Donatello watched knowingly while Jayden kept a short distance between him and his uncle. His longer arms gave him an advantage in some respects, but they weren't the best defense for the front kick Raphael led with the moment the youth stepped into range.

The teen partially blocked his momentum and feigned right, before throwing a punch from the opposite side with his non-dominant hand. The older turtle sank out of reach of the blow like an old pro, then sprang upright to get into closer proximity. Jayden took the opportunity to get his hands on his uncle's shoulders, and Raphael caught him in the same grip.

Within the stand off, it seemed like Jayden's superior strength would quickly win out, but Don could only grin, because he knew his brother was setting him up. There were several directions Raph could go, and it was amusing to try and predict which one he'd pick.

In the blink of an eye, the red-masked turtle slipped under Jayden's arms, and spun behind him. Once a new hold was established, Raphael simultaneously swept the teen's legs, and dragged his upper body down over his knee. In less time than it took for Donatello to cross his arms, the youth was on the ground.

Raph nodded down at him. "Ya got anything else to say, big man?"

Jayden lunged to his feet with a grunt. "Yeah – I ain't done yet."

"I figured that. Why don't you come over here and show me how strong you _really_ are?"

Don noticed the rotation of his son's hip a split second before Jayden struck out like the cracking of a whip, landing a powerful kick to his uncle's side instead of the forward thrust the older turtle probably expected. The moment Raphael was off balance, Jayden got an arm around his throat and ducked behind to establish a choke hold.

Without hesitation, Raph sent a palm strike to the teen's chin and performed another sweep of Jayden's knees, dropping the younger turtle on his plastron.

"Yeah, that was _great_ , Jay. Exactly how you don't wanna catch somebody."

Don withheld a smile through intense determination, and crouched at his son's level. "Are you finished?"

"Not even close!"

Donatello rose with a snort. "Okay, you two. Have fun killing each other. I'm going to look around a bit more."

"You're gonna miss me taking _him_ down," the teen complained.

"You can let me know how it went later."

Olivia and Jake were satisfied to continue watching the wrestling match, standing opposite of the half circle of soldiers doing nothing but curiously looking on. Don beckoned Nathaniel to come to his side, as the eighteen-year-old was the only one not distracted by the mock battle.

"You all right? How's the hand?"

Nate glanced down at once. "It's okay. Wish I could do more, but...it is what it is. I'd like to call Reina too."

"We're not going to stop applying pressure, Nate. I wore the Major down to let us explore. He's got to get tired of us asking to talk to our family sooner than later. You'll see. He'll give in to shut us up."

Nathaniel snickered at the sight of his cousin flying over Raphael's shoulder. "Jay has the same persistence you do."

"Yeah, but he definitely likes to hear himself talk more." Don almost busted a gut when his brother dropped on top of the teen in a wrestler-esque pin. "Thing Jayden doesn't remember is that Raph's already experienced with the biggest mouth of us all."

Nate shot him a half grin. "Can't imagine who you're talking about."

"Nah, you probably wouldn't," Donny teased. The smile vanished when he caught Nate's _almost_ imperceptible flinch. "What's up? Are you in pain?"

"Some, but-"

"You have to speak up," Donatello ordered.

"Ojisan, it's not my hand, okay? I don't like this area."

"We were told it's dangerous," Don admitted. "But I think we're safer than we'd be on the street. And if anything, we can throw Raph and Jayden at them. The bad guys wouldn't last more than a few seconds."

Nathaniel smiled faintly. "Yeah, they wouldn't stand a chance. But I'm afraid to let my guard down, y'know? Even here."

"No, I'm with you, Nate. We can't relax. Too many variables between the soldiers and an unfamiliar environment. Being on guard is necessary." Donatello peered at the orange-masked turtle closely, noting the probing manner with which the teen observed the spar. _Nate can't turn it off anymore than Leo. Amazing how people can be so different, and yet similar at the same time. He's right to be on edge. I'm glad Jayden can unwind a little with everything going on...but in this case, I've got to agree with Nate._


	61. Reveal

Will quietly studied the blue-masked turtle across from him, fascinated by the incredible change in Leonardo's posture from the times he'd watched him before. Granted, he didn't have much room for comparison, but the dramatic difference was noticeable, even for not knowing the legendary well.

The two minutes Stewart had allowed every member of their "family" to have for a supervised phone call was stunning in its effect on their demeanor. Only one – Donatello – had come out of his conversation visibly distressed, and not given anyone the chance to know why. Will returned from reverie over the purple-masked legendary to find Leonardo was gazing intently at _him_.

"Something on your mind, Major?"

"As far as your group is concerned? Where should I start?"

Leonardo shrugged. "You can ask anything you want. I don't have to answer, but it won't hurt you to try." The small smirk the turtle sent his direction felt like an improvement in relations, and Will jumped on it.

"You have a close family it seems. You keep everyone near you?"

"For the most part, but it's a mutual thing. Haven't you ever enjoyed your family, Major?"

Stewart was startled by how much the question flustered him. "Well, yes, that is...I have...memories of better times."

"I'm sorry," Leonardo said genuinely. "That didn't come out correctly. I know you lost a son to PTSD."

Will nodded. "It was a long time ago," he dismissed, eager to change the subject. "But what about you? Your brothers all have kids. You never had any?"

The somewhat "relaxed" vibe he'd been getting from Leonardo vanished into thin air. "I have a son," he answered softly. "But he was one of those taken by Vagari."

The Major swallowed with regret. "Oh. I apologize. I didn't realize..."

"How could you know?" the turtle asked logically. "Thanks, but you don't have to be sorry, at least...not for Tim."

"You don't have to talk about him."

Leonardo cast a long look to the surrounding hills. "I prefer not to discuss my son like he's in the past tense. But I wouldn't mind talking about him."

"How old?"

"Almost sixteen. He's a good kid. Incredibly unique."

Will snorted. "I'd describe all of you that way," he said honestly, though he wasn't trying to be unkind.

"Yeah, I get it." Leo didn't appear to take offense. "Tim's got something of his own. Not bad, yet...challenging. It's a strength, while it also complicates his life. I wish I could make it easier for him, but on this particular issue, I can't. He's the only one who can figure it out. No one can do it for him, even if I want to."

"I think most fathers want to help their kids fix things," Stewart agreed guardedly, though he didn't know what the turtle was talking about.

"This doesn't need to be fixed," Leo corrected. "More like...managed. It's something my wife understands better than me, but she still can't give him much advice either. Mostly because Tim's very guarded. Tends to focus on his negative aspects, instead of acknowledging what he's capable of. Not that I have a right to comment, when I don't get it myself."

Stewart felt like the turtle was talking to himself by that point, but the man was intrigued. He got the sense that Leonardo was trying to work through something, and interjecting a statement of his own would be disruptive. But when the legendary fell completely silent, he felt obligated to resume the conversation.

"It's not always easy for kids to talk about the stuff that bothers them. My boy James...he went away to the field one person, and came back another. I've seen PTSD so many times in my career, but witnessing it in my son was different. It was an extremely helpless feeling, wanting to do something for him, but I couldn't.

"It was harder on Jasmine though. She and James were tight growing up. She hated it when he went overseas. Further away he got, the crazier she seemed to act out. There wasn't any correcting her by the time she was a teen. She'd never listen to me."

"I wasn't there, so I can't speak for Jazz or you," Leo began slowly. "But I know she lives with a lot of regrets, and you're part of that, Major. Are you going to use this opportunity to try making up with her?"

"I'm fairly sure we're beyond fixing anything. She didn't even want to speak to her mother."

"When did you offer exactly? Because I bet if you asked now, since she's had the chance to talk to her own kids and is in a better mood, Jazz might be more willing. I don't want to get between you two-"

"Yeah, don't do that."

"But I'd also bet you live with regrets of your own. Don't you want to make some attempt to patch things while you have the chance? You lost one child. You don't have to lose the other."

"I already tried to talk to her, Leonardo. It was like attempting to battle with a wild cat. If Jasmine has made up her mind, there's no arguing with her."

"It doesn't mean it's not worth trying again. No offense, sir, but you've been very demanding the last couple of days. Jazz won't respond to that. You have to open up communication first, and let her come to you on her terms."

"Okay, Dr. Phil." Will scoffed. "Thanks, but I know my daughter. She's stubborn like her mother, smart as a whip, and rebellious to a fault. Far as I'm concerned, she wouldn't mourn over my dead body."

"I don't think that's true, Major, of either of you. I believe part of the reason she's fought you off so hard is _because_ she still cares."

"How does that make any sense?"

"It doesn't have to make sense to us. Subconsciously, Jazz probably doesn't even realize part of the reason she'd acting out is because she's still hurt."

"We weren't the ones at fault," Stewart said gruffly. "And you don't have the-"

Will was cut off by the blue-masked turtle suddenly _lunging_ at him, but it happened too quickly for the man to avoid. Under the crushing weight of his stronger assailant pinning him to the ground, he managed to get off a shout before something streaked over their heads, and collided with the wall in a fury of flames.

The turtle rolled off him as though unfazed by the sight. "Stay down!" he urged, before crawling on all fours to the archway connecting to the apartment. "Take cover! Everyone get away from the windows!"

The initial shock receded, Stewart rose partially from the cement and edged toward the end of the balcony for a glimpse of what had fired on them.

"Turn the lights off! They're a dead giveaway to our position!" he heard Leonardo ordering someone in the background.

Will was focused on the light flying _toward_ them from the opposite building, and twisted around to hit the floor again seconds before the surface right next to the unfinished doorway was struck. He felt the heat from flames as they licked around the wall, but then a hand clamped around his leg and dragged him backwards.

"What are you _doing?_ " Leonardo demanded. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"It's coming from the building next door!" he blurted out. "We have to set up a counter offensive!"

"You wanna put everyone in a position to get shot? I can't recommend it, Major!"

"Our alternative is what, to let them keep firing on us? Don't try to tell me what to do, Leonardo. This is the sort of thing professionals prepare for!"

"There is an alternative," the turtle insisted, pausing at a brilliant flash and the accompanying explosion that shook the floor under their feet. "Give my brothers and I ten minutes."

"To do what?!"

"To deal with it!" he snapped. "Set your watch, and stay down. If we don't come back, you can do your own thing. But you need to give us a chance."

"How do you intend to deal with rockets, turtle? Do you carry a missile launcher in that shell?"

"I don't need you to understand; you've got to trust me."

"Stranger, there's nothing you can contribute to this assault. Keep _yourselves_ out of the line of fire, and we'll do our job!"

"Your men don't have to die, Major! No one does. We're going, whether you approve it or not. All I'm asking for is ten minutes."

"I'm ordering you to stand down!" he proclaimed in his most authoritative tone.

Leo shook his head. "I'm not one of your men, sir. But I do plan to help keep them alive. Ten minutes. Then you can unleash your own hailstorm."

When Will pursed the turtle around the corner, he was surprised to find the rest of their "prisoners" already convened.

"We going?" Raphael demanded.

"In a minute," Leonardo told him. "Nate, Katherine, Brandon, I'm going to ask the three of you to stay and protect our people. It's your decision whether or not to leave the apartment, though, I feel like remaining on this level is suicide."

"You are not in charge!" Stewart cried indignantly.

The blue-masked turtle acted like he didn't hear him, and extended a hand to Nate. "You'll take care of them?"

The disappointment was tangible in the teen's frame, but he nodded. " _Hai, Jonin_."

"Leo, you shouldn't be going!" Luke boldly tried to block the turtle's path. "Don, back me up on this!"

"I won't stay here and argue with you," Leonardo said calmly, despite the gunfire thudding into the wall only a few feet above their heads. "I _really_ don't think you ought to stick around, but we're definitely not. Let's move, guys."

Will grasped for some semblance of control, scrambling after the turtles on hands and knees while they headed toward a side room with no viable exit. " _What_ are you doing, going out the window? It's a twenty-three story drop!"

"We're not going down," Michelangelo returned, grinning like he was having the time of his life. "We're gonna hop across."

"How in the he-"

"We're heading next door to get some leverage," Leonardo explained. "Give us a few minutes, and then you can do whatever you want."

"How do you _hop_ next door?" Fleisburg squeezed into the doorway beside the Major. "You lot aren't even trained properly!"

Raphael chuckled. "Junior, me and my bros have been 'training' longer than you've been alive. Sit tight, and let the real experts save your tails."

Will cursed as Leonardo led the way out the window, but the idiocy of wasting ammo on the legendaries didn't tempt him. His mind raced with the probability of their impending deaths, and how he was going to get everyone else out of this. There was no back up to call or reinforcements to look to. Going dark meant they were completely alone in a foreign country, in one of the worst neighborhoods imaginable.

"Fleisburg, break out the reserves for everyone," he ordered his second on a whim.

"Sir? For everyone?"

Stewart motioned to their captives with annoyance. "We're all in at this point, Captain. They need to be armed."

The shock in his man's face was annoying, but the Major turned away from him. A series of flashes made him back further down the hallway and clap hands over his ears to protect his hearing.

"I have to agree that moving is in our best interest!" Director Kelley shouted.

"You think we'll be safer on the street?" Stewart challenged.

"No, but a different floor wouldn't hurt!" the one the turtles called "Heff" suggested. The man readily grabbed for the M16 Fleisburg was reluctant to part with. "You think you're the only ones who know how to use a gun?"

At Stewart's wary glance, Greg scowled. "This isn't about us right now. For all intents and purposes, we're allies. When it's over, you can go back to threatening to kill everyone or lock us up."

Will surveyed the group and took into consideration the law force experience several of the people had. _Of course a few of them know how to handle weapons. Why should that surprise anyone?_

"You can trust them," Jasmine mentioned on his right. "The turtles get things done. You watch. They won't even need ten minutes."

"But look on the bright side," Jake offered. "There might be some guys left over for your people."

Jasmine laughed, glancing at Stewart instead of the young man. "There won't be any leftovers."

Stewart held up his hands for attention. "If everyone can just be quiet for a moment, we'll form a plan to-"

A bright light out of his periphael vision was the only warning the Major received before being assaulted by an exploding fireball. He felt himself lifted off the ground, and darkness tugged around the corner of his eyes. The room phased out of sight for a minute, as a high-pitched ringing tone blocked out any other sound. The next thing he knew, someone was rolling him over.

"Major? Major!"

He winced at the man yelling in his face and tried to glare at him. "Stand down, Captain."

"Are you all right, sir?"

Will ignored the question and his double vision while he sat up rapidly. "Is everyone else okay?"

Fleisburg looked over his shoulder. "Not completely. Moving doesn't sound like a bad idea, Major."

By the time Will's legs cooperated, he found himself gazing upon the sight of the young turtle with the broken hand organizing his people.

"...I don't _care_ if you have a gun, Doc, you're not coming up front! Stay in the middle with Jazz, Marc, Jake and Bahri."

"You're not relegating me to the middle," Kamryn stated fiercely.

Stewart was extremely uncomfortable with the way the odd woman clutched the weapon to her chest like someone would take it from her.

"You are going to follow our lead though," Nate asserted.

"Follow your lead where?" Will trotted to join them, only faltering once because of the way the room was spinning. "Are you trying to strike off on your own?"

"No. I figured we ought to run together," Nate answered. "The danger doesn't necessarily only exist outside. I thought we should create a cocoon – put the warriors up front, civilians in the middle-"

"Why don't you call us liabilities and be done with it?" Luke interrupted.

"Doc." There was a stern note in the teen's voice which belied his age, and made Stewart straighten slightly. "Don't start. Civilians in the middle, and soldiers bring up the rear."

"Why on earth should your people go first?" Fleisburg interjected.

"Because we volunteer?"

"Yet, I notice you haven't armed yourself," the Major pointed out.

The orange-masked turtle made a face. "What do you want me to do with a gun?"

"You could protect yourself and a few of your people, especially since you're already handicapped."

"That might be true, Major, but I still don't need it. If you-" The teen cut off and automatically dove to the side as the next explosion which met the structure tore off a large section of concrete with it. " _Move!_ " he commanded with surprising force.

Will shook off the last blast while he hurried to catch up and regain control of the strangers willingly following the teenager. The man was incredibly confused by the seamless transition of power over to the youngest person who remained behind. _The idea of an FBI Director and trained operatives taking orders from someone who can barely call himself an adult is ridiculous. What are these people_ thinking?

He puffed to match Nate's pace, eyeing the turtle suspiciously while jogging beside him. _What kind of strange hold does the kid have on them?_ He watched the legendary carefully in the dim moonlight permeating the open-air hallway, and noted the youth scanning every direction.

"It's not right," Nate murmured.

"What isn't?"

"They must expect us to try and escape, but they're not firing here. Why?" Nate stiffened at once and motioned to the group urgently. "Take cover _now_."

Will growled in frustration. "What are you talking about? You want us to stay behind after all? Why can't you admit that you don't have a clue what you're doing? None of you do!"

Nathaniel faced the Major coolly. "Because I _do_ know what I'm doing. Take refuge behind something sturdy, and don't move. Kat, Bran, I need you!"

Stewart was near imploding. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Could you maybe be quiet for five minutes so we can assess the risk, and I'll get back to you? Thanks." Nate replied.

Will's mouth dropped at the audacity of the teen, but he remained stock still while the three figures disappeared into the shadows ahead of them. He felt stupid as he holed up behind a pillar, fuming about being left behind. _How did I let a kid take over? I can't let this happen. I need to go after them._

But when he started to rise, a hand on his shoulder slowed him down.

"Dad, don't."

The title was what stopped him, and made Stewart stare at his daughter.

"They know what they're doing," she told him.

"I don't know that!"

"But I do."

"So I should do nothing?"

"No, you should _wait._ "

"Wait for what? All of them to turn up dead?"

"They won't. You'll see."

Stewart folded his arms and stayed down, though he felt more like pacing. The sound of a crash from the direction the three had gone made him bolt upright, and almost take off running.

"Dad, wait!" Jasmine directed. "They know what they're doing!" she repeated.

"I can't trust that! This is my job!" He jumped up from behind the pillar, and heard a shot seconds before it reached him. Whipping his body to the right succeeded in the bullet burying in his opposite arm instead of his heart, but the stampede of footsteps coming their direction immediately made him feel heavier.

Ignoring the pain of his injury, he rotated his gun to get a couple shots off before the shadows were on top of him. He heard the grim sounds of his men returning fire, but instinctively knew they were outnumbered. _This is it. This is how we're going to die, and I never saw it coming. Well, if we all go together, at least I won't have to explain any of it._

The sudden burning of his ribs alerted him that he'd been hit again. He lost grip of his gun and was still trying to force his fingers to close around the weapon, when a man with heavy black tattoos caught up with him.

The Major barely had time to curse before someone abruptly leaped over his frame, tackling his opponent with stunning force. Stewart took the opportunity to reclaim his gun and scrambled backwards against the wall for support. He was prepared to shoot the original assailant, but was then taken aback by the lighting moves of his rescuer who dispatched the gunmen without so much as two hands or a weapon of his own.

Will stared dumbfounded while the 18-year-old destroyed the stranger with what appeared to be minimal effort, and spun around to take down two more men with a jump kick combination that defied the laws of physics. He jolted severely when two pairs of hands met his sides, and found his daughter and the blond doctor pulling him back from the scene.

Stewart couldn't speak right away. He didn't take his eyes off the fight turning on its head at the arrival of the teenager and the two "experts" bringing down attackers in a similarly violent fashion. It wasn't until he'd been dragged behind the pillar that Will found his voice.

"This whole time?" he croaked. "They could do _that?_ "

Jasmine nodded with a smirk. "The words, 'bitten off more than you can chew', are coming back to mind."


	62. Intervene

Scaling the side of the concrete structure was familiar enough to make Donatello immediately feel at home. _Except that we don't normally have rockets launched at us in New York. Pretty glad it's not a regular occurrence. We're need more insurance._

The purple-masked turtle hated leaving the rest of their allies behind and potentially exposed, but the knowledge that Nate, Kat and Brandon were with them was comforting. _As well as a few more of our craziest family members...and a bunch of soldiers who probably won't listen to a thing they say. But if worse comes to worse, I know they'll take care of each other, regardless of what those Green Berets do._

The majority of the current fire power was coming from the north and east flank of the adjacent building, which made climbing the south-facing side safer for everyone involved. Don automatically reached for where his phone _should_ have been, and cursed. _It'd be great to let the others know which area appears the least dangerous! Too bad the hall monitors had to confiscate our gear._ He smiled secretively. _It feels like I raided the teacher's desk. Wish I'd had enough time to track down a phone too._

Don pushed aside irritation and focused on climbing hand over hand, while also not losing track of his older brothers above him. He could hear the slightest trace of Olivia behind him, and was surprised by the lack of noise from his own son underneath _her._ Donatello resisted the urge to look down, trusting Michelangelo would do a respectable job of bringing up the rear. _Besides, just because Jay tends to talk too much doesn't mean he can't handle this. Shell, I was his age once. Why do I act like he can't do anything?_

The purple-masked turtle was a little too consumed with berating himself, and his foot accidentally missed the next ledge. He had to make a scuffling save to keep hold of the building.

"Ojisan?"

Donny winced at the concern in his niece's voice. "I'm fine," he assured her. _Focus on your own footing, and let the kids do what they've been trained for!_

Not a dozen feet above him, he saw his blue-masked brother disappear over the edge of the roof-line, as he hoisted himself on top of the tower. Raphael wasn't far behind, and Don needed to pick up the pace to catch them.

Leo was waiting expectedly when he crawled onto the deck, and motioned to the bag on his back. "What did you manage to get?"

"Not much," he answered regretfully. "There wasn't time. But these would come in handy first." Don retrieved a pair of digital binoculars and handed them off to Leonardo. "I think the night vision will automatically kick in with the lack of light. I've never used the military grade version, but I bet they're smarter than the average pair."

"It's no replacement for your equipment, Don, but beggars can't be choosers." Leonardo scanned over to the next building with the binoculars, but continued talking "What else is there?"

"I've got my pick kit...It'll come in handy if we run into locked doors. One flashlight. Nice coil of rope, which would be useful in place of restraints...If we only had something to cut it," he finished sarcastically.

Without glancing away from the next building, Leo held up a knife blade in his other hand. "Got you covered."

"Where'd you get that? _When_ did you get it?"

"Stole it off the Major after I tackled him," Leo replied casually.

"Hey, that's mine!" Raphael declared.

"Put it to use, Raph, and start cutting some manageable pieces out of the rope. Olivia, will you help him with that? There's no telling how much we'll need."

"What do you see, Leo?" Mike shouldered in beside him.

"It's easier to pick out weapons than men. There are also plenty of obstacles to obscure them, but that's why we have to take the fight to where they are. Did you find anything else, Don?"

The purple-masked turtle grinned slyly. "I _might_ have snuck a flash grenade in there. But I only found one."

"Then we'll have to make it count. Hold on to these for me?" He passed the binoculars back.

Donatello accepted the device and felt excitement building when he saw Leo gearing up for the jump. Concern for his brother nagged once the blue-masked turtle was airborne, but he quickly silenced the anxiety over Leonardo's injured side. _He'll be all right. In a perfect world, he wouldn't be doing this. None of us would. But Leo's up for a fight, and if we have to replace the stitches afterward...well, that'll give me something else to do._

He waited for Raphael to make contact with the next roof before jumping himself. The surging adrenaline was heightened by the sensation of flying, and pumped Donny up for what was likely waiting on the floors beneath them. He noticed Leo already searching for a way in, while the two red-masked turtles worked together in sectioning off pieces of rope and cutting them down to size.

Out of the corner of his eye, Donatello saw Jayden pacing like a caged lion, and bit his tongue from telling the teen to calm down. _Jay's not doing anything wrong. He's spending excess energy. Stop analyzing him!_ He took a deep breath to control the annoyance with himself, and trotted over to where Leonardo had paused in his circuit of the roof.

The blue-masked turtle was standing in front of what appeared to be a fairly flimsy door, and gave the handle an experimental jiggle. "It would take next to nothing to knock it down, but do we go for stealth, or speed?"

The ball of fire which erupted from the Tower of David accompanied by the sight of a large chunk separating from the building seemed to decide the matter instantly for Leo. He kicked down the door without hesitation, and strode into the unknown darkness on the other side.

Don took position behind him, leaving Raphael and Olivia to continue their project in the middle, and Jayden and Mike to bring up the rear. The weight of his back pack made it feel more like a normal mission, although he dearly wished the bag was heavier. _With my_ own _equipment._ He also wished his bo was in reach, but he'd have to make do without it for another night.

Donatello ignored the flashlight from his stolen stores, trusting his older brother's instincts for the direction they were traveling more than he could have seen with physical eyes. He strained to listen for anything _beyond_ the muffled gunfire, but at the moment, heard nothing else.

Being one with the shadows brought out the professional in Donny, and overpowered the last of his nerves concerning the 16-year-old somewhere behind him. They traveled in complete silence toward the lone trace of light in the stairwell, peeking from underneath a door on the next landing.

"How much further down would you put them?" Leo hissed.

"Judging from the vantage point they took on the Tower? Not more than two floors from the top of this building. Best guesstimate? They're right below us."

"Okay," Leo turned to address everyone. "We go in quiet. Try to avoid revealing yourselves. Best chance of not getting shot lies in being invisible. "

Donny knew it was spoken more for the kids' benefit than him or his brothers, but there were no smart comebacks from Olivia or Jayden.

The blue-masked turtle led the way down one more flight of stairs, and paused at the entrance to the hall. He listened at the door, unmoving for a few seconds. "I can hear activity on the other side. Hold up for a minute, and stay out of sight."

Leo cracked his knuckles dramatically, then knocked on the door three times. He repeated the same pattern after a few seconds with greater insistence, then stepped to the side when the door cracked open, and a distinctly Spanish accent floated into the room. With one hand, the oldest turtle dragged the lone man into the stairwell and knocked him out with an effortless thrust between the eyes.

"Would you bind this guy and get him out of the way?" Leonardo requested. "He was too close to the door for us to make a good entrance, but..." He paused to peer into the hall on the other side. "We look clear now."

Michelangelo crossed his arms with a snort. "Dig you pulling _my_ old tricks out of your hat."

Leonardo blinked innocently. "Sometimes the simple things stick. Keep it down, guys."

Don fell in line behind the blue-masked turtle again, itching once more for his normal weapon. _Maybe I'll find something to improvise with, but now's not the time to start searching._ They'd taken about a dozen steps down a dimly lit corridor, when a startling barrage of gunfire gave away the location of the first set of shooters.

Leonardo's frame tensed, but then he nodded for everyone to proceed that direction. Donatello caught his breath. The next few seconds would probably be one of the most important points of the entire mission, and they hopefully wouldn't include anyone being shot.

The room in question looked too bright for Donny's liking. Leonardo managed a quick peek inside, and motioned everyone to gather in close.

"We likely only have one chance to get the drop on them," he hissed. "There's a fuse-box right inside the door, and I'm going to hit it. That's when everyone needs to fan out, and go in for the kill. I mean that literally, if necessary."

Don swallowed and took a deep breath while his brother slipped silently through the entrance. The moment he heard the blow and saw sparks, he launched into the room which had been cast into darkness. He took a flying leap across the space, zeroing in on the shadowy outline of what was definitely a rocket launcher.

The purple-masked turtle was more concerned with getting his hands on the over-sized weapon than any of the men at the outset, and concentrated all his energy on slamming the launcher from their grasp. The combined weight of two shooters on the other end hindered his progress, and caused Don to attack the device from another angle.

He rapidly ducked beneath the weapon, rolling the launcher up and over the strangers while they tried to hold on. Gunfire to his right was distracting, but he couldn't focus on it, or what anyone else was doing. As Donny wrestled the launcher toward the window, he sensed someone descending on his back, and began to twist to meet them.

A familiar bulk crashed into the invading figure like a locomotive, and called out to him. "Got 'im, Dad – _go!_ "

With another heave, Donny got the weapon over the window ledge, and sent the launcher careening several hundred feet below. By the time he turned back around, the room was deadly quiet, though the acrid scent of spent rounds hung in the air.

"Sound off!" Leo ordered with quiet urgency.

"Me and Liv are here," Raph answered. "We'll start getting them tied up."

"Okay on this side," Don spoke up, and tapped his son's shell. "Jayden appears to have survived."

"Survived? I _owned_ their tails."

"Don't get cocky yet. I bet there are a few more of them," Donny warned.

"I'm good too, in case anyone wants to know," Mike added.

"Nothing's gonna silence _your_ big mouth," Raphael retorted.

"Game faces still on, please," Leo interjected. "While they're restraining them, let's confiscate the remaining weapons. I'm sure we don't have time to dispose of them properly."

"We could chuck them out the window like the rocket launcher." Jayden snickered.

"No way it survived the drop," Don filled in. "But let's keep their other weapons, just in case. If there's a chance-" He shut his mouth instantly at the sound of footsteps. "I hear someone," Don added quietly.

Leo nodded. "Probably investigating the junction box or the sudden lack of gunfire. We'll let them come to us."

Donatello flattened against the wall to his right with Jayden at his side, and braced for another conflict. In the faint moonlight he noticed his son flash a grin, and sighed inwardly. _This is what he's been craving. Wish I could enjoy it as much as Jay does. I've got to stop spending so much time worrying over things I can't control._

There was an eruption of Spanish right before three figures entered the room, but Donny never had to budge, because Raphael and Olivia reacted too quickly. A strangled gasp was the only other sound the first got off, before the older red-masked turtle snagged the man by the jacket and pitched him toward Michelangelo like he was passing a basketball.

"Don't say I never gave ya nothing, shell-head!"

"So nice of you to share, Raphy!"

"Olivia, wait!" Leo called unexpectedly. "Don't knock that one out."

The young turtle had the man who was easily twice her weight on the floor, and calmly restrained him by applying a pressure point to his jaw. "What do you want me to do, Jonin, sing him a song?"

"No," Leonardo said sharply. "Ask him why they did this while we finish tying up the others."

Don wandered across the room to peer over his niece's shoulder as she twisted the pressure point harder. He didn't understand most of the Spanish Olivia used, but a couple curses stood out like sore thumbs. "Watch your mouth, Liv. I know part of what you're saying."

"Where'd _you_ learn those words, Ojisan?"

"Kat and Brandon have a colorful vocabulary. Focus on the specifics with him." Donny motioned to her prisoner.

Olivia's resolve seemed to double down, and her tone flattened while she spoke directly into the man's ear. He didn't respond at once, not until she pressed her father's knife to his jugular vein.

Donatello bit his tongue to keep from interfering. _We've done just as bad, and worse._

The stranger's voice cracked in return, and his garbled response sounded like it would have been confusing in _any_ language.

"What's he saying, Liv?" Leonardo suddenly appeared at her side.

"Something about military, _American_ military. They knew who was in the tower."

" _How_ did they know? Ask him!"

The youth nodded and made the request, while continuing to needle the knife under the base of his chin. The man tried to turn away, and she nicked the blade a bit harder with two more curt syllables.

After a shudder the man spoke haltingly, forcing his way through two fractured sentences.

"They heard about them from locals," Olivia supplied. "They were told the military had come in to break up...something. I couldn't get all of it."

"Would their own contacts sell them out?" Leo shook his head. "We might never know the truth. Put him out of his misery, Liv."

She obeyed with a flash of her fist, and rose from the unmoving prisoner with a smirk. "It's nice having your own translator, isn't it?"

"It'd also be nice if every other word you used wasn't a curse," the blue-masked turtle said reproachfully.

Olivia innocently flicked braided mask-tails over her shoulder. "With people who are trying to kill us for no good reason? Tell me one of you wouldn't have said just as much."

Don exchanged a glance with Leo. "She has a point."

Leonardo ignored the statement and waved for the others to join them. "We need to clear this floor. It'd be faster to split up, but I'm more comfortable sticking together."

"Can't we have some fun with it?" Mike persuaded. "We're overdue."

Donatello managed a smile for his younger brother's sake, but couldn't muster his enthusiasm.

"We need to be serious for a while longer," Leo said patiently. "But before we're through, there'll be some fun. Okay?" He scoped out the hall and motioned to the purple-masked turtle. "Multiple bogeys coming. Might be a good time for your grenade."

"And you said we couldn't have any fun," Mike complained. "What you mean is, _Donny_ has all the fun."

"Be _quiet_ , shell-fer-brains." Raphael cuffed the smaller turtle over the back of the head.

Donatello was impressed that the orange-masked turtle contained his squeal, but then intentionally turned his back on the pair to concentrate on prepping the stun weapon. Leonardo stepped aside to allow him access to the hall, and Don took a quick glance at the moving pack to estimate the right time to unleash the grenade.

He hesitated longer than he wanted to, because Donny heard a second wave coming behind the first. _C'mon. Hurry and catch up with them. I need to take out as many of you in one shot as possible._ Don could feel his brothers getting antsy, and mentally told them to hold their peace for a few seconds longer. He sent one last look at them over his shoulder before completing the arming of the grenade.

"Hit the deck!" Don threw the projectile into the hall, and slammed the door shut to provide better cover.

After it went off, his brothers, and niece clamored to get out of the room so quickly, he found himself bringing up the rear with Jayden. It gave the purple-masked turtle the opportunity to watch the others descend on those further from the blast, who hadn't been flattened by the initial explosion.

Don snorted at his 16-tear-old's war cry, and seriously enjoyed seeing him crack two skulls together. _Jayden was born for this, no different than the rest of us. Sooner or later, I've got to learn to trust that they're prepared like I_ know _they are. As for tonight, we've still got quite a mess to clean up._


	63. Move

While slipping through the window, Leonardo heard a strangled gasp, and saw a shadowy figure raise a firearm. With a soft sigh, he folded his arms. "At some point, we need to move forward in our relationship."

The man bent over at the waist with a curse and looked like he might actually faint. "You almost scared me to death!"

"With all due respect, Captain, if I had my phone, I would have called. But seeing as how you don't have a phone either, it wouldn't have helped."

"Should have taken a radio," Fleisburg muttered, straightening as the rest of the turtles entered the room. "Is your family okay?"

The blue-masked turtle nodded. "Where is everyone else? Are they all right?"

"Your people? Yes. Ours were a bit hammered, but we can come back to that. Most of the evacuations have already taken place. Only a couple of us remained behind in case...for when you came back."

"Aw. Were you worried about your prize hostages?" Raphael dripped with sarcasm.

Fleisburg ignored the jab. "We need to catch up, but we shouldn't do it here. They'll take longer than the states, but cops will eventually arrive."

"I sure hope so!" Mike chortled. "After all, we left a bunch of presents tied up for them."

"Tied up...? You mean you didn't _kill_ them?! You said you'd take care of it!"

Leo scowled. "We did, Captain, in a non-permanent fashion."

"But...but they were trying to kill _us!_ "

Leonardo maintained a stern gaze. "I understand where you're coming from. That being said, you ought to be grateful we don't kill someone on sight for threatening to hurt us, or literally doing so."

The man ducked his head, ashamed. "I want to ask how you did it without getting a scratch, but I don't need to. Not now."

Michelangelo chuckled. "You saw Nate, didn't ya?"

Fleisburg took a couple halting steps toward the door, and nodded. "I did, well, we did - him and the other two. They're brother and sister, right? Are all of you capable of...?"

Leonardo exchanged a glance with his brothers and laughed out loud because of what the man could barely ask. "Yes, Captain. We're ninja."

Fleisburg led the way through shattered glass in the living room without responding, and motioned to the two soldiers standing near the front door to fall in line behind them. "I've never seen anything like it, not in person," he finally admitted. "Leonardo, I grew up in a military family. Been around the service my whole life, and I thought I'd been exposed to everything. Until tonight. Why on earth didn't you fight back when we picked you up?"

Donatello cocked his head. "Haven't you listened to a word anyone's said?"

"Yes, I heard them. But I didn't believe it, until this moment." Fleisburg turned forward, focusing on the stairwell they were approaching. "Some of our men were hurt, a couple of them seriously. Bad guys tried to block us in. Gunmen were already in the building when you left, and they caught up to our floor. If it weren't for your people, I don't know how many of us would died."

"But they didn't?" Leo confirmed. "Where is your Major?"

"He was hit by a couple bullets. Targets were non-mortal, except for the rounds were hollow-point. He lost a lot of blood in the process, but they think he's under control. Our chief medic went down too, but _yours_ immediately took over."

"Yep, sounds like them." Jayden snorted. "They're hard to reason with in that state."

"What's our next move?" Leo pressed. "We obviously can't stick around with the authorities coming in, which is why you were already heading out. But where do we go from here?"

"Soon as I find the Major's phone, I was going to give his local contacts a call."

"You mean the local contacts who sold us out?" Olivia demanded.

"They...what?" The Captain halted on the landing between two flights of stairs.

"According to the gunman I talked to, you got sold out," the youth clarified.

Fleisburg fidgeted nervously. "I didn't...I wasn't aware of anything. What do _you_ think we should do?"

Leonardo was taken aback. "You want us to decide where we go next?"

"I honestly don't have any ideas, besides camping out in the wilderness. We have enough supplies to carry us for a while."

"True, but it's hard to hide a group our size," the blue-masked turtle pointed out. "And what about medical attention for your people? Does anyone need a hospital?"

"As if they'd be safe in one?" the man returned bitterly. "We're better off alone."

"Do you know anything about the wilderness or closest cities?" Don spoke up.

The way Fleisburg shook his head indicated he hated admitting ignorance. "We've been flying by the seat of our pants. None of this was planned – especially being attacked by the Latin Cartel."

"Then we need to make a plan," Leonardo stated judiciously. "Figure out the best place to end up, even if we stay somewhere else along the way."

The man nodded, but didn't make eye contact. "I can't believe this whole time, you could have done anything you wanted. Well, sometimes you did, but mostly, you let us walk all over you. Why?"

"We've been over this, Captain." Leo tried to remain patient.

"I underestimated you," Fleisburg said bluntly. "One of the worst things you can do with an adversary is take them for granted."

"It's a good thing we're not your adversaries, huh?" the blue-masked turtle replied pointedly.

"No. I guess you're not. But where do we go?"

Leo had a feeling the man was no longer referring to a physical location. "I like knowing what's coming up as much as anyone, but sometimes, you don't have the luxury of seeing a few steps down the road. All you can figure out is the next place to put your feet. So let's get out of civilization, and we'll work together to determine what happens after. Is your Major going to be all right?"

"He should be, according to your men." Fleisburg's back slumped as though suddenly loaded down. "I feel like an idiot."

Leonardo was at a loss for what to say to the young man. While he wasn't interested in making friends with any of the Green Berets, the learning opportunity was hard to waste. "It could have been worse."

"Jonin?" Olivia was predictably one of the first to speak up. "They kidnapped us at gunpoint. Threatened to turn us over to the government, and _some_ of them said we'd be dissected. How could it be worse?"

"They could have actually done it," he returned reproachfully.

"How do we know they still won't?" Jayden demanded. "How can we trust any of 'em?"

"This isn't only about us," the oldest turtle said firmly. "There's a much bigger threat to our planet in play."

"We don't need their help," Olivia argued, despite his warning glance. "They haven't done one thing for us, except slow everyone down, and drag us across the equator for nothing."

"Regardless of how we got here, what matters is the action we take now," Leo told her sharply. "Fighting with each other won't help. We've come this far together, and I have a feeling we have a few more things to do."

Fleisburg looked over his shoulder uncertainly. "After everything that's happened, you think we can be allies?"

Leonardo shrugged. "It doesn't seem like we have a choice. The threat the Vagari pose is much bigger than anything _you've_ done. If you can agree to grant us some mutual respect and stop trying to cart everyone around like prisoners, it'd be a step in the right direction. Whether or not we'll be _able_ to work together...only time is going to tell."

* * *

Leo was awake sooner than he expected, and immediately glanced at the facing of his watch. The 9:45 read out meant he'd had less than four hours of sleep after their interrupted evening, but he honestly didn't feel like he needed any more.

The blue-masked turtle rose slowly, stretched both arms behind his back, and then inspected the stitches in his side. Despite his family's worries, he'd suffered no ill effects from his recent injuries during the the battle with the Latin Cartel. _Of course, those men didn't know what they were doing when it came down to warriors,_ and _we ambushed them._

Leonardo smiled grimly at the thought of beating the strangers at their own game. _They came out to kill us all, and we turned the tables on them without being hurt in the process. That's a success if there could ever be one. Whether or not being forced to let the Green Berets see what we can do is an advantage or a stumbling block...Well, we'll have to wait and see. Fleisburg seems genuinely contrite, but the real test lies with their Major._

Leo stepped carefully over a sleeping Olivia and Jake, and headed for the exit of their tent. He ducked into the sunlight on the other side, blinking rapidly at the brightness. He received a tense once-over from a young soldier who was on guard duty.

 _The fear gets so old. Even when we've demonstrated no desire to hurt anyone...we're left with suspicion and terror simply because of who we are. Being used to it doesn't make it any less frustrating._

After meeting the man's gaze, the soldier's grip loosened around his weapon, and he awkwardly shifted his stance. "Morning...sir."

Leonardo's eye ridges rose at the respectful address, which was the first of any he'd heard. "Good morning. Have you noticed anyone else get up?"

"Ah, no, except for...the Major." The way he admitted it seemed like he was ratting his superior out. "Came through here about ten minutes ago."

The turtle's concern spiked. "Mention he was going somewhere?" Leo tried to sound casual.

The soldier shook his head. "No, only told me he wasn't heading far. Said he needed something from the caravan. Can I help you with anything?"

Leonardo repressed the urge to smile. The subtle shift in the company's attitude toward them had been apparent the night before, but this morning, it was even more obvious. "No, but I'd like to talk to him."

The young man stepped aside without complaint. "I'll be here then, until someone relieves me in an hour or so."

The turtle sent him a probing look of his own. "Do _you_ need something, soldier?"

"Me? No. I'm not supposed to...that is, the Major wouldn't want you going somewhere. But I figure you guys do what you feel like anyway, right?"

"I think most people desire the freedom to come and go as they please," he retorted crisply. "But I have no intention of running, if that's what you're implying."

"Oh, yeah. I know. You've had multiple chances to do that, and come back every time. That's why I'm not trying to tell you what to do."

"I appreciate it, and I'm not going to get you into any trouble."

The man shrugged. "Not much he can do to me out here."

Leonardo looked to the vehicles off in the distance. "I'll be back, all right?"

The soldier's hands dropped helplessly to his sides.

"I won't get you in trouble," Leo insisted. "On my honor."

The young man startled him by saluting. Leonardo wasn't sure whether or not he should do it back, so in the end, he merely moved on. The turtle scanned every Jeep carefully while walking down the line, searching for any sign of life within. He nearly kept going past a tan vehicle in the center of the pack, before catching movement inside.

Leo peered through the side window and identified the Major, who was staring down intently at something on his lap. He knocked on the window, but the man didn't appear to notice him. When Leonardo tried the door, the handle instantly gave under his grip. He swung it open, and stared at Stewart in confusion.

Upon closer scrutiny, he realized the man was the opposite of focused; rather, he appeared to be asleep with his eyes open. "Major? What are you doing?"

Stewart blinked after a couple seconds. "I'm trying to figure out where we're going." He shuffled the paper map spread over the seat, painstakingly smoothing a wrinkle.

Leo ducked into the Jeep. "I think it could probably wait a few hours." He peered at the man warily, taking note of his extreme pallor and the glazed look in his eyes.

"I can't relax until I find it."

The turtle stretched across him to scoop up the map, and folded it slowly. "Major, you're not supposed to be out here, are you?"

"It's my job."

"Right now, your job is not to pass out. Let's get you back to the tent, all right?"

When Leo's hand brushed his side, the man jerked like he'd been shocked.

"But you jumped me! Why?"

It took Leonardo a moment to realize what he was referring to. "At the time, there was a rocket coming toward your head. I thought you'd like to avoid it."

"Yes," the man agreed quietly. "And you left."

"We took care of it," he explained. "And now, I'll find someone to take care of you. It's time to go back to bed, Major."

Stewart seemed lost in his own world. "I thought...you left him behind to protect him. But then he did _that_."

"This will probably make more sense later. Or not. Either way, you need to be checked out again. C'mon."

Will resisted weakly while Leonardo pulled him toward the door. "I didn't get why they listened to him. Not until I saw him fight." The man pitched sideways while trying to climb out of the Jeep, but Leo was prepared for such an occurrence.

Leonardo easily supported Stewart's weight, and was considering tossing him over his shoulder to take him back to camp. The sudden appearance of a shadow around the opposite side of the vehicle made it unnecessary.

"I'm sorry - am I interrupting something?" There was a testy note in the blond doctor's voice which indicated a general lack of rest.

"Nope. I was about to bring him back for you," the turtle explained. "I know better than to assist fugitives."

"I wasn't done!" Will protested.

"Yes, you are," Luke said firmly. "Leo, would you put him down on the seat so I can take a quick look?"

The Major sighed heavily as the turtle maneuvered him onto the bench. "Walking around blind, and I never saw it."

"Uh huh," Luke agreed, as though actually listening. "Major, can you focus on my hand for a minute?"

"I don't know what I'm doing. I don't."

"Nobody does all the time," Leo offered. "That's why you ought to try listening occasionally."

Luke shook his head. "He probably won't remember this conversation, Leo. Don't bother wasting any pearls of wisdom. I knew letting him be separated from the 'infirmary' was a bad idea. He needed closer supervision from the start."

"This isn't normal," Stewart challenged. "None of you are."

Leonardo laughed unintentionally. "Are you just figuring that out, Major?"

"How did he do it?"

"They have their ways," Luke answered generically, as he couldn't have known what the man was talking about.

"I need to know," Stewart persisted. "I'm risking my life, all my men, and I don't _know_ any of you."

"That's true," Luke allowed. "But we didn't force you to bring us here. It was pretty much the other way around."

"He saved us." Will's gaze fixed on the ceiling, as though fascinated by the dome light. "I wanted him to listen to me, but he didn't. And he saved us."

"Are you talking about Nate?" Leo realized suddenly.

Stewart sat up partially, upper body swaying with the motion. "Never met a kid like him. Never." He blinked rapidly while Luke propped an arm behind his back. "I feel weird."

"I'm sure you do," the doctor soothed. "You're also going back to bed, and not getting up until I say so."

A hint of annoyance crossed Stewart's face. "You can't tell me what to do."

"Sure I can. We like to call it 'medic's prerogative', because we know what you need better than you do. I can see you'll be a tough patient, Major, but I'm used to those. I've been treating ninja warriors for the better part of three decades. You can fight me, but you won't win."

" _He_ doesn't do what you say." Will motioned to Leonardo with shaky finger.

The turtle folded his arms. "Once you're strong enough to resist, it'll be a more compelling argument. Take it from someone who knows, Major – it's not worth fighting Doc. When someone is in your condition, he always gets his way."

"Or what? Are you going to tie me down to a backboard?"

Leonardo exchanged an amused look with Luke.

"Wouldn't be the first time I restrained a patient," the blond man said honestly.

"One of _them?_ " The Major looked doubtful.

Leo cringed. "Raph was a rather violent amnesiac."

Stewart gazed at him for a good five seconds. "I don't know what that means."

"It means you don't want him experiencing any type of memory loss," Luke filled in.

"I'm a little concerned about _his_ lapse of memory, Doc," Leo inserted. "There's a chance he could need a hospital."

"What?" The man miraculously sounded more awake. "No, I'm not going anywhere. You can't make me!"

"If you don't do as I say, that's exactly what will happen," Luke warned. "Are you going to cooperate, or are we playing hard ball? It's up to you."

"Who died and made you dictator?" Stewart grumbled.

Leonardo snorted under his breath. "It's probably our fault. We had to go and sign the stupid contracts."

"Which, once again, I'm up to renegotiate if you are," Luke volunteered dangerously.

Leo patted the Major's shoulder. "Bite the bullet, sir. Your body will thank you."

"I don't think I need any more bullets, Leonardo."

"Agreed," Luke said. "And I don't need any more trouble from _you_. We doing this the hard way, or the easy way?"

"Can you explain the difference?"

"No, but I could _show_ you."

Leonardo bit his lip to prevent another laugh, and reached down to lift the man from the seat. "I'm doing this for your own good, Major."

"It's unacceptable."

"I know. All of our doctors are so mean. They're always looking out for our best interests."

Luke's fingers glanced across his shell. "You're next, buddy."

"See, Major? No one can escape them, so why bother trying?"

" _I_ didn't sign a contract."

"We had a verbal agreement last night," Luke informed him. "Which I'm told will hold up just as well."

Stewart clenched his jaw in irritation, but then sighed. "I'm too tired to argue anymore."

"And that's why I win, Major. Could have saved a lot of breath."


	64. Hole

Charlotte jolted awake violently to a scream she'd heard numerous nights, but couldn't get used to. The purple-masked turtle rolled onto her side and peered through the semi-darkness of their prison cell to see her cousin in throes of agony. She braced shackled wrists beneath her to aid in rising, and went carefully toward the blue-masked turtle.

"Tim. Wake up. Wake up, itoko."

His eyes flew open with a gasp, and when he tried to catch a breath his chest heaved with too much effort.

"It's okay," she told him, supporting his neck the best she could with bound wrists. "It'll be all right. You have to slow down, Tim. Long, deep breaths."

He shuddered while he closed his eyes again. "It's not okay."

"It wasn't real," she reminded him. "I know it feels like it is-"

"It is real!" he insisted under duress. "Awake, asleep, it doesn't matter, Charlie! It's the same. That's what makes it so bad."

Charlotte was tempted to give him the space she knew he wanted. While her touch sometimes seemed to help him calm down in the days since his suicide attempt, Tim tended to prefer solitude in the wake of every episode.

"What's real?" She decided to push, just a little. _Leaving him alone isn't getting_ _me anywhere, and it's not helping him. I have to stay on his shell._

"I don't have to tell you."

"I'm asking you to. We're in this together, Tim, like it or not. You're not allowed to shut me out."

"You already know the truth," he clarified. "Why do I need to say it?"

She shifted positions to sit against the wall, and beckoned him to get up too. "I don't necessarily see things the way you do. I tend to focus inward, on everything I perceive is wrong with me. Often to the detriment of the people I love. But you? You can't help being aware of everyone else, whether you want to or not. Their pain, their sorrows, their burdens, all become yours.

"You didn't understand what I live with until you got a taste of it yourself. But I don't get what you deal with either. So you have to tell me what you mean. You might be able to read my mind, but I can't see inside yours."

Her cousin made a face. "I don't read minds."

"Close enough. Tell me, Tim. I'll keep bothering you until you do. That's a promise."

The blue-masked turtle stared at the folded hands in his lap. "You think it's that easy for me? Like I can open my mouth and release everything in seconds? It's not that simple, Charlie. Never has been. I don't want to isolate, but without those walls, apart from some separation, there isn't any protection."

"You don't have to protect yourself from me."

"That's not what I mean. Charlotte, it's hard to explain. Even if I had the right words, they probably wouldn't make sense. I've dug myself into a hole, and getting back out is no small feat."

"Okay. I understand it's a process. But you have to start somewhere, Tim. What should I already know, that you aren't telling me?"

Dark eyes remained fixed on his hands. "They'll pull it off, Charlie – those Vagari scientists. The longer they keep this up, the more genes they harvest from us, they're getting closer to their goal. We can't let it happen."

She trembled under the sudden chill which rocked her core. "Yes...I guess I know. But I'm at a loss for what to do, Tim."

He shook his head vigorously. "We have to do what we have to do. Even if it means we don't get to walk away."

Charlotte didn't speak for several seconds. "I'm willing to lay down my life if I have to, but it's got to be a last resort."

"It would be," he whispered fiercely. "I'd never tell you do anything less."

"What about you?" she demanded. "If you had the opportunity, would you jump again? Was it a one time thing brought on by a combination of drugs, altered perception and desperation, or do you really want to get out that way?" Charlotte waited for him to deny it, and was sorely disappointed when he didn't.

"I don't know what I'd do," he admitted. "I can't tell you if I reacted based on the circumstances, or a real desire."

"Sure you can. It's simple, Tim. Do you want to make it out of here alive?"

"I do, but that won't stop me from using whatever means necessary if it comes to it!"

She rested her head against the wall. "I'm not ready to talk about taking that type of action."

"Then why'd you make me bring it up?"

"Because I can't let you go through this alone."

The gaze he returned with was sympathetic, and it made her angry.

"That look doesn't make any sense! It's like you feel sorry for me, even while refusing to let me help you!"

"It's because I _am_ sorry, Charlotte. Sorry that I hurt you. Sorry that I'm a bundle of emotional energy, which is often too much to handle. I know you want to help, and I'd like to let you."

"But?"

"But there's no cure, okay? I can't make you feel better about burning up from the inside, and you can't talk me out of being willing to do _anything_ to stop these monsters from using our DNA to take the next leap in universe-dominating genocide."

"To be clear, I'd do anything to prevent that too. I just don't want suicide to be one of the top choices. More like the last option. Where do you stand? I need to know."

"I wish it wasn't an option at all! I've gone back over it so many times, I..." He trailed off with a tremor. "I'd never, ever want to hurt you, or anyone else."

She nodded. "That's what I need to hear, Tim." Charlotte blew out a frustrated sigh. "Eventually they're going to make a mistake, right?"

"We could have a chance to get away," he said quietly. "And if it comes up, we have to take it, no matter what. Agreed?"

"Yes. I'll do it – that is, _we_ will."

Her cousin swallowed deeply. "I need you to do something else for me."

"What is it?"

"In the event that...we escape, or...the rest of the family joins us here-"

"You're not inspiring much confidence, itoko."

"Listen. If we see our family again, either way...Charlotte, please don't tell them. Don't tell them what I did. I couldn't take it if they knew."

Tears threatened as the first image of him in the "hospital" bed flashed through her mind. She peered at him reluctantly, focusing on the outline of scarring which still covered his arms. Charlotte typically avoided the sight at all costs. _But it's not_ _about you this time – it's about him. Stop internalizing_ everything _._ "I won't, Tim. I promise, I'll take it to my own grave."

His breath released faintly. "Thank you."

"You have to do something too," she continued. "I know you've dug yourself into a hole, and there doesn't seem to be a way out. But you have to let me come down occasionally, because I don't want to go through this alone either. I'm selfish that way, Tim."

He shook his head. "You're not selfish on purpose, not ever."

"It doesn't change the tendency to make everything about me. But I'd like to help carry your burden too."

"I don't think you can," he told her honestly. "Not that you don't care, or wouldn't try. But it...Charlotte, if we're both in the hole, it's that much heavier. Do you understand? I think you help me more by letting me handle it on my own."

"It doesn't seem like you're handling it."

"Talking makes it worse."

"Worse than holding it in? I don't agree."

"If you really wanna help-"

"You know I do."

"Let me focus on something else."

The suggestion made sense, and she instantly relaxed a little. "You could get some more sleep. That would be good for you."

"I don't want to," he murmured. "Every time I shut my eyes, I see the same thing."

"Because it's consuming you, and all my pushing isn't helping. You've got the same song on repeat in your head, so it's time to change it. Maybe a story would help." She gave him a knowing smile, to which he groaned.

"I'm not in the mood."

"That's fine, because I'm tired of listening. It's my turn to get in there."

He lifted his head curiously. "What are you saying?"

"Alia wants to have a voice too, though it requires a little more information from you. Tell me about Dante's siblings."

Tim stared at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Brother and sister. They're...eight and eleven. Anders is younger, and Clara...well, I think she's kind of the mother hen."

"I probably shouldn't be in charge of them. I don't want to mess with your vision."

"It doesn't bother me," he assured her. "They'll tell you who they are. "

"Why don't you tackle one of them? Take Anders, and I'll focus on Clara. We can figure them out together."

"Whatever you want, but you need to start it."

She nodded, and began. "Alia stared at the wall while propped on her side, trying to ignore the third consecutive crash she'd heard in five minutes. 'I'm sure it's not as bad as it sounds. Anders likes to finish his chores early so he can run off. Just fifteen more minutes', she told herself.

"The young woman closed her eyes. The night had been interrupted, like so many others. 'I can't remember the last time I slept for more than five hours. Anders can't get into _that_ much trouble, can he?'

"The question was punctuated by a loud bang from the hallway, not far from her door. Alia turned over at once and landed on her feet. She swept unruly red hair into a ponytail while heading for the door, but hesitated from exiting when she heard Clara's voice.

"'I told you to do that later!' The eleven-year-old was exasperated. 'We need to let her sleep.'" Charlotte glanced at Tim as an invitation to join.

"'I'm supposed to finish the hall before I go anywhere. If I don't get to the border soon, they'll be nothing left.'"

"'There are plenty of things to use for target practice on the property, Anders.'"

"'They're not _alive_.'"

The way Tim took on the whining persona of the eight-year-old was so believable, Charlotte snorted.

"'I can't practice on targets all the time,'" Tim went on. "'Dante said I have to expand!'"

"'He also said you need to stay out of trouble, and listen to me and Alia.'"

"'He told me to listen to Alia – he didn't say anything about you.'"

"'It's a given, Anders. I've been helping look after you since I was six years old.'"

"'Doesn't mean you have to tell me what to do all the time.'"

"'I just don't want you bugging Alia, okay? If you need to go, go. But you know you can't travel beyond the wall.'"

"'How could I forget? You guys tell me every day. By the time Dante was my age, he was on full-scale hunting parties. But I'm stuck playing in the backyard.'"

"'He wasn't alone!', Clara pointed out, and instantly regretted it. 'You're not alone either,' she added hastily, doing her best to recover.

"Alia chose that moment to enter the hall, much to Clara's chagrin. 'We still woke you up, didn't we?'

"'I needed to be up,' Alia replied. 'Too many things to do to sleep the day away.' She stretched out a hand to tousle Ander's hair, reminding her of..." Charlotte hesitated. "What does Dante look like? You haven't mentioned anything beyond his eyes, which are green, right?"

"Sorry. Hadn't thought about it. I see him having dark hair, almost black, and his siblings probably would too. It's a cultural thing. Alia's hair will stand out even more."

"Because she's not from around there originally," Charlotte finished.

"Exactly whose mind are you telling the story from anyway? Sounded like you switched perspectives on me."

The purple-masked turtle laughed. The consistent argument between points of view would never be settled between the two of them. "You know I prefer to be omniscient. I'll switch back and forth as I please."

"It's unnecessary though. Alia could have easily overheard the whole thing from her room. You don't have to get into Clara's head at all."

"But I want to. Am I telling this now, or are you?"

Tim frowned, but didn't object again. "You are."

"Okay then. Where was I?" Charlotte took a moment to collect her thoughts about where she'd been heading. "Alia ruffled the eight-year-old's dark hair, which was already sticking up in several places. Anders was a haunting reminder of Dante, no matter how many times she told herself the boy wasn't his older brother."

"'Alia, I'm almost done,'" Tim cut in. "'Can I go to the border? There might still be something to catch!'"

"Alia held her tongue from telling the boy to stay close to the house, then waved Anders to the door. "'You can finish the rest of the floor later. But if you see anyone-'"

"'I know, I know!" Tim interrupted. "'They're not supposed to realize we're here. I won't let anyone find me. I'm getting something for dinner this time. Be back soon!'"

"Alia cringed as Anders took off down the hall like a shot.

"'I could follow him again,' Clara offered.

"The young woman shook her head. "'Not a good idea. Don't you remember how angry he got?'

"'Yes, but he shouldn't be alone out there. Anders thinks he's ready to take on the world, but we both know what could be waiting around every corner. If the Immortals track us down...'

"Alia held up a hand to stop her. 'We don't talk about them here.'

"'Why?' Clara wanted to know. 'Ignoring it doesn't make them go away."

"'No, but they _haven't_ found us, and I don't want to jinx it!'

"'I don't believe it works that way, Alia. Do you...think they found Dante?'

"Alia opened her mouth to reply, but then shut it. Anxiety for the young man twisted harder in her gut, but she couldn't bear to upset his little sister. 'I think Dante would be difficult for anyone to track, no matter who they are.'

"Clara looked at Alia closely. She wanted so badly to accept the words, but doubt lingered. 'Do you honestly think that? Or are you only trying to make me feel better? I'm not as young as Anders. I know Dante's in trouble. We will be too, if they find us.'

"'They have no reason to look for us,' Alia said quickly.

"If anyone finds out about Anders or me, they'll look, Alia.'

"The red-head glanced around nervously. 'They won't find out what you can do, because we never told anyone. It's only between us. As long as we keep it quiet, no one ever has to know.'"

"What can they do?" Tim spoke up.

"I didn't plan it. But I don't think Dante's the only one who can affect an element. I'm getting the sense Clara has some measure of control over air currents. You don't have to go along with it. We can cut it out."

"No, but Anders _should_ have something too. It can all be in the family that way. I don't like fire for him, so it'll have to be related to earth somehow. I don't know what that means yet. But only three elements doesn't make sense. Who controls the fourth?"

She shook her head. "Where do the powers come from?"

"They were born with them," Tim answered decisively. "But it doesn't develop in everyone at the same rate. Like...they might not have known about it when they were little."

"But Anders knows?"

"Well, yeah. After both Dante and Clara had an ability, their parents were probably looking for it."

"Where are the parents?"

"Their mom must have died when Anders was three. You said Clara has looked after him ever since."

Charlotte nodded. "Oops. Sorry, guys."

"It happens."

"What about their dad?"

"Killed by Immortals. Happened after they sent Alia one direction with the kids, and then Dante and his father split up to draw the bad guys off."

"It's horrible, the way we're playing with their lives. Does it make you feel bad at all?"

"No, not really. Fiction is better than real life, in that respect. We have the power to make sure they're all right in the end. Don't have that guarantee in our world."

"I still think we could be okay, Tim. Could you try to believe it too?"

"Right now, I'm struggling not to believe every twisted fantasy of mass genocide that pops into my head. I don't know if _anyone_ will be all right, Charlie."

She hesitated for a long beat. "Then we need to fill your head with new fantasies, where the bad guys get what's coming to them, and everyone else lives happily ever after."

"That'd be a good ending," he said wearily. "Sorry for bringing everything down with my negativity."

"Don't be sorry," she said swiftly. "Maybe I can't come in the hole with you, but I'm still determined to convince you there can be a different ending. Nothing is set in stone, because it hasn't happened, Tim. It hasn't. That means there's a chance it won't."


	65. Positive

Bahri stared across the small fire circle being used to heat water at his silent terrapin friend. He'd seen Donatello in this condition before, and didn't relish the prospect of pressuring him to talk. _But it is not good for him to keep it in either. Someone must try. Admittedly, one of his brothers would be better suited for the task, but as I am neither sleeping nor busy with anything else...I could at least try._

Since it was the purple-masked terrapin who'd urged _him_ out of the tent to begin with, it seemed the job was his for the taking.

"Donatello?"

His friend looked up for the first time in several minutes. "Yeah?"

"When you encouraged me to come outside, I agreed under the premise of you _talking_ to me."

"Oh. Right. What's up, Bahri?"

"I know there are many reasons for stress and discouragement, my friend. It seems absurd to ask what may be bothering you, but...Something is different, Donatello. It is extremely noticeable since your phone call last night. What happened?"

The shadow which crossed the terrapin's face made him regret asking immediately. _I should have left it alone. I was never going to make things better, so why say anything at all?_

Donatello fiddled with one of his arm bands, not bothering to speak for a few moments. Then he focused on the dirt once more. "Jen's in bad shape. She couldn't talk to me. All she did was cry. And I didn't know _what_ to say to her. Our daughter is gone, we're here, and she's alone. Again."

"But she is not alone, is she? Your mate is with the rest of your family."

"I don't know if anyone can get through to her in this state. Granted, her mom and the girls have a lot of experience..."

"They will look after her, Donatello. You must believe that."

"I do, Bahri. But with all the loss Jen's already felt in her lifetime, I never wanted _this_ for her. I didn't want her to hurt so much, but there's nothing I can do. If I'd known we were going to be 'kidnapped', I would have left Jayden at home."

"Why, terrapin? Your son seems to be faring well among us. His spirits are good, and he appears to be a valuable ally in a fight."

"That's not the point. Of course Jayden's useful. But with the way we've been separated from the family, I would rather he was with Jen."

"But why?"

"Because she would have her son, if nothing else! Bahri, if you could do something to stop someone else's pain, wouldn't you do it?"

"Without question. But do you think having your son at her side would cure all the pain, Donatello?"

The terrapin shrugged. "Definitely wouldn't hurt."

"I believe there is more to it than Jenna's feelings. You are concerned for Jayden. I witness it on a regular basis."

"How can I not be?" Donatello's tone flattened. "His sister is already gone. He's harboring a DNA payload that the worst aliens we've ever heard of want to get their hands on. We're being hunted by them, while simultaneously taken captive by the military. Do you think I'm crazy for being 'concerned'?"

"No, my friend. I do not blame you one bit. I fear for my own people, though they are not in sight. My heart breaks for them, but I doubt it can compare to what you experience for your own flesh and blood. It is not wrong in my eyes for you to be afraid, Donatello. I only want to point out that leaving Jayden at home would not make the situation better."

"It'd be better for _him_ ," Donatello murmured, resting his chin in one hand.

"What about the rest of your team? Would they not suffer for missing yet another important link?"

"We always seem to make do."

"I am sure you find a way. But what does your son think?"

"About what, Bahri?"

"Your desire for him to be home. Have you discussed it with him?"

The terrapin shook his head. "No. It would only make him mad."

"Why is that?"

"Because he doesn't want to be protected. He wants...to be like the rest of us."

" _Is_ he like the rest of you?" the elohim asked carefully.

"Jayden has a lot to learn, but he's got the talent, clearly. Their skills have never been the problem."

"Their?"

"Jayden and Charlotte."

Donatello sounded far away, and Bahri felt the urge to stop talking. He had no desire to force his friend to continue, but he could tell the issues were far from resolved.

"If he has the ability to stand with your team, and is nearly an adult by your reckoning, should he not have input toward his own direction?"

"In a perfect world? Yes. In the one we live in? Bahri, I'm trying to make sure Jen isn't left with nothing. That's hard to do when we're taking on suicide missions."

"Then all of you have the right to do dangerous things, except for your son?"

"That isn't what I'm saying." Donatello appeared both flustered and frustrated.

"I am not accusing you of anything, terrapin. I am attempting to understand your state of mind."

He crossed his arms with a soft huff. "It doesn't matter. Jayden's already here, and I can't change it." When he suddenly sat upright, Bahri noticed someone else approaching from behind the terrapin.

 _And it seems Donatello recognized it before I did. Their senses must be so overloaded with the possible danger around every bend. But if I was more aware like them, perhaps I would not be in my own mess._

 _"_ Hey, Donny, Bahri," Michelangelo greeted. "How are you guys holding up?"

Donatello seemed irritated by the question. "We're perfect, Mikey."

"Are you hungry, bro?" the orange-masked terrapin offered. "Got some of your favorite cereal." Michelangelo appeared to be near dumping the pan over his brother's head, but pulled back at the last minute.

Donatello gained his feet with a growl. "I _will_ hurt you."

"Aw, I wouldn't do that, Don." The younger terrapin pretended to pout. "You've gotta eat something though."

"Stop mothering me," he retorted, and stalked away from the fire circle.

Bahri could see a battle waging in the orange-masked terrapin's eyes to chase Donatello down or allow him space, and reached out to catch his arm. "That was not about you, Michelangelo. But I doubt he feels like talking anymore."

The sadness in the normally upbeat creature's face was hard to take. "Did he tell you what happened last night?"

The way Donatello rapidly left the room after finishing with the phone was difficult for anyone to miss.

Bahri hesitated, then nodded. "I do not know what I should say, but he is _your_ brother, Michelangelo. He told me Jenna is not well emotionally, and he is experiencing much fear for Jayden."

The terrapin sighed and dropped onto a rock. "Keeps getting better, huh? Just when you think you've got a handle on the crap, something new comes up. Now we're in the wilderness, and who knows where we'll end up?"

"At least you have experience in the wilderness," Bahri offered weakly.

Michelangelo arched an eye ridge at him. "A little."

"And you are in your own solar system. That is an advantage."

The terrapin gave him a small smile. "Who elected you to be the ball of sunshine?"

"The what?"

Michelangelo chuckled. "It means you're being the positive one. It's a compliment, Bahri."

The elohim rubbed his arms awkwardly. "I am not feeling entirely positive, my friend, but it distresses me to see your pain."

"I appreciate that, Bahri, honest. Donny does too, even if he didn't show it."

"He was not unkind to me, Michelangelo, but I may have pushed him too hard. Specifically where Jayden was concerned."

"I don't think it's difficult to push anyone too hard with everything going on," he mumbled to himself, then looked into his pot. "Are you hungry?"

Bahri couldn't remember the last time he'd desired food, but understood Michelangelo's incessant need to take care of others. "What do you have, terrapin?"

His companion reached for a bowl in his bag, and ladled out a portion of a bland-colored substance which resembled a thick soup. "Cream of Wheat. No one's first choice, especially Donny. He hates the stuff. But it's filling and I added sugar. I swear it's edible."

The elohim accepted the bowl from him and tried it to satisfy the terrapin. "It is not bad."

"You don't have to eat it, Bahri."

"It will be nice to have something in my stomach, Michelangelo. But why does your brother hate it so much?"

"Everyone has different tastes. Even as a kid, he wouldn't touch it. He also got attacked with the cereal once by Leo and Raph, and never let them live it down. That's why I teased Donny that way. Even _I_ know better than to ever use it against him."

"Attacked?"

"It was a joke, Bahri, only they didn't realize the depths of his hatred for Cream of Wheat. They learned something important that day."

Bahri took another thoughtful bite. "I do not understand these 'jokes'. You have tried to explain them before, but I confess, it still makes no sense. Why do you do such things to one another, when it has the potential to make someone angry?"

"People don't usually get that mad, Bahri, and we end up having fun. Plus, it's a better way to get revenge than knocking someone's block off, don't you think?"

"I would never expect you to hurt one another."

"We don't. But messing with each other? It's a popular past time."

"But why do it?" Bahri was both fascinated and confused by the pranking process the terrapins had tried to explain multiple times.

"You know what, Bahri? I doubt you can understand without experiencing it firsthand."

The elohim jerked backward so hard he nearly fell off his rock, and the terrapin laughed loudly.

"I'm not coming after you! But can we make an agreement? When the time is better, you ought to be let me show you what all the fuss is about."

"When the time is better?" he echoed warily.

"Would you relax? I won't force anything on you – it's only a suggestion. You seem so curious, and that would be the best way to figure it out. What do you say, Bahri?"

"I suppose, if we make it out of this disaster intact, and I am visiting you under less dire circumstances...I could agree to the experience." _The chances of us surviving are so small at this rate, it is like I am taking no risk whatsoever._

"I'll remember you said that, Bahri."

"O-okay, terrapin." He was uncomfortable with Michelangelo's smirk, and instantly broke eye contact to continue eating. "Do you need to feed anyone else?"

"Not a lot of takers out there yet," he admitted. "Most people are resting, and the soldiers that aren't seem pretty shook up. I guess they almost lost a couple guys last night, their Major being one of 'em."

Bahri nodded. "He should have listened to your son. Though I must say, I did not expect such a powerful presence from Nathaniel, even having been threatened by him before."

Michelangelo snorted. "Yeah, Nate sneaks up on you like that. Kid's got instincts that rival Leo's, but they go about it differently. My brother can't help but lead – it's what he was born to do. I think Nate is too, but his attitude about control is a lot more chill. He doesn't care if someone else holds the reins, as long as they know what they're doing. In the beginning, he wouldn't even _try_ to take over unless the hammer dropped, and no one else would pick it up. He's getting more confidence, but...it's a process."

"I knew he could fight, but not that he would guide so effectively. You must be very proud of your child."

"I am. Nate's awesome. I couldn't ask for a better kid. I mean, I coulda asked for more of them, but not a better one."

"Why did you choose not to have another?"

The terrapin's shoulders hunched. "Nothing's easy with us, Bahri, because we're not really one thing or the other. We're mutants, y'know? We didn't figure our wives would be able to get pregnant off one of us to start with, not until it happened to Karina. And getting pregnant is only half the battle. The girls weren't built to carry turtles. Their bodies try to reject them repeatedly. Miscarriages can happen at any point, and the docs' methods for avoiding loss makes the ladies sick at the same time."

Bahri swallowed upon realizing it was the wrong thing to ask. _I am making a habit of that today. I need to stop, before it gets any_ _worse._

"Truth is, about eight years ago, I thought it _was_ happening again," Michelangelo continued. "Beck got pregnant, and about five months in...we lost the baby. Our docs did everything they could. She would have given up her own life to save him, but...you just can't control everything."

The elohim blinked back tears that nearly surfaced. "I am sorry, my friend."

Michelangelo kicked at the small stones surrounding his feet. "My life is full. I can't really complain, with the exception of how things are going lately."

Bahri nodded, wishing the subject could change. It was difficult to discuss such painful matters, even when they were history.

The terrapin thankfully shifted topics on his own. "You never found a girl you were interested in?"

"No, but there was always time...opportunities..." Bahri trailed off thoughtfully. "Our lifespan is considerably longer than a human's."

"Something like 300 years, right?"

"On average."

"Dude. That's a long freaking time. What do you do with yourself?"

"What do you mean, terrapin?"

"Don't you get bored? How do you keep busy?"

"I devoted myself to studies, languages...and I had my friends, who were like family to me. I also used to seek El quite a bit."

"Used to?" Michelangelo repeated softly. "We talked about this before, Bahri. Don't you think it's a good time to start looking for Him again?"

"I want to, Michelangelo, but it is not simple. There is a chasm between us now, and I don't know how to cross it."

"You know what I think, Bahri? That chasm is only in your head. Because the El that saved our shells on Zuhur and came to the rescue more recently, He obviously cares. I don't believe He'd push you away for anything."

"I have accused Him of _not_ caring too many times, Michelangelo. I screamed it from my land cruiser upon discovery of the attack. I cried out in the worst physical pain I have ever experienced, hour after hour with the Vagari. Sitting here now, I cannot readily accept that He wants anything to do with me."

"Those are feelings, Bahri. They don't equal reality. I felt like Donny was rejecting me earlier, but then again, he'd never really abandon me. And he's only my brother. El hasn't gone anywhere either – He's still there, but you have to believe it. It won't _work_ unless you do. Not because God's weak, but because a gift is no good unless you're willing to accept it."

"I would like nothing more than to accept it, Michelangelo. Right now, I do not think I can."


	66. Dramatic

Kamryn wasn't thrilled that _anyone_ had sustained injuries from the attack, but she couldn't deny enjoying the Major's disappearance for most of the day. _I don't wish death upon him, despite his threats. But I'm grateful not to have to deal with him...at least, for the moment._ She frowned at the knowledge that the man still controlled their destinies. _Until the turtles choose to rise up against him, that is._

 _They've already failed to follow his orders a number of times, yet, they also went out of their way to protect everyone. Their doctors helped treat soldiers like they were family members. I admire their mercy, but at what point is enough, enough?_

Kamryn flipped over her arm to scratch an old injection site. The transmitter had been planted with her blessing by the Nalikjan, even though the Elohim had repeatedly tried to talk her out of the mission. _With good reason. I was never going to be able to bring down the Vagari myself. As it is, we only accomplished stranding ourselves._

She glanced up at the early evening sky, and picked out several tiny pin-pricks of light indicating some star or planet on the horizon. _Bahri or Donatello might know what each one is. I'm aware of nothing, least of all how to save someone, including myself. I wish we knew if the message got through. I would give almost anything for a little hope...even if it only extended to the turtles._

Kamryn broke from stargazing to look at the others in the circle, whom she'd been effectively tuning out. Her familiarity with Brandon and Jazz made the pair easier to hang around, since everyone besides the turtles still made her feel a bit skittish. _Which makes no sense, since I know that Katherine woman is Brandon's sister, this Director has been their friend for years, and the others are like family to them too. Why do I allow such people to make me nervous, when they've given me no reason for fear?_

"No, see that's what I'm saying." Greg's insistent tone cut through her inward reflection, and caused the woman to pay attention to what the group was talking about.

Greg had a tablet in hand, though Kamryn had no clue where he'd gotten it from. It didn't look anything like Donatello's scanner. "Roughly 50% of Venezuela's water comes from the ground. It's literally mined through about 40,000 wells scattered throughout the country. I can't guarantee everything on the map is up to date, but it's something to go off in terms of planning a route."

"I wouldn't necessarily trust our lives to a program that's fifteen years old, that's all I'm saying," Katherine returned.

"The abundance of rain on the northern slope that faces the trade winds makes it our best bet," Greg explained.

"It's a big group to try taking over the mountains." The Director sounded doubtful. "Especially when you consider we're dealing with everything under the sun. We have the strongest, then the old fogies like myself, and civilians..." He finished with a glance at Jazz.

"Let's get something straight," Jazz interjected. "None of us are _really_ civilians, okay? No, we're not as 'well suited' for fighting, but we've been to hell and back. Some of us have been to other planets. Others lived off the rainforest for weeks. You don't have to treat us like city dwellers who can't tie their own shoes."

"That's not what I'm saying, Jazz," Matthew assured her.

"Then what are you saying? That we're not as powerful as the warriors? You don't have to point it out. Trust me, we know. I speak for all of our 'civilians' in this matter. But a little more faith in us wouldn't hurt." She sent a hard look at Brandon for help, and Kamryn watched closely to see what the man would do.

"We do tend to be overprotective of our allies," Brandon admitted. "Not without good reason. But I'm kind of on the same page as Greg, guys. If we work together, I think we can make it."

"Make it where?" Kamryn wondered, jarring everyone around her.

Greg immediately came to her side, extending the small screen he'd been using. "We're looking into possibilities to make a suitable retreat, for lack of a better term. Pico Naiguata isn't a very difficult climb, though, I think we'd be better off foraging our own trail than using existing paths. We obviously want to avoid hikers."

"But why would we wish to go through the mountains? What is behind your reasoning?" Kamryn asked.

"Reason doesn't have much to do with it. The real goal is avoid Vagari, but there's a new threat inside Caracas now too. That wasn't a large faction of the Latin Cartel the boys took down last night. Which means, there are a lot more out there, who could be actively searching for Americans, and military. At present we're better off avoiding _everyone,_ and I think the mountains are the place to do it."

"Heff's always gotta be dramatic, Kamryn," Raphael added, sauntering up to join them. "You can expect him to pick out the most exciting option possible."

The man in question glared at the turtle. "I'm not being dramatic. It's a viable solution, and we're running low on those."

"I ain't disagreeing with you, Heff." Raphael slapped the man's back with a chuckle. "Man, it's easy to rile you up sometimes."

"Given our current predicament? I don't find anything very funny," Greg retorted.

"You would if you'd seen those cowards in the flesh last night. They went down so fast, a couple of us probably could have handled them alone."

"They might have gone down easy for you, but they still almost killed the rest of us," Jazz declared. "Remember that while you're accusing Greg of being dramatic."

The red-masked turtle was clearly rebuffed, in a manner Kamryn wasn't accustomed to seeing. He awkwardly swapped his weight from one leg to the other while focusing on the woman. "I didn't mean nothing by it, seriously. I was only messing with him, Jazz."

She shrugged. "I'm with Heff. I don't find anything about this funny."

"It's not," the turtle agreed. "I'm just...I'm glad they went down, that's all."

Katherine gripped Jazz's shoulder lightly. "He's relieved, Jazz. It doesn't mean he didn't take it seriously."

"Sorry, but I'm not ready to celebrate yet." Jazz pulled away from Katherine's hand and backed up from the circle.

Brandon was quick to pursue her. "Jazz..."

"Bran, let it go," she told him dismissively. "I need to talk to Donny. If you guys make a decision, be sure and let the civilians know."

Brandon cursed under his breath while the woman departed, but didn't chase her.

"Shell, Bran, I didn't mean to upset her," Raphael said weakly.

The bronze-haired man shook his head. "It wasn't really you. Last night is eating her for some reason, which I suspect...has to do with her dad. Don't take it personally, Raph. The whole experience has been very emotional for her."

There was a heaviness on the turtle's shoulders which hadn't been there when he arrived, and Kamryn hated the sight. "You shouldn't think we're ungrateful," she offered. "I would rather have gone with you, but you still saved everyone last night."

The grin Raphael gave her warmed his face a little. "Way you jump, you coulda come. I'd be interested to see what you'd do with a real training regime."

"Training?" she echoed.

"You've already got the strength, reflexes and agility, Kamryn. With the proper instruction, there's no telling what you're capable of."

Her eyes widened. "Are you suggesting some of you would be willing to work with me?"

He laughed, apparently startled by her enthusiasm. "It's a big deal, Kamryn, and a huge commitment. Now's probably not the best time to start it, but...if you wanna learn, me and my bros could try and work something out. It's more than the physical though. There's a mental side too, and a lot of things you might have to...unlearn."

She wasn't sure what he meant, but the idea of being trained by her most admired friends was so thrilling, Kamryn didn't care. Her joy over the prospect was countered by an odd scent which suddenly drifted over with the wind. The woman tilted away from Raphael at once, lifting her chin to catch a better sense of what it could be.

"Kamryn?" The turtle caught her elbow. "What's the matter? I know that look."

"I smell something. Human, but not one of ours."

"You can tell everyone apart that easily?" Matthew wanted to know.

She nodded, distracted. "Everyone smells differently. This one is coming toward us. He can't be far."

"Okay, let's take it easy," Raphael suggested. "We could have a look around. If we don't know what..."

Kamryn didn't hear the rest of what the turtle was saying, because she was so intent on the intruder. She took a few steps in the direction the new scent came from, before the repetition of her name drew her back to reality. "What?"

"If we're doing this, we need to tell someone," Raphael told her. "Can't just wander off."

She blinked rapidly at his rational response. "You wouldn't rather catch whoever is lingering on the outskirts of the camp before they can alert someone else to our presence?"

Raphael glanced at Director Kelley. "Would you let my bros know what we're doing?"

"Why am I elected?" the man complained. "Guess I must be too old to hunt."

"Nah, but you're probably the most responsible of the lot." Raphael motioned to Brandon and Katherine to gather up with him. "This won't take long."

"What am I, chopped liver?" Greg demanded, obviously angry at not being chosen.

"No, Heff, you're the bait," the turtle explained with a smirk. "You get to stay right here and make sure everything looks normal."

"Why do I have to be bait? Where's that written?"

"Ah, quit cryin', Heff. If you get caught again, we'll save your tail. We always do."

Kamryn shook her head at the exchange, and slowly swiveled at the strong feeling of the figure drawing closer. She began moving without saying a word to Raphael, slipping into the tree line. The woman took in great draughts of air to heighten her senses while picking up speed.

Her hearing automatically sharpened, and within seconds, her eyes adjusted for the gathering shadows of the forest. Based on instinct alone she darted forward, under branches and over roots, careful not to leave a sound in her wake. From what she could determine by the intensity of the scent, the individual was moving toward her at a fairly rapid pace.

She decided to hold the course to intersect with the stranger, and from there determine whether or not he was a threat. Adrenaline sent goosebumps rising across the surface of her skin, and the stray hairs from her braid seemed to stand on end. Kamryn could hear footsteps now, and had a clearer idea of the exact path the stranger would take.

She made a split second decision to let him come to her, and took a flying leap toward the largest tree in her path. Kamryn scaled the branches with ease, and settled into one which allowed an unobstructed view of the ground through a break in the canopy. There, she held her breath and waited.

 _I shouldn't have left without Raphael, but they choose to argue at such odd times. No matter. He's right – it shouldn't take long._

Kamryn tensed at the rhythmic footfalls, and centered her mind on where she was. She ceased breathing altogether when the figure entered her small clearing, and his dash suddenly slackened. _His_ rapid breathing sounded uncontrollable for a moment, before he intentionally switched to inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth.

She took note of the rifle strapped across his back, in addition to a long object which was partially obscured by his sizable pack. Kamryn peered at him closer while he continued to linger, now staring at the dimly lit screen of a device in his hand.

The man appeared young, but extremely agitated. The manner with which he shifted the gun as if eager to draw it made Kamryn nervous. _I will have to deal with him, but he needs to come closer. Just a little more._ She drew up partially on the branch in preparation, but resisted the urge to count down. It would only interfere with the animal instincts she needed to guide her.

It wasn't often that the woman allowed unnatural impulses to have free rein, but experience had taught her they were much more helpful in a fight than her normal inclinations. Kamryn dropped from the branch before her conscious mind recognized the stranger was in range, and she descended on him without any warning.

Her compact frame was smaller than his, but hidden reserves of strength and the element of surprise allowed her to flatten the intruder. Her first mission was to separate him from the gun, which was made more difficult by the way it was fastened around his back.

Kamryn narrowly avoided a flailing elbow and braced her knees harder against his spine, digging in with every ounce of her resolve. She'd managed to get both hands around his throat, when the young man threw his head backwards and clipped her jaw.

Her vision blurred momentarily and the next thing she knew, her body was being hurled against a tree while he rolled sideways to dislodge her. Kamryn dug in her fingernails to maintain a good grip around his neck, and contemplated ending the battle the best way she knew how. The nagging question of who the stranger was and where he'd come from caused her to hesitate from killing him.

All her "mercy" earned was an elbow to the stomach, which succeeded in winding her. Desperation alone enabled the woman to hold on, though she sensed his determination was no less than hers. He rolled to the left in another attempt to throw her, and Kamryn spied a rock within hand's reach.

Her arm snaked out to catch the palm-sized stone while she was whipped around, and she immediately brought it to bear against his cheek before he could end up on top of her. The young man flopped on his back with a groan, to which she quickly struck him harder over the forehead. That time he made no sound or movement, but Kamryn was cautious as she slowly circled him, rock poised for another strike if needed.

The beam of a flashlight cut through the clearing, and the woman was still flying so high off adrenaline, she nearly chucked the rock at the newcomer.

"Kamryn, it's _me!_ "

Raphael's voice brought the woman back to herself, and she lowered the stone with trembling hand. "I'm sorry," she told him, breathless. "I didn't realize..." Kamryn trailed off upon catching the turtle staring aghast at the man she'd bested.

"I didn't kill him," she announced defensively. "Though he may have intended to kill us."

"No, he wouldn't have," the turtle said bleakly.

"How can you be sure, Raphael? He was running toward our camp with a gun!"

Raphael hovered over the stranger with an air of concern, then cradled the man's head in his hands. "'Cause I know this guy, Kamryn, though I can't tell ya what the shell he's doing _here_. He'd better have one heck of an explanation when he wakes up."


	67. Intruder

***This guy wasn't supposed to be here. I got rid of him, for the sake of an already overwhelming cast. Now he is yet another example of a character looking me dead in the eye and saying, "Screw you, author. I do what I want".**

* * *

Raphael bit his tongue to ward off the hundredth curse which had come to mind in the last two minutes. He'd said nothing to anyone, not his own allies or any of the soldiers who'd witnessed him carrying an unconscious burden rapidly through the makeshift camp. None of it was going to be easy to explain, but that was something to look forward to _after_ getting help for his friend.

The red-masked turtle ducked through the largest of the tents which was being used as an infirmary, and called out Luke's name when he saw the man engrossed in the screen of Donny's scanner. "Hey, Doc! I need some help here."

The man probably came close to whiplash the way he jerked around, but he trotted toward the turtle. "What happened? How did someone get hurt n-" Luke stopped with a jolt upon getting a closer look at the young man in his arms. With a soft curse, his instincts quickly overrode the immediate shock. "Put him down, Raph, over here!"

The red-masked turtle lowered his friend gingerly, and gave the doctor space to make a quick evaluation.

"Where did he come from?" Luke demanded without looking up.

"The woods. He musta followed us."

"Oh, that's perfect, absolutely perfect." Luke groaned loudly. "Why did he DO this?"

"You have to ask, Doc?"

"Of course I do. It's the worst possible thing he could have done, short of shooting himself in the head! Did he say anything to you? Did you find him this way? Raph, talk to me!"

"I will, if you give me a chance. Kamryn smelled him out _and_ found him. She thought he was a threat, and they fought."

Luke pounded the earth with his fist. "We don't need this. Raph, I could use some help. Could you grab me Marcus and Don? Should tell Greg too. And someone has to call home and let them know what's happening. You've got to make that Major understand!"

"We don't need permission anymore," the turtle announced, holding up the young man's device. "I've got a phone."

"Okay, that's good. Let me have it for now, and I'll call the states. Will you get me the others?"

"I'll try Doc, but I think Donny's gonna be tied up with something for a while. I'll get on Marc and Heff."

When Raphael exited the tent, he found a crowd already waiting outside. He faced the testy group awkwardly, until he reached the stony face of the Major. At that point, defiance resurfaced.

Stewart stalked forward. "You brought an intruder into my camp?"

Part of Raphael didn't want to admit knowing the guy, because it was a dead giveaway to the technology their people had to track them. At the same time, he wasn't going to let anything else happen to his young, boneheaded friend.

"He ain't an intruder," Raph corrected, shifting to glance at his brothers. "It's Shunshi. I can't tell you how he got here, but he's hurt. Kamryn didn't know any better, and she bashed him with a rock a couple of times. Doc needs help with him, and Heff-"

It was unnecessary to say anything else, because Greg was already squeezing past the Major to get through the gap in the tent.

"Anyone know where Marc is?" Raph continued.

"I'll get him!" Mike volunteered.

"Raph, _where's_ Kamryn?" Don interjected.

The red-masked turtle rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh... she bolted, Donny, right after she found out Shun wasn't a bad guy. I couldn't chase her down and get help for him, so...I figured you'd be the best one to go after her anyway. She probably didn't run too far."

"Which way, Raph? Where did you separate?"

"We were southeast, right through those trees." Even as Raphael motioned the direction he'd come from, the Major inserted himself between them.

"Now hold on! No one else is leaving. I'll assign my men to find her, because we have too much to deal with right here!"

"Like what?" Donny's irritation had reached a dangerous level; Raphael could hear it in his voice.

"You lied to me! I asked if your people had any means to track you."

Donatello glared right back at him. "In my defense, I never answered your question. On the same note, I didn't trust you – still don't. Your men aren't going after Kamryn, because they won't find her. It'd be a complete waste of their time. The way she can blend in, they could search all night, and probably come up empty. No – I have to go."

"How the heck will you find her if an entire group couldn't?"

"Because she'll _let_ me find her. But if you send your men out there like some Wild West posse, it'll only upset Kamryn more."

"I'm not allowing you to do this alone."

"She won't respond to a show of strength, Major. When I forced you to let me fix ServSafe, didn't I make it better? Then we separated from you at the station, and met everyone back at the train, just like we promised. And last night, we left you to take on the enemy, but returned as soon as the threat was eliminated. We've demonstrated reliability at every turn."

"Except for all the times you refused to do what I say, and let's not forget the new stowaway I have to worry about!"

"Since when have ya had to worry about us?" Raphael declared heatedly. "We ain't been your problem, and we won't _be_ your problem if you'd quit acting like you own us!"

"The whole reason we're in this mess is because I'm trying to protect you!"

"Oh, really?" the red-masked turtle challenged. "Show of hands, who feels protected? Anybody?" When Raphael looked around the circle, a smirk suddenly emerged. His genius brother was nowhere in sight. The grin Leonardo shot him indicated he'd noted the departure too. _Wonder how long it'll take the Major to notice? He's good for a few laughs, if nothing else._

* * *

Once Donatello was out of the camp, he instantly slowed down. Speed wouldn't help him find the woman, so he jogged at a medium pace through the trees, and softly called out Kamryn's name every couple of yards. His senses were on alert for the fact that there could be others in the national park, which prevented him from calling out louder.

 _But it won't take much for Kamryn to hear me, and I'm almost positive she won't let me run by. I don't think. Problem is, she might have changed direction and nobody would know. This could be a lot harder than I bargained for. If I have to go back to camp for help, the Major would never let me live it down. But that isn't the important thing right now._

"What are you doing?"

The faceless voice floated down from above, and stopped the turtle mid-stride with a sigh of relief. _Or, it could be easier than I hoped._ Donatello peered into the upper branches of the tree it seemed to come from, but couldn't see the woman. _Doesn't mean she's not there._

"Shouldn't you be helping your friend?" The second address confirmed her location for him.

"I'd like to, if you'll let me."

"You know what I'm saying!" she retorted sharply. "Why did you come after me?"

"Didn't you think someone would?"

The woman didn't answer that time, and he stood on his tiptoes to try and see her. "I'm not sure we can have a conversation this way. Are you coming down, or am I coming up?"

When she still said nothing, he reached for the lowest branch, and hoisted himself into the tree. "Kamryn? Are you going to make me talk to myself?" The turtle _felt_ her presence rather than hearing the woman, and within moments she'd descended into view.

"You didn't need to come after me. I wasn't running away."

"Don't think you would, but I still wanted to find you."

She shrugged. "Well, you did. Now what?"

"Kamryn, we know attacking Shunshi was an accident. No one's mad at you. This is fixable."

"Not always."

He shook his head. "He's hurt, but you didn't kill him."

"Did you even look at your friend before coming here?"

"There are two qualified doctors on his case. What's going on, Kamryn? What can't be fixed?"

"Hm?"

"You said it can't always be fixed. What were you referring to?"

"It can't," she answered vaguely. "When you go past a certain point, there's no getting it back."

"What point? Spell it out for me, Kamryn."

"I wish I could."

"You can. Just tell me."

"I want to!" the woman cried. "But then, I don't."

The turtle was at a loss for how to proceed, so he shifted into a more comfortable position against the tree trunk. "Tell me," he repeated. "You have to get it out, whatever this is. Whether you're upset about tonight or something else, it won't get any better by hiding."

"It won't change what I am."

He hesitated a long beat. "What do you see then?"

"I'm not a strong person, Donatello. It wasn't until Yasir fused my DNA with a wild animal that I even had a weapon with which to fight back. I was afraid of that part of me to begin with, for good reason. But eventually, I accepted it as a necessity for survival, and allowed a new...mindset to help me do things I couldn't otherwise.

"For the last few years it was dormant, that is, the violent side of my nature. I didn't need it. But the moment the Vagari showed up and I was pushed, I immediately fell back on the animal."

"The violent side bothers you?" he asked carefully.

"No – that's the problem. It _doesn't_ bother me, Donatello. Last night, I took the lives of at least three men. Whereas, you and your family didn't kill a single one."

"That's true, but in all fairness, we ambushed them. We were prepared, and they weren't. The rest of you came under direct attack. You defended yourself and the rest of our people."

"Yes, but tell me, Donatello. If you'd been forced to take those lives, even in defense of yourself and someone else, it would still bother you, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," he acknowledged. "It has to do with the way we were raised to value life. But I've been forced to kill more times than I like to think about."

"Exactly," she replied, as if the one word explained everything.

"You can't be faulted for reacting to men who were trying to murder everyone."

"It's not my reaction! It's the lack of one," she finished softer. "Taking lives doesn't cause me pain, and I believe that it should. I could have killed your friend tonight. Maybe I would have, if I didn't decide having answers was more important. I _have_ to rely on the animal to carry me, Donatello. It's the only source of strength I possess. But I'm afraid of what I am becoming. Someone who can kill without remorse, or feeling anything."

"You do have remorse. I see it all over you."

"No. Feeling sorry for a lack of compassion and being moved _by_ compassion are two different things. I hate what I am, Donatello."

"What Yasir did doesn't define you, Kamryn."

"I wish I believed that."

"It's true!" he insisted. "Who you are at the core has nothing to do with what was done to you."

"If you could see the beast inside, I'm not even sure _you'd_ like me."

"Kamryn, do you think you're the only one with issues? Each of us have insecurities, selfishness, jealousy and rage we fight with on a regular basis. The way the Nalikjan once pictured my brothers and I as some divinely appointed saviors to rescue them from the Overlords, it wasn't reality.

"If you talked to _any_ warrior, I bet they'd tell you they struggled with going too far, one time or another. When you're capable of great violence, the tendency to overdo it always exists."

"I don't think any of you are perfect, Donatello. But when it comes to your hearts? I know they are purer than mine."

"Kamryn, you need to give yourself a break for a minute. Maybe our motivation is different than yours, but we were also raised in a better environment. We had a father, a family. Later on, we added friends, wives, and children. My brothers and I have been dearly loved our whole lives.

"You had no family. No one to look after or defend you. You were used your entire life, and twisted by someone else's whim. You survived a massive ordeal that most people couldn't have. That tells me how strong you are, in spite of everything."

"I survived because of your twins' stem cells."

"Maybe that's true, but I'm alive because of them too. So is Leo. We've got a lot more in common than you think." He flashed her a hopeful smile, but she didn't return it.

"I'm sorry, Donatello. I don't want to disappoint you. That's why it's so hard to tell you what I really am."

"Who you _really_ are is an amazing woman, who knew nothing except heartbreak and sorrow, but never gave up. Someone whose loyalty drove you light years from home, on the slightest chance to help your old friends. You're a girl who magnifies every flaw, and refuses to acknowledge the compassion at the center of your heart. If you didn't care, this wouldn't bother you. If you were actually numb, there wouldn't be a wrestling match within. You don't have to satisfied with where you are, Kamryn. But the animal doesn't sum up your existence, and it isn't fair to hate yourself.

"I don't know how to do anything else."

"You can learn," he reassured her. "There's help available, if you'll accept it. Not only from me either. My brothers, my entire family wants to embrace you. But you have to let them."

"Raphael said something earlier tonight, about the possibility of training?"

Don nodded earnestly. "The four of us have talked about it. Not in the sense that we'd make a decision for you, but that it would be beneficial, if you were interested."

"Of course I'm interested, but I'm not like the rest of you. I fear...what if I take what you give me, and turn it into greater violence?"

The turtle shook his head. "I understand where your fear comes from, because you're dealing with a part of you that feels very...untamed. But the mental and spiritual aspects of what we'd teach you would be designed to temper that side of your nature, not magnify it. The way of ninjutsu is defense, first and foremost.

"When you're at peace with yourself and who you are as a person, I think you'll realize the animal _isn't_ you. It's something you may have to coexist with, but it doesn't determine who you are, or where you'll end up. It's a process, Kamryn. You won't wake up one day and be magically cured. It'll take time, patience, and the determination to not give up. But I know you have it in you."

"I'm not certain of anything, but I need this. I know I do. Would you honestly let me stay with you?"

He gave her a wry smile. "We're not in the habit of kicking people out."

"You shouldn't focus on me right now. I would never expect to be taught under these conditions."

"Kamryn, what I want you to do is stay close, listen more, and get in the habit of making small corrections."

"Small corrections?"

"Yeah. You've driven a land cruiser, right? You have to steer to stay on course, because vehicles constantly drift. If you don't correct consistently, you won't be able to get where you need to go. I want you to start a similar practice on yourself, to begin combating the negative thinking. We can teach you, Kamryn, but where you go is up to you. I can't believe for you, no matter how much I believe _in_ you."


	68. Intent

Greg silently stewed. He wanted to pace, but he knew it would be disruptive in the sensitive environment of the infirmary, and there was already enough tension in the space to cut the air with a knife. _This figures. Felt like we gained some brownie points with the Major after last night, only to take a huge step backwards because of Shun showing up. I know his heart was in the right place, but I really wish he hadn't done this. I can't fathom what Shunshi thought he was going to do on his own. By all accounts, it doesn't look like he_ had _a plan. But I shouldn't jump to conclusions before I've talked to him._

Greg had been surreptitiously texting with Sayuri for the last hour, relaying everything he could condense about what had happened since they were separated. Inwardly he realized they might not have access to Shun's phone much longer, and he meant to take advantage of the opportunity.

The man had to be constantly on guard against individuals entering the tent, or even one of the injured soldiers catching sight of the back-lit screen. It left Greg so paranoid that every small sound had him hiding the device, even a low groan which obviously posed no threat.

After the sound officially registered in his brain he rammed the phone in his pocket and crouched down beside his adopted son. "Shun?"

The young man grunted, but didn't open his eyes. Instead Shunshi's hand stretched toward the bandage, and Greg captured his wrist.

"They won't want you to touch it." The man twisted around to call for help. "Hey, can I get one of the docs over here? I think Shun's waking up."

Marcus was the first to reach his side in a matter of seconds. "Give me some space for a minute, but you don't need to go anywhere."

"Wasn't planning on it."

The dark-haired doctor dug out a penlight while encouraging Shunshi to open his eyes. The sound the young man returned with wasn't encouraging. It reminded Greg of his teenage years, when Shun frequently didn't want to wake up as early as necessary. _Somehow the turtles always got him to respond faster than me, but that probably has to do with training Shunshi. I should have drilled them for their tricks._

"C'mon, Shun," Greg urged. "Cooperate with Marc, and we'll leave you alone faster. Just wanna make sure you're alive in there."

He muttered something in Japanese, but then cocked his head toward Greg. "What do you want?"

" _I_ want you to open your eyes," Marcus volunteered. "Let me check a couple things, answer some questions, and then I'll leave you alone. We both will." He gave Greg a meaningful look. "Now isn't the time to interrogate him."

Greg crossed his arms. "I _know_ , okay? That's not what I was waiting around for."

"Only reminding you."

"What are you two talking about?"

When Greg glanced back down, the young man was staring up in confusion.

"Nothing important," the doctor transitioned smoothly. "Shun, do you know what country you're in?"

"Venezuela. But...I do not know _this_ place."

"Welcome to camp Green Beret," Greg announced bitterly.

"Green Beret? You mean, the ones who took you?" The agitation in Shunshi's voice made Greg regret speaking frankly, especially when the young man tried to sit up.

"Shun, no," Marc commanded. "You're going to stay down, and let me have a thorough look at you. Where have you been for the last eleven months?"

Shunshi's brow creased. "You know where I have been."

"Yes, but I want you to tell me again."

"I was in Okinawa." Shun had the presence of mind to sound bored.

"Good." Marcus either didn't notice his attitude, or pretended not to care. "This might get a little bright, but I want you to follow my flashlight, okay?"

The young men cooperated with the instruction, though Greg sensed his impatience. "Will you tell me what happened, or not?"

"You got jumped, by someone who didn't know better," Greg told him. "She thought you were going to hurt us."

Shunshi brushed the prominent abrasions around his neck, while understanding dawned in his gaze. "Yes. It felt like...someone was trying to kill me."

Greg shook his head. "It was a misunderstanding."

"It makes no sense," he replied vaguely. "But my head is floating..."

"You need rest," Marcus filled in. "I know you're confused, but we'll fill in some more blanks later."

 _And you can fill in some blanks of your own_ , Greg inwardly fumed. _You'll answer for coming here, eventually. I have to go easy on you for now, but no one is going to forget what you did. Especially the Major, who's on a new warpath. Shun, I wish you would have just stayed put._

* * *

The next time Shun opened his eyes, he was only aware of a dull throbbing. It was a nice change to the ear-splitting pain in which he'd emerged before. His surroundings were dark, but after a few seconds he was able to make out indistinct shapes nearby. The young man wanted to sit up, but the knowledge of his head injury made him hesitate.

Instead, he cleared his dry throat and called out for whoever could be listening. "Hello? Can someone come here?" He experimented with propping up on his elbows, but aborted at the sharp stabbing which made the "room" spin.

"Hey, stay still," a familiar, calm voice instructed.

Shunshi was tempted to turn toward his friend, but forced himself to obey instead. "Donny-san. You are okay?"

The turtle leaned down into his line of vision. "Yeah – we're good, Shun. It's been intense, but all things considered, everyone's doing fine. _You_ need a little work," he added regretfully.

"Yes," he agreed wearily. "Another week of sleep might help."

"I wish we could make you comfortable," the turtle lamented. "Not much I can do, since we have to be sparing with the drugs. Our supply is limited as it is, and I can't exactly produce more in the field."

"You do not have to waste your drugs on me, Donny-san. I will be okay too."

"You'll get what you need," Don assured him. "Probably not as much as _we'd_ like."

"Do you have water?"

"Oh! That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" The turtle moved behind him and propped a hand under his neck. "Sip slowly, okay? We're not short on water yet, so I'll let you have as much as you can get down."

The relief of moisture outweighed the discomfort of raising his head, so the young man was able to tolerate the motion. In the middle of swallowing his second mouthful, he was distracted by an eerie flash across from him, and jerked away from the turtle on instinct.

His body's physical response to the violent motion nearly caused eyes to tear up, but he blinked rapidly and fixed on the glowing objects with consternation.

"Shun, easy!" Don applied firm, but gentle pressure to guide him back down. "Don't do that."

"Donny-san, I believe my sight has been affected."

"What? Why, do you..." The turtle trailed off with an odd chuckle. "No, Shun, you're all right."

"You do not see what I am," he persisted, motioning to the floating orbs nearby.

"I do actually, and there's an explanation."

Donatello rose from his crouch and pointed his flashlight toward the apparition. The reflective quality of the objects fled when light was applied, and in their place was a woman he was positive he'd never seen.

"Who is she? Her eyes were...why did they do that?"

"Kamryn, come here," Donny invited.

Shunshi noted her hesitation, and the way she looked at the ground instead of him.

"Shun, this is my friend, Kamryn. If you recall my stories about Zuhur, she's the one who helped me when I was imprisoned in the fighting ring."

"Yes, I remember!" Excitement built at once. There were few of the brothers' stories he loved more than those of their exploits from the alien planet. "She's the one who was crossed with an animal? The jaguar?"

Don nodded. "Yes, and that's why her eyes react that way under low lighting. But they're also really cool in regular conditions. At her heart, though, Kamryn's just like the rest of us. She's a true ally and friend."

"I'm also the one who attacked you," she mumbled. "I'm very sorry for that."

Shunshi squinted up at the stranger, trying to take in every detail about the fabled woman from his friends' tales. Brown hair was pulled back in an unkempt braid, which bore evidence of a rough evening. A downcast expression signified her remorse, but the unexpectedly vivid, animalistic eyes were what fascinated him to the point of staring.

After a few beats of silence on his part, Donatello spoke up to fill the awkward space. "Kamryn, this is our friend, Shunshi. He's been a member of this family ever since he was a little boy, who happened to find a giant turtle washed up on an island in the East China Sea."

"Is that how he met you all?" Her curiosity made the woman seem less somber, and Shunshi felt a smile tugging the corners of his mouth.

"Yep – _me_ to be exact. Helped save my life when he didn't even know us."

"Hisui did more than I," the young man corrected.

Don grinned down at him. "But you found me, didn't you? Like you 'found' us here, although none of us really _wanted_ you to join us in captivity, Shun."

"Captivity?" he repeated. "Why do you not fight back? I find it hard to believe these men are competition for your combined clan."

"It's complicated, but we can talk about it later. Right now, I'd rather finish the introductions so there's no bad blood between anyone. Kamryn thought you were a threat, Shun. We were attacked the other night, by several men who tried to gun us down. She was still on edge, understandably."

"But I'm very sorry," she reiterated.

Shunshi gazed at the woman again with a new intensity. "You were trying to protect my family?"

She nodded, holding eye contact briefly.

"Then I forgive you."

The announcement seemed to perplex her. "I know that you're in pain. I wish I could help. Were we on Zuhur, I'm aware of several elements that could assist you, but here...I'm mostly useless."

 _She may be many things, but I doubt 'useless' is one of them._ "No friend is useless," he stated, feeling somewhat less than eloquent. "Especially one who identifies as an ally to the turtles. If they value you, it speaks volumes of your worth."

"She's very valuable," Donatello confirmed.

The way the woman ducked her head indicated shyness, but a small amount of pride returned to her face afterwards. "It's an honor to call myself their ally. I would like to be your friend too, if possible."

"Anyone who helps _them_ is already a friend to me." Shunshi switched a quizzical look to the turtle standing over him. "But I would like to know more about this attack you spoke of. Everyone is all right?"

Donny made a face. "It was nothing we couldn't handle, but the timing was wretched. We had a fairly good refuge set up, and thanks to them, we had to abandon it. Now we're heading deeper into the wilderness with no end in sight."

Shun frowned at the discouragement in his friend's voice. "I am confused, Donny-san. How do these men hold you captive? I have not even seen them."

"They do, and they don't," he admitted. "It's a lot trickier than it sounds. But we couldn't go home at the moment, Shun, regardless."

"Why would you not wish to return to the states?"

"It isn't that we don't want to; we just can't. The Vagari who took our kids, they want the rest of us too. And we can't risk leading them to the family."

"Do you have a plan? You must," the young man said to himself. "Hiding in a foreign country cannot be the only thing you intend to do."

"No one knows what to do," Don answered. "We're holding out hope that Elohim friends got our message, and praying someone shows up. Other than that, we're trying to stay under the radar, which is still easier said than done."

"It would not be as difficult if you ditched the idiots who brought you here."

"I'm with him," Kamryn declared softly. "I see no reason for you to align yourself with a man who is trying to control your every move, while he has no clue of his own. I understand why you allowed them to take you in the beginning, but not now. When is it going to be time to break free, Donatello?"

Her voice was so low Shunshi had trouble hearing it, but he admired the woman's willingness to challenge the turtle.

"I don't know about timing," Donny hissed back. "But my brothers and I agreed not to push back too hard yet, unless they try to kill someone, or attempt to hand us over to another agency."

"I will kill them first!" Shunshi proclaimed, much louder than he probably should have, if the turtle's alarmed expression was any indication.

"Shun, please. I can't explain the reasoning behind it, because it's got more to do with a feeling than rational thought. Nobody likes this arrangement, but at the same time...there seems to be a purpose."

"I see no purpose for any man to attempt arresting you, Donny-san. I would tell him so myself, if I knew where to find him." Shunshi stubbornly raised his head to illustrate the point of looking for the stranger.

Donatello bent down and cupped a hand under his chin. "You need some serious rest before you take on the Major."

"I am not afraid of any man, Donny-san, and I do not believe you are either."

"I'm not afraid of him," the purple-masked turtle said quickly. "But there's more to it than you think. It's never wise to underestimate someone you barely know."

"That's all they've done with you," Kamryn pointed out. "And look where it's gotten them. He could have died last night. If not for Nate, I'm sure he would have."

Don sighed. "Do me a favor, and don't pick a fight with him the moment you meet, Shun."

"I can make no promises where such a dishonorable person is concerned, Donny-san."

"I'm sick of it too, Donatello," Kamryn added. "I say it's gone on long enough."

"Geez, you two," the turtle complained. "It's too late to gang up on me. Shun, you _are_ getting more sleep, because tomorrow you'll be expected to explain how you got here."

The young man smiled grimly. "I will gladly tell everything." He was proud of how far he'd made it on his own, if not for the events in the woods. Shunshi snuck one more glance at the woman, who was in turn fixed on Donatello. _It is not how I expected to end the evening, but she is a friend. For now, it is all I need to know._


	69. Address

Tim felt nothing but paranoia at the prospect of being taken out of the place called "Central". While the field trips to the laboratory weren't an enjoyable experience, at least they were predictable. Being carted away from the facility put him in the position of not knowing what was happening, and the fact that Charlotte was left behind worsened the situation.

The blue-masked teen sat rigidly on his own bench in the so-called cruiser. The uncomfortable heat from the band covering his forearm left him so drained he had to lean against the seat to stay upright. It also guaranteed that he wouldn't attempt anything, even if he _was_ willing to escape without his cousin. _Which I'm not. We'll go together, or not at all. Maybe that's not the right thing when the stakes are this high, but I honestly don't care._

Tim was dealing with the annoyance of having the Vaga positioned _behind_ him, making it impossible to avoid the alien's penetrating gaze. While the turtle didn't have to look at him, he couldn't escape the intensity of the stare which raised a pins and needles sensation through his entire body.

The barrier which had been broken between him and the alien was proving difficult to erect again. Arzhan's subsequent probing in days since had succeeded in accessing memories and emotions the teen didn't want him to see, but couldn't entirely prevent. The shame connected to the Vaga's power to infiltrate his private world only added to the weight on his shoulders. Tim resolved not to tell Charlotte of the nakedness, as he knew it would only deepen her anxiety which assaulted him every time they were separated.

 _All right, time to focus on something else._

There were no others in the vehicle, except for the driver near the front, and one more alien hunched on the seat in front of the turtle. At first, Tim wondered if the stranger was another technician of some kind, but his lack of uniform and odd bearing left him feeling confused.

While the alien _looked_ similar to Vagari, he bore noticeable differences. The lack of wings was the most obvious, but his disheveled nature also set him apart. The figure glanced back at him briefly, and Tim identified fear in his eyes.

 _But he isn't afraid of me. Is it the Vaga?_

The white-hot flash of anger that lit through the alien's face when he locked on to the vagari behind Tim told him otherwise. _I think...he's afraid_ for _me. That look is protective if I've ever seen one. But what does that make this guy? Is he one of them, or not?_

Tim dearly wished he could speak to the alien alone, but knew that kind of luxury wouldn't be allowed. The stranger turned forward once more, to the teen's regret. But as curious as the new individual was, a part of him remained wary. _This could be a trap, another attempt to catch me off guard._

The alien rested an arm across the back of his bench seat, and subtly pulled his sleeve. Within seconds, Tim identified a band of similar design to his own fastened over the stranger's forearm. _Oh. Then he's a prisoner too? Seems like he wants me to know it, but why is the Vaga transporting us together?_

Despite the questions rising, Tim didn't dare look back. He had no desire to make a mental connection with the Vaga for _any_ reason, least of all to satisfy mere curiosity. He glanced out the window instead, identifying what appeared to be an urban landscape on the other side.

The low light behind the crystal-paned windows suggested the sun was going down, though it'd been his understanding that it was earlier in the day. _The Banr could have been lying about it being morning, but why bother? Maybe this is normal for Zuhur, like Alaska having varying amounts of sunlight during parts of the year?_

But as Tim gazed pensively at the darkening sky, he was struck by the unnaturalness of the setting. _It's off. Something definitely isn't right with this place._ He was itching to ask questions, but that would require engaging the Vaga, and the teen still didn't want to.

"Where are you taking us?" the one in front of him asked suddenly, without bothering to look backward.

To Tim's irritation, the Vaga answered him in their own tongue. Surprisingly, it seemed to annoy his fellow prisoner as well.

"You do not need to be rude," his companion said stiffly. "There are two of us here, and the terrapin deserves to know what is happening as well as I."

"He can ask," Arzhan declared. "No one has muzzled him."

"For what purpose do you wish either of us to be blind, Vaga? _Where_ are we going?" the alien demanded.

When the Vaga leaned over Tim's seat, the turtle automatically stiffened.

"I thought you would be pleased to escape the darkness for a while, terrapin, but it appears you will be unsatisfied no matter where you are."

"Would you be satisfied as a prisoner?" Tim retorted, recovering his wits. "It feels like you're just messing with me again. Why did you have to leave Charlotte behind?"

"Do the two of you _never_ want to let each other out of sight?"

"Sure we do – just not when our lives are in jeopardy on an alien planet, because of some Hitler wanna-be war-lord." Tim swore the alien in front of him snorted, but the creature was quick to cover it up.

"What is a hitler?" the Vaga asked.

"He's not a 'what', he was a 'who'. Guy was a famous dictator from my planet who ended up killing about eleven million people he deemed to be worthless."

"And a 'wanna-be'?"

The ridiculousness of having to explain the statement made the youth chuckle unexpectedly. "It means you try to be like him, but fall short."

"I find that to be an inaccurate statement, terrapin. The humans' life expectancy is much shorter than ours, as I understand it. I've overseen the deaths of far many more, and have quite a few years still ahead of me."

Tim growled under his breath. "You say that like it's a good thing."

"I am responsible for maintaining the universe as a whole, and protecting it from people like those of your planet. The task isn't an easy one, but I find it rewarding."

Anger provided Tim with a sudden surge of boldness. "You're not protecting anyone; you're killing off entire civilizations! I saw it! There's no excuse for the things your kind do. You can't talk your way around it with me. You call it maintenance, but _we_ know it's murder." He glanced at the alien in front of him hopefully for back up. "Don't we?"

"I see no other word for it," the creature agreed.

The Vaga shrugged. "Your opinions mean little to me. Naturally, I would rather work together with you to fulfill the next phase of our goal, but it isn't a necessity. We don't require your assistance for anything."

"I am fairly certain you still need _him._ " The other alien nodded toward Tim.

Arzhan smiled. "My goals are so much closer than you think, Shukri. You said it was impossible, but Crael Pachal is proving it can be done. I told you it would be accomplished with, or without your help. There is little opportunity left for you to be of any worth to me."

"If that is true, why have you not killed me, Vaga?"

"There are still a myriad of tests to perform once the fusion between dunamis and the nanomites takes place. I rather enjoy the idea of you being able to play a part in them."

"It does not matter what you do to me, vagari. I do not fear death."

Tim felt the authenticity behind the alien's statement, and immediately had a greater appreciation for Shukri.

"Yet you aren't willing to do anything to make _his_ life easier?" the Vaga suggested, fixing Tim with a disturbing smirk.

Before the stranger could respond, Tim instantly straightened up with a scowl. "Don't listen to him," he directed to the prisoner. "He can't be trusted either way. Even if you did whatever he wants, things won't get easier for me or my cousin. They'll probably only get worse for everyone else."

"I have no doubt of that," Shukri said quietly. "But it still causes me great pain."

Tim shifted weight forward, risking toppling for a better look of him. "Who are you? Why do you care about us?"

"I know your fathers, terrapin. I would say it is an honor to meet you, but under these circumstances, I cannot be glad you are here."

"No offense taken."

"What is the point of this, Vaga?" Shukri spoke up louder. "Where are we going?"

"There is a gathering this morning, and I wanted both of you to be witness for it."

"What kind of gathering?" Tim couldn't help asking.

"I would rather that you see myself, all of us, in the light of the truth, terrapin. I have never tried to hide anything from you, because there is no shame in my heart. It's my desire for you to know us, not as destroyers, but caretakers."

"You're not gonna convince me," Tim informed him.

"That may be, young one, but I would still like to give you a chance. That is how much I desire for you to know the truth. My hope is that you would come to realize where the _real_ danger to this universe lies."

The turtle shut his mouth. _Arguing with him won't do any good. This is probably going to suck, but it can't be any worse than being stuck on machines in a lab for hours, can it?_ He caught Shukri gazing at him again, and gave the alien a faint smile. _At least I sort of have a friend to do this with. And maybe we'll have a chance to exchange words without anyone else interfering. At least, we could try._

* * *

Tim stared out at the daunting sea of aliens, who were more varied than he'd expected. From their position off to the side of the stage, it was possible to see the "audience" without being witnessed themselves. Multitudes of the Vagari were simple to identify by their wings, but there were also several more who seemed closely related to Shukri, that the alien confirmed to be Elohim.

On the other hand, the strangest assortment of creatures were located at the front of the crowd, just below the platform upon which they were perched. Both races were distinctly animalistic, but unique from one another. The taller and more muscularly built resembled something close to an amphibian, bearing rough skin and long, powerful-looking tails. The others were wiry and extremely lean, with features that reminded Tim more of a bird of prey. Their own wings were a fascinating blend of rusty red, brown, black and white.

"I have a bad feeling," Shukri stated quietly.

"Those other aliens, who are they?"

"The taller species are the Ducaz – they are indigenous to Zuhur. It belonged to them before Elohim ever set foot on the planet."

"And the bird-looking ones?"

"They are Ruairi. The Overlords were very...unkind to them. For a time the Ruairi tried to wage a war against Altus Abeiron, which they were destined to lose. But after the Overlords were destroyed, the Nalikjan made peace with their kind." Shukri rubbed his arms with a sigh. "This is not going to be good."

"Why do you say that? I mean...I guess it's obvious it won't be, but do you know what's happening here?"

"Not for certain, no. But I know the Vaga's feelings for those he deems a 'lesser' species, and their presence warrants concern. "

The arrival of two Vagari to flank them on the right and left side made Shukri shut his mouth.

"What do you want?" Tim glared at the intruders.

"We don't need anything, terrapin. We have been instructed to accompany you, and assure there is no misunderstanding during the Vaga's address," one answered.

"I'm pretty sure Shukri could interpret for me."

"The Vaga doesn't want his doctrine to be tainted by the mouth of the Nalikjan," the second vagari corrected. "Your part is to be quiet and listen."

Tim was tempted to cover his ears like a child, but the behavior seemed crude in the light of events about to take place. He turned his attention back to the crowd, in time to witness the marked change in their demeanor once the Vaga stepped into view.

Tim couldn't understand any of the shouts which he assumed were some kind of acclamation, but they made him sick to his stomach nonetheless. _It's time to block it out. I've got to._ He bowed his head briefly and settled his breathing, even though his heart still raced. _Block. It. Out._

Concentrating on the inner vision of brick walls and barbed wire wasn't enough. Burying perception into a sea of numbness required extreme effort on his part, and the turtle had never been successful at shutting out _everything_. New motivation was pushing him to try.

The sound of his greatest enemy's voice washed over him like waves against the rocks of his fortress. They weren't difficult to ignore, because he couldn't understand what the Vaga was saying. The vagari speaking right over his head was another story.

"My brothers, I can always come before you with nothing but confidence, yet this day, my hope is greater still. For years we have fought for the supremacy of Nature, above every parasitic leech which threatened to drain its strength.

"We have humbly undertaken the divine mission of overcoming in the face of everything which exploits the great Creation, and threatens to destroy it. Any violence on our part which doesn't spring forth from a spiritual base would be wavering and uncertain. It would lack the stability required to accomplish universal domination.

"As this is the case, I am not ashamed to declare once more my profound enthusiasm for the grand vision for which we have fought. I can fall on my knees in praise of the Heavens for granting me the privilege of living in such times.

"Amidst gratefulness, we must also renew our resolve. Only in the constant pressure of direct force can there be any certainty of success. Such persistence will only be born from deep, spiritual conviction. As our physical bodies must be trained in order to conquer the flesh, there is a tangible struggle against the existing poison in the atmosphere.

"Our imperfect nature leaves us vulnerable to such attack, which is why we can't respond with anything but dramatic intervention. Some would argue we have crossed many galaxies, and control more territory than one race could possibly need or desire. But I would say that if our battle is not fought to the very end, whether out of overconfidence or cowardice, both our kind and Nature would suffer for such hesitation.

"Our strength doesn't lie in attempting to compromise with lower lifeforms. Mercy has a place, but not where it concerns the glorious Creation we are charged to uphold. Armed with confidence in the One who made us mighty, we will continue to expand and target any race, creature, or people who undertakes these dangerous tendencies.

"It doesn't dawn on the depraved and destructive that their existence is a sin against Nature itself. The absurdity of their trivial lives and wars with one another stand as a mockery in the face of Creation. It would be a sin against our Maker if His most gifted beings allowed the universes to degenerate into such a chaotic state, that Nature suffers irreparable damage.

"That is why we can't be satisfied with constructing our own praiseworthy altars to the Creator. We must be ruthless in the act of dismantling every power which sets itself against us. This intolerance is not only encouraged, but demanded.

"With this in mind, I implore the Almighty Creator, make us free to fulfill Your will! Grant us the knowledge to continue expanding, and the power to finish Your great work!"

The response of the crowd to the Vaga's "invocation" was so overwhelming, it drove Tim to his knees, where he clutched his forehead in both hands. _I can hold out. Just a little while longer._

Innumerable voices, all incomprehensible, pounded against his head and made his heart beat faster. Tim inwardly cursed the vagari who bent over him, draping a heavy arm over his shell.

"There is more," the alien told him. "Listen for what comes next." After a brief pause which was long enough for dread to double within Tim's chest, he began interpreting the continued address.

"As a sign of our commitment and undying loyalty to the Almighty Creator, we offer ourselves back to Him again this day, and reaffirm the covenant to strike down every worthless burden which impedes our mission. For the praise of Creation, we reject all that hinders and stains its goodness. You are the one who gave them life, and by Your demand, it is given up."

Tim buried his head against his plastron, but it was no protection against the sudden, explosive cries which went up. Intuitively he _knew_ the strange races were the ones targeted. There was no comfort in not seeing the blood as it was shed, or coldness in not knowing their names. The callous executions, punctuated by screams and cries for what might have been mercy, bled through every defense he had left, and made the turtle wish to end their suffering along with his.

The reverberation of the sounds echoed repeatedly in his ears, reducing the blue-masked turtle to a tearful heap on the ground. He jerked at the presence of someone kneeling over him, but then heard the quiet voice of his co-prisoner.

"He has not won," Shukri whispered. "They can take their lives, terrapin, but their souls, they belong to El. No matter what he, or any of the Vagari do, they cannot change that. Be encouraged, young one. Their pain is ended, as one day, ours will as well."

* * *

Arzhan sensed remnants of the bursting dam before he ducked into the cruiser. The terrapin's deep shudder at his arrival left the vagari disappointed in his own failure to communicate with him.

"Young one, I'm not going to hurt you," he reiterated gently.

"What did you do with Shukri?"

"He is being returned to Central by two of my _Nopf,_ as we will shortly. I want to speak with you first."

"Leave me alone." Tim's voice was almost inaudible.

Arzhan ignored the quiet demand, but allowed a little room between them on the seat. "I had no idea your sensitivity for alien strangers would run so deep. I apologize for not preparing you."

"Why are you apologizing? You're not sorry for anything."

"I wasn't trying to cause you agony," he explained. "My goal is to help you understand me, and what it is we're actually doing."

"I'm never going to 'understand' why you think any of this is okay. What did you expect to happen? That I would listen to you talk about how your race is the only one that matters, hear you murder unarmed captives, and be magically convinced you're not such a bad guy?"

After a trembling breath, the youth continued. "Why does it matter anyway? You don't care what anyone thinks of you. There's no point in trying to explain what makes you a monster."

Arzhan relaxed slightly against the seat, ready for a real discussion. "I'm not the only one who doesn't care what others think. No one can tell me I'm wrong, anymore than they could tell you. We're both fully convinced of our own motivation and purpose."

"The difference is I'm not a psycho mass-murderer."

"No. The difference is I invested the time both to study your kind from afar and am getting to know you now, whereas you have no inclination to learn about me. I'm absorbing your character daily, and it tells me that you mean well. But that alone isn't enough."

"Nothing you say is gonna change my mind. Stop talking."

"Neither of us has to talk. I don't need to convince you that I am genuine in everything I'm saying. You feel it, though you refuse to admit the truth."

"I've had enough," the young one said wearily. "I don't wanna argue. I don't want to feel. I want you to leave me alone."

"When you're ready, I'll tell you the story which led us to this point. Rest assured, Tim, your family isn't the only one who has suffered hardships. My race survived events that you can't imagine. These things helped shape who we would become. There is much you can't understand yet, because you are unwilling to look at this from any perspective but your own. I hope that will change. One with your gift is rare, and it would be a shame to waste it."

"It's not a gift," he mumbled.

Arzhan shook his head. "I disagree with you there as well, and I have the experience to back up such claim. I've searched for years to locate one of my kind who could connect with me in a similar manner, and been disappointed. I don't think you'll disappoint me though, Tim. If you would let me share this mission, you could come to appreciate it too. You really don't have a choice. It makes more sense to stop fighting me, but I'm patient. I have already broken through to you, and will continue to do so."


	70. Angry

Calley sat up with a gasp, heaving for the air which had escaped her lungs. It was a common occurrence as of late, but it didn't make the experience less terrifying. She collapsed as oxygen entered her body once more, and automatically blinked back tears.

The woman immediately felt around the bedside table in the dark for her phone to check the time. _It's only 12:30?_ She dropped the device on the stand with a clatter, and kicked her comforter aside in disgust. Regardless of how tired her body felt, her brain wouldn't allow sleep in the near future.

She glared at the journal on the shelf under the table, but didn't reach for it. While writing was sometimes a good way to vent after waking in a panic, at the moment, she was too angry. In the years since she'd been keeping the journal expressly for Tim, Calley had made a point of never going in furious.

 _Where does that leave me though? I wish I could call Leo, but it wouldn't make either of us feel better._ Staring at the cracked ceiling wasn't an appealing option either. _Maybe something hot would do the trick. I'm tired enough that a little herbal assistance might push me over the edge._

Calley pulled her robe off the back of the door against the chill in the air, and jammed her arms through the sleeves while exiting the bedroom. She hardly resisted the urge to slam the door behind her. The woman had only made it halfway down the hall when she picked up sounds of life in the Common area nearby, and halted with a wince.

The idea of a small field trip was more tempting before it involved the possibility of seeing anyone else. Now that the prospect of putting on a good face was included in the errand, all Calley wanted to do was turn around and go back to bed.

"Calley?"

The woman inwardly cursed. It was too late. She looked up to find Rebecca a couple yards away, handling an armload of books. "What are you doing? Studying for exams?" Passing off a joke could have the effect of sounding normal.

Becky blew an unruly curl out of her eyes. Despite being cut much shorter than Calley had ever seen on the woman, Rebecca's locks still seemed to have a mind of their own. "I was going through some of my mom's old books. I've told you how much she loved quotes and poetry. I was going to try and downsize, but...I'm having a hard time letting go of anything."

Calley went toward her. "You don't have to give any of them up."

"I know I don't have to, but it seems like a waste of space. Room is already at a premium down here."

The blond woman shook her head. "That isn't something you need to worry about right now."

"I'd rather worry about that than other things."

Calley swallowed. "I understand." She glanced toward the light drifting in from the end of the hall. "So...what's going on down there?"

"Oh, that's just Caleb taking everyone's fake money."

"It's strange how people _still_ agree to play Euchre against him."

Rebecca shrugged. "They do get him to shift partners from time to time. At least someone else gets to share the winning streak. He should charge his counterpart a premium."

Calley forced a smile, but then turned back toward the bedroom. "Tell them to have fun for me, okay? I'm heading back to bed."

"Calley," Becky called after her, forcing her to pause in retreat.

"What is it?" she asked, intentionally avoiding looking at her.

"You don't have to shut me out. I really wish you wouldn't."

"And I'd really rather not deal with it," Calley returned honestly.

"But you _are_ dealing with it, whether you choose to do it alone or along with someone else. I can't help, but I can commiserate. I've found it's useful for not sinking into madness." Rebecca's tone sounded light, but there was too much truth in the statement for Calley to handle.

"I don't want to commiserate. I want to break something."

"There's quite a bit of demolition to do around here, so I've heard."

She sent Becky a withering glance. "I'm not in the mood to talk about anything."

"You don't have to. Just come unwind with me for a little while. It might help you sleep."

"We're all getting a lot of that, aren't we?"

"C'mon." Rebecca took her by the elbow and tugged lightly, a clear indication she wasn't being given a choice in the matter.

Calley sighed while being led into the dreaded Common room. The space was far from warm or inviting, but the familiar sight of figures crowded around a table made it _feel_ more like home. _Or it would, if everyone else was here,_ she sulked.

Caleb appeared to be in his typical form, calmly assessing cards with Sayuri across the table from him, and her father and Julie on the opposing sides.

"I don't think anyone can possibly have as much good luck as you do," Timothy muttered. "One of these days, I'll figure out how you do it, old man."

"I have never cheated a day in my life." Caleb rested both arms on the table innocently. "It's all about deciphering the odds of the cards in your hands, and reading the people around you."

"But you have to _get_ cards in order to play them!" the other man argued.

"A good player knows how to use what he's dealt," Caleb shot back with a grin.

Calley was slightly amused by the child-like fit her father seemed to be nearing, until she noticed Jenna sitting on the couch nearby. At first glance, the raven-haired woman could have been observing the game in progress, but when Calley looked closer, her step sister seemed to be looking _through_ the players, rather than watching.

It was a rare occurrence to see Jenna out in "public", and it caused the blond woman to approach her quietly, when she would have normally left her alone. She took a seat on the middle cushion to her step sister's right without saying anything, not even a word of greeting.

Rebecca dropped her books on the coffee table. "Popcorn is getting low again. Anyone else want something while I'm going? Calley?" she asked pointedly.

"Tea," she requested. "Do we still have the Valerian blend?"

"I'm on it."

"Make it two," Jen murmured, then glanced at Calley. "Insomniacs need a support group."

"I think we all fit that category at the moment," Calley said carefully.

Jenna drew both legs up underneath her on the couch, reminding the blond woman remarkably of a teenager. "Do you ever get that feeling where your mind stops, and you ask yourself if this is real life?"

Calley nodded. "Sure. I'm familiar with it."

"You think if I blink enough times, it might go back to normal?"

Calley stared at the floor. "Probably not."

"Didn't think so."

The blond woman snuck another glance at her companion, now resting her chin in one hand. "Did you get dragged in here too?"

"I was only trying to go to the bathroom," Jen complained. "Some people can't take 'no' for an answer."

"Some people like to see you occasionally," Timothy called over his shoulder. "You're welcome to come up here and be my partner. I think Julie's about through with me after I got us set the last round."

"It didn't help matters," the red-head spoke up. "But I'm curious as to why that would get _me_ kicked out of the game. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Jen, do you want to come show the other old man how it's played?"

Jenna waved off the invitation. "I won't be here long enough for a whole game. You started it with him – you're stuck now."

"Is that the rule?" Julie demanded. "There must be a loophole I can take advantage of."

"Don't lose faith in me yet," Timothy countered. "We can still take the round."

Julie groaned. "You're inspiring encouragement of 'let's try it' before you determined the last suite gives me a lot to look forward."

"Hey, if I didn't call it, Dr. Cardshark over there would have!"

Calley exchanged a look with Jenna, biting her lip to keep from laughing. It seemed inappropriate in the face of her friend's unhappiness, but it actually seemed like Jen was trying not to smile too. "We ought to give them a break at some point. There are worse things we could be doing, like getting our teeth drilled, or waiting in line at the BMV."

"It's more fun to watch someone else fall to Caleb than being the one doing the losing," Jenna said dryly.

"All of you complain so much, it takes an hour to get through seven hands," Sayuri interjected, but her smug expression illustrated how she felt about having Caleb as a partner.

"Yeah, you get to laugh it up," Timothy challenged. "Next game, I'm with him."

"That wasn't the agreement," Sayuri retorted. "I recall not wanting to play at all, until you dragged me into this with the promise of a worthwhile partner."

"Yeah, Tim, what's up with that?" Jen spoke up. "Are you trying to hold the whole room captive?"

"I don't see any chains – do you?"

"Would you lead with a card already?" Julie was exasperated. "Let's get the round started."

Calley thought of something while the others finally resumed the game in progress. "Sayuri, did you ever hear back from Shun?"

The Asian woman's eyes narrowed. "He was made to rest the entire day, but yes. He called me about an hour after dinner."

Jenna perked up at the news. "Is he all right?"

"Dr. Barrows believes he will be. He has a concussion, and is suffering some ill effects of altitude sickness from the flight." Sayuri threw down her next card with a force that would have been more impressive if the object weighed more. "I cannot believe he would do something so _stupid_. He could have been killed!"

"Kamryn wouldn't have though, would she?" Calley wondered uncertainly.

Jenna shook her head. "Not intentionally, not unless she thought _he_ was deadly."

"It is not Kamryn," Sayuri corrected. "The cabin in which he stowed away was not pressurized properly. He risked his life to enter the country illegally."

Calley shifted uncomfortably at the thought. "But...he'll be okay?"

"The Major was not pleased by his arrival." Sayuri hurled another card so wildly that it flew across the table. "He did the opposite of what he was told, handed over a large sum of money to questionable characters, and thought to take on Green Berets _alone_? Tell me how any of it makes sense!"

"It doesn't, from a sane person's perspective," Timothy said cautiously. "But from the mind of someone desperate? I know why he did it. I didn't say I agree with it, but I understand his reasoning."

"I cannnot," Sayuri replied coldly. "He was told to do nothing after Victoria would not help him with a visa."

"So he paid someone off to get him in?" Jen inserted when the Asian woman took a breath.

"An accomplice, a friend of a friend." Sayuri fumed. "He did not even know these people! But he gave them thousands of dollars, and trusted them to get him in safely. I did not raise him to make such decisions, on top of everything _else!_ " She dropped her remaining cards on the tabletop. "Forgive me. I am done."

Without another word, she stalked away. The rest of them lapsed into momentary silence, until Rebecca unwittingly entered the room with tray and popcorn.

"Oh. Is the game over?"

Timothy scooted back from the table. "Yeah, I think it is. I ought to get back to my wife before she wakes up anyway."

Julie rose from her seat and grabbed a handful of Becky's popcorn as she walked by. "Thanks. I'll get the book from you in the morning."

Rebecca quickly set her burdens down to retrieve a book from the stack "I already have it. Take your time, okay? I don't need it back any time soon."

Caleb got up and dusted off his hands. "It was fun while it lasted, but it's past this old fogey's bedtime."

Becky deposited the nearly full popcorn on the coffee table and presented her tea offering to both women. "Down to the holdouts."

"I wouldn't call myself that," Jen mentioned, but sipped the tea anyway. "I was brought here against my will."

"I kind of was too," Calley added.

"But did you die?" Becky suggested impishly.

"I don't know. I was a little scared of the way Sayuri threw her cards around," Jenna remarked, but then her face fell. "Sorry. It's not funny. She's angry, and it sounds like she's got every right to be."

Calley looked down at the mug in her grip. "I'm angry too. And I don't know what to do with it. I can't stand being so helpless, knowing..." The woman hesitated, refusing to speak what she'd felt for the past several nights. _I can't tell Jen what Tim might be going through, because Charlotte is in the same boat. I can't bear to tell_ anyone _._

She found Jenna gazing at her intently, and immediately shook her head. "I don't know anything for certain, so I'd rather say nothing."

The raven-haired woman slumped backward on the couch and leaned her head against the wall. "All I want is to sleep until they get home. Is than an option?"

"I wish it was," Calley told her.

Becky cleared her throat. "You won't be able to avoid it that easily. The best thing to do for yourselves is occasionally come out of the cocoon for a break."

Jen sat up. "What break? Do you think I feel any better than before?"

"You were almost laughing at my dad," Calley pointed out.

"So? You were too, but it didn't make you less angry, did it?"

Calley took a moment to assess where her mind was, then glanced up at her step sister. "I don't feel as bad as when I woke up. Am I angry? Discouraged? Vaguely homicidal? Yes. But I think I see what Becky means about taking a break."

Jenna stiffly got to her feet with tea in hand. "I don't like pretending everything is all right."

"That's not it, Jen," Becky said quietly. "It seems like the world is coming to an end, so we all feel compelled to act like it already has. Taking a moment to breathe gives you a chance to realize that it hasn't."

"But it still could," Jenna whispered.

Rebecca walked around the coffee table to her side. "Yes. But it _hasn't_."

"But the chances of our children being okay, you understand how minuscule they are?"

Calley caught her breath at Jen's words, but couldn't force herself to negate them.

"I know this family has survived under the weight of disasters that most normal people wouldn't," Becky said slowly. "Are the chances good? No. But I refuse to believe there isn't any hope left. That's my story, until proven otherwise."


	71. Catalyst

Michelangelo felt completely relaxed, despite the hovering presence of watchers they couldn't shake. All of the turtles had been through a pre-dawn workout, which hadn't included running or jumping over buildings, but still left the orange-masked turtle looser than he'd been since before they picked up babysitters.

It actually hadn't been difficult to tune out those nervously observing them by pretending they weren't there. _Doing the same thing right now, and I could get used to it. Just walk around here, and act like they're ghosts. If we all ignored the Major that way, he might hyperventilate. It's worth a shot._ He snorted at the thought, and his red-masked brother flicked his shoulder.

"What?"

"You got that look in your eye like you're scheming, Mikey. All this pent up energy is gonna come flooding out at some point, and I'd _better_ not be your target."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Raphy."

"No one buys those innocent eyes, Chucklehead, not even your own kid."

The younger turtle folded his arms. "At least I don't use other people's kids to _start_ wars."

"Seem to remember you getting Liv to help ya before," he returned dangerously.

"Uh uh, it doesn't count. Your daughter volunteered. Tim, on the other hand, no more wants to pull a prank on someone than he craves to be the center of attention. Even his cousins have to talk him into it. Never figured out how you got him to come after me and Nate."

Raphael smirked. "Wanted to test a theory – turned out, he was right."

"What theory would that be?"

"You know the kid sees through you without even trying. We mighta had a wager over how Nate would respond to being targeted."

Mike shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why would you bet something if you figure he already knows?"

"Cause I wanted to show him a good time, and it was the funnest way to do it." Raphael's broad smile faded the moment he'd finished. "Look, we all see the burden Tim carries around. No one could take it from him, but I figure we can at least give him a chance to lighten up, and do something he'd never attempt on his own."

"So you did it for _him_?"

"Well, kinda. I wanted to have fun too. But if you're sitting here planning another great comeback, I'm telling you, I'll beat you to the punch."

"I'm not planning, Raph. Look at us. We're in the middle of nowhere, and I don't have anything to work with."

"I know better than that, shell-fer-brains."

"Why are you all over me this morning? I'm only glowing in the after-burn of our workout, and you're acting like I've been plotting wars."

His brother shrugged. "Maybe I just wish you were. And no, that's not an invitation for an attack. I mean, I want things to be normal, and they're not."

"Not completely, but..." Mike trailed off when he saw Shunshi duck out from under a nearby tent, rapidly followed by Heff.

"You don't get to walk away from me!" Greg called after him. "Do you have any idea how upset your mom is?"

"I am a grown man of twenty-seven, Greg-san. I refused to ask their permission to come here, because I do not need it! I did what I knew was right. In my mind, I still would not change it, even if I could go back in time."

"You wouldn't change it? Nothing?" Greg caught him by the shoulder. "I would never accuse your heart of being in the wrong place, but please tell me what you were planning to do with one gun against twenty-two Green Berets?"

Shunshi glared at him, then shot a meaningful look at the two turtles. "I wanted to be the catalyst to force _them_ to fight. I still cannot understand why everyone submitted to these strangers, when you can clearly dispatch them with both hands tied behind your backs!"

Greg's fingers latched onto his collar to pull him close. "Could you _please_ not announce that to the army within earshot?"

"I think it's been noted already," the Major spoke up. "What hasn't been established is what I'm supposed to do with _you_." The man nodded toward Shunshi.

Mike was on his feet in a flash, and his brother was right beside him. "Dude, have you learned nothing? Threaten us all you want, but the second you touch one of our people, you're done. That's a promise."

"Now you see?" Shun cried triumphantly. "They have all the ability in the world to free themselves, yet they are doing nothing!"

Stewart scowled at Michelangelo. "You're not going to stand here and threaten me to my face-"

"Excuse me, strange commander of men who I do not know," Shunshi interrupted. "We were not technically talking to you." He returned his gaze to the brothers. "Why are you wasting time here?"

"Shun, these guys have pissed us off plenty," Raph told him. "But there's a time and place for mutiny, and this ain't it."

"Am I hallucinating?" Will asked. "I must be, because this conversation would never take-"

"Again, we do not care what you have to say," Shun cut him off a second time. "Can you tell me why? Why are you bowing to this man's authority?"

"We haven't bowed to anyone," Greg defended. "You weren't here, Shun. You can't pretend to know everything that's happened."

"I see what is in front of me! If you want to be angry with me for taking matters into my own hands, I guess it is your right. It is also _my_ right to be angry with every one of you for not saving yourselves when you already could have!"

Michelangelo glanced at Raphael, but the red-masked turtle seemed to be biding his time for a response, so he decided not to answer the accusation either.

Greg rubbed his temples with both thumbs. "Shun, there are far-reaching consequences for this. You entered the country illegally-"

"When have they entered a country legally, Greg-san?" Shunshi jerked his thumb toward the turtles.

"That's not the point!" Greg's volume rose slightly. "Shun, you abandoned the Academy, hooked up with the most questionable low-lives imaginable, and barely got here in one piece. Do you think the school will ever admit you again?"

The young man stared back at Greg as though stunned. "Our entire world is on the brink of collapse. We are under alien attack. _Why_ would I care about some stupid Academy?"

"I don't care for this young man, but even I can admit that makes sense," Stewart unexpectedly announced.

Shun whirled to face him. "I do not require support from you. All of this is your fault."

"My fault? I don't recall summoning a posse of space raiders to pick up your friends! So far, I've done everything in my power to prevent them from being found."

"Except for allowing them to operate under their own free will! If you want to protect them so badly, then let them take care of themselves. They are quite good at it."

"You're not going to walk into my camp and try to give me orders! If the time comes for us to part ways, it will be at my own choosing, and not any of theirs."

Mike exchanged another look with Raph, and they both started laughing at the same time. "But seriously, man, you know we could up and walk out of here anytime we want, right?"

"I thought you were beyond attempting something like that, but be my guest," he returned coolly.

"You got some nerve," Raphael challenged. "You know darn good and well we're not the enemy. We ain't done nothing _but_ pull your team outta trouble since the night we met. And you still think you've got some God-given right to tell us what to do. We're not gonna be stuck with you forever, Major, so you better get used to the idea."

"What makes you think I _want_ to be stuck with you? If I'd been aware of the way things actually were, I wouldn't have touched your 'clan' to begin with! It's too late now, because I already know more than I should."

"Why is it too late?" the orange-masked turtle pressed. "What's so hard about letting us do our own thing if you don't wanna be a part of it anyway?"

"I have a responsibility to my people and my country. I've been involved in many missions that included protecting citizens from threats they knew nothing about. But this?" He paused to shake his head. "I can't protect civilians from an interstellar threat, much less any of you. It feels like we're only biding our time, until..."

"Until what?" Raphael shot back. "You believe everything is said and done? Well, you go on and think that, and we'll happily move on without ya."

"What chance do you have, realistically speaking?"

Mike was struck by the earnestness of the man's question, which lacked any kind of condescension. "We don't like to focus on the odds. Way too many numbers to worry about." He chuckled suddenly. "Not knowing everything can be a godsend."

"How do you do that?"

"Do what, Major? You have to be more specific," Mike requested.

"Joke around and make light of things, when the situation is this dire?"

"They do not really make light of it," Shun said proudly. "They simply choose not to be crushed by the situation."

The man crossed and uncrossed his arms before speaking again. "I'm at a loss. Much as I don't want to admit that, it's easier to tell you than my own men. They're still under the illusion there's a master plan I haven't unveiled yet."

The young man looked at Stewart closer. "Why would you let them believe it? Are you only setting them up to fall?"

"That's not the intention," he replied sharper. "The goal is to have a plan, but I don't know what it is yet."

Raphael growled. "You should probably figure it out before you drag us down with you."

"We need to move deeper into isolation," the man allowed. "The intelligence Heffernan has performed on the mountain seems sound, but we still have wounded who aren't prepared for the trip."

"So maybe we need to get them out of here?" Mike offered.

"That would require either summoning an evac to our location, or sending men back into Caracas. I'm not comfortable with the potential threat within the city, but calling attention to our position in the wild would warrant a report to my superiors. I'm under the impression you still don't want anyone else finding out about you."

"You don't have to tell them about us," Raph stated obviously. "Getting your injured guys out doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. Are you gonna tell me in all your years on these missions, you ain't never held anything back for yourself?"

"Do you grasp what you're asking me to do?"

"Yes, and no," Raphael allowed. "We know what honor is. We live by it. Guy in your position, gotta figure you make it a lifestyle too. But what's right and wrong ain't that simple to nail down, is it? You look at us, and you've seen proof that we're not homicidal animals. You get that we care about other people more than anything else. Yet there's still this part of ya that says it's wrong not to turn us over to the government, despite what they'd probably do with us. You think we deserve that, Major?"

"No, I don't. But it doesn't make this any easier. I'm held to a much higher degree of accountability, which I can't get out from under."

"Even if you know it's the wrong thing?" Shun sounded incredulous.

Stewart clenched his jaw toward the young man. "I don't want to hear about the 'wrong thing' from you, okay? You've got no room to talk."

"I am the perfect one to speak, because I know that what I did was right, though it meant disappointing my family. I honestly do not care what they think about it, because my conscience is clear. Do _you_ live with a free conscience?"

"I don't have the luxury of doing whatever I think is right."

"Everyone has a choice," Shunshi insisted. "It comes down to what matters the most. What is the thing which means more to you than any other? Is it the opinion of these men you report to? Holding a position of power in this army? Or is it defending those who are clueless to the danger lurking right over their heads? When you have that answer, you will know what to do next."

Michelangelo was too intrigued by Shunshi's passion to interject anything by that point. The young man had never been shy with his opinions, but he'd also never sounded so compelling. _Too bad he had to up and quit the Academy. Sounds like it might have been doing him some good._

"All those things matter, to varying degrees," Stewart acknowledged. "But regardless of my feelings, it doesn't change what's expected of me."

"Do you know what was expected of me?" Shun asked. "My loved ones told me to sit on an island thousands of miles from here, and do nothing. Tell me, Major, if your family, or better yet, your men were in danger, could you have done that? Just because something might be expected of you, it does not make it the most beneficial. If I had stayed another day-"

The sound of nearby gunshots caused the whole group to hit the ground, and Mike threw himself over Shunshi and Greg.

"Get off me!" The Major declared to the red-masked turtle hovering over _him_. "Shouldn't you be doing what you do best?"

Michelangelo guffawed."Sir, permission to save your tails again, sir!"

"Shut it, Mikey, and let's go!" Raphael lunged upright, and the young man wasn't far behind him.

"Shun, would you stay put?" Greg half-pleaded. "You've got one concussion already!"

"I did not come this far to be protected!"

"I'm sure ya didn't, but you still-"

Whatever Raphael tried to say was somehow drowned out by a sudden flash of green brilliance. Mike _felt_ nothing, but in an instant his vision dimmed and reality phased from understanding.

When the orange-masked turtle blinked rapidly, he found himself flat on the ground, with no clue how he'd gotten there. His eyesight was still distorted and blurry, causing the rays of sunlight to resemble golden particles floating through the air. The odd sight distracted him momentarily from the numb sensation tingling over his limbs, preventing him from moving anything other than his eyelids. Managing a deeper breath was so difficult, he had no idea how his brother rattled off a trail of curses nearby.

"Ya freaking, cheating bastards! Why can't you just try to kill us like normal people?!"

Michelangelo's gaze shifted, searching for the source of his brother's anger, and the overpowering presence which which had entered their atmosphere. Eyes widened unconsciously when he fixed upon the tallest, broadest figure he'd ever seen, with a wingspan that seemed wide enough to encompass them all. The irises staring back at him appeared rimmed in flames.

"We have no desire to kill you, terrapin," a strange voice called from his opposite side. "But you do not need to fight the effect of the beam, or us. It will be over soon enough."


	72. Bomb

***Probably not what you want right now, but give me a chance. Also a good time to mention, I'm willing to post faster. I just don't want to overwhelm.**

* * *

Tim willfully shut his eyes. He'd been trying to go to sleep for longer than he was able to calculate. He automatically looked up at the ceiling while attempting to figure out exactly how much time had elapsed. The overhead lights were dimmer than usual, but it wasn't having any effect on his ability to relax.

"What time do you think it is?" he called out, fully aware his cousin wasn't asleep either. When she didn't answer, he rolled over on his side. "Do you think you can fool me, Charlie? I know you're awake."

The purple-masked turtle's head popped up in annoyance. "But _you_ shouldn't be."

"I don't know what to tell you, except it's impossible tonight. You could at least talk to me for a while. Maybe we can bore each other to death."

"Nah. Liv and I already tried that."

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Tim, I bet if you lie real still and clear your mind, you'll be asleep in no time."

"What do you think I've been doing?" He got to his feet to cross their cell, and dropped on the floor to her left. "Can we _try_ talking? Maybe I'll feel better."

Charlotte gave him a quizzical look while sitting up. "Of course, Tim. Anytime you're actually volunteering something, I'm going to listen."

"When you say things like that, it makes me not want to."

"Oh, would you quit being a pain in the shell? I know you don't talk about three-quarters of the stuff that bothers you."

"Believe me, you don't want to hear it all. No one does."

"But since you're in the mood to share...?" She gestured for him to continue.

"I've been feeling off ever since the Vaga's address," he admitted.

"I could tell, Tim, but I thought asking you would only make it worse. You don't have to tell me anything, but I bet it might help you."

He shuddered involuntarily. "It could take a long time, Charlie."

"Well, what else do we have to do?"

Tim stared at the floor, aggravated. He trusted his cousin implicitly. The teen wasn't the least bit worried what she might think of him, but putting the experience into words was still challenging.

Charlotte's fingers grazed his knee. "I don't want to push you, but I have a feeling you won't talk otherwise."

"That's probably true." Tim took a deep breath, after which he intended to go on. Instead he hesitated as his mouth dried up in a fraction of a second. "I...I remember, the moment we got outside. There was such a heaviness in the atmosphere. It was like...waiting on a bomb that was counting down. It's the only way to describe it. The burden of the dread never lifted. It's been on my shoulders night and day since. I feel like it could be warning me of something huge, so bad that...It scares me to think about, much less speak out loud. Do you really wanna hear this?"

"Why should you be the only one to deal with it? What do you think it's connected to, Tim?"

"I can't tell you, Charlie. All I get are emotions and impressions."

"You see things sometimes too."

" _Sometimes_."

"Did you see anything during the wretched speech?"

Tim leaned against the wall for greater support. "I don't want to go back there yet," he murmured. "I'm sorry I make things so hard."

"You don't need to be sorry for this. I want you to try and relax, Tim. Maybe going over what's troubling you won't do the trick. We could try to get your mind on something else again. I've had plenty of time to think about Clara lately."

"No," he said quickly. "Not the story, not tonight. Charlotte, how do you _feel,_ physically _?_ "

She cocked her head. "I'm okay. About the same as I have been, with the exception of getting sicker of the manacles." Charlotte dragged the length of chain which connected her wrists. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I don't feel like we can afford to be...distracted. If a bomb is going off, we have to be ready to react."

"How do we need to react? When you say 'bomb', are you expecting things to get worse for us?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. But I want to be ready, either way."

"Getting ready is problematic. We can't take action until something happens."

"Anticipating a blow helps you prepare for it, right?"

"Sure, but if you don't know when it's coming, you'll end up lying awake all hours of the night, worrying over what's going to take place next. I agree with being prepared, Tim, but I'm also concerned that remaining this 'on guard' could be extremely detrimental for you."

"It's not something I can help." He huffed defensively, wishing he'd said nothing.

"Tim, don't get offended. Listen to what I'm saying. I don't think you're wrong about _anything_. What I'm suggesting is balance, for your own peace of mind."

"I've never been good at balance."

"Nobody's perfect, especially me. But I really want you-"

The sound of the outer door of their cell block being released made Charlotte cut off at once. "They're coming now? No one ever has this late!"

Her nerves combined with Tim's, and made the blue-masked turtle feel like his entire body was vibrating. While trying to contain the odd sensation, something occurred to the teen which made him glance down at the band covering his forearm.

The tingling heat of the bracelet was an expected precursor to any individual entering their domain, but this time, the band was curiously cold. Tim tapped the device curiously, then scooted closer to his cousin's side and snagged her wrist.

"Charlotte, they're not draining me!"

"Which means?"

He shot a swift glance to the door someone might come through any moment. "Lie down and pretend to be asleep." Tim flattened beside her, and tried to contain his heart from beating out of his chest.

"Tim, what are we doing?" she hissed.

"If they're giving me an opportunity, I'm taking it!"

"Right _now?_ "

"Are you with me or not?"

The sound of their door hissing open coincided with her shaky nod.

"Sleep," he whispered, and feigned being unconscious himself.

Lying absolutely still required every ounce of self control inside him, as soft foot falls crossed the room and neared the two turtles. _Okay. I know they can control the band with their crystal thing. I'm still in danger as long as the device is on my arm, but if I catch him unaware, and either separate him from the crystal or break it...I'll have a chance. Which is better than none at all. Steady, Tim. Wait for it. Don't overreact..._

Even as he tried to calm himself down, fingers brushing his shell jolted the blue-masked turtle into action. Without a conscious plan, he jerked sideways and crashed into the intruder's knees, knocking the looming figure off his feet. Tim dove on top of the alien to assert control while the element of surprise remained in his favor, but whatever advantage he'd had was rapidly closing.

Rather than searching out a pressure point to swing the balance, Tim was forced to desperately pat down his opponent for the crystal which would be his undoing. He nearly panicked at a sound behind him, but then realized it was only Charlotte adding her weight to the alien's legs to help keep him pinned.

Tim was grateful for her help, but distracted by the dread of not being able to locate their captor's crystal. "Show me your hands!" he ordered with all the ferocity he could muster. "Your hands!"

He wished it could be as simple as overpowering the vagari and calling it a day, but he knew the alien's crystal would also factor into their ability to escape the lockdown. Forcing him to cooperate somehow was a necessity.

The faint lighting barely illuminated the face of the new alien staring up at him with a mixture of confusion and...awe? That was also the moment Tim realized the giant beneath them wasn't fighting back. He seized the opportunity to gaze at the creature boldly.

"We're not afraid of you! Give me your crystal, and maybe we'll let you live."

"You are not them," the stranger returned. "You are their...children?"

Against his better judgment, Tim immediately backpedaled, releasing some of his pressure. He squinted harder at the odd figure, and a name came to his mind unbidden. "Ghyath."

The alien stiffened with understandable shock. "You know me?"

Tim shook his head and slowly got to his feet. "No. But it's you, isn't it?"

" _Tim!_ " Charlotte wasn't releasing their "victim" so easily.

The blue-masked turtle caught her shoulder. "Charlie, he's not one of them!"

"No." The alien sat up, but kept a respectful distance from the bristling purple-masked turtle. "I am not. I can see how it would be difficult to trust me, but there is not much time. We need to move at _once,_ terrapins. You have to believe me."

Charlotte's gaze bored into Tim instead of the stranger, and the blue-masked turtle knew what was required. He took a step toward the alien and extended a hand his direction. Ghyath accepted without hesitation, and the remaining space between them disappeared in a flash.

The full impact of the alien's amazement hit Tim first, mingling with his own astonishment over meeting one of the main characters of his father's stories. In his mind's eye, the teen gathered an image of a massive stone which had come under violent assault, but remained unfazed. The buoying sense of hope and courage which came in its wake was so uplifting, he found himself not wanting to let go. If Charlotte hadn't called his name, he probably wouldn't have.

Tim turned slightly to face his cousin, on the cusp of a dream-like state. "He's good, Charlie."

She looked concerned, but held up shackled wrists. "Can you do anything about these, or my cousin's band?" Charlotte requested flatly.

The alien bent to her level and surveyed the chains closer. "My ally will possess the proper tool to open these. He can also remove your cousin's energy binder, just as he took off mine."

"You were a prisoner?" Tim blurted out.

"I was, up until a few minutes ago. I sense there is much to say between us, but we are not in a position for conversation yet. This opportunity is rare, and there is no guarantee how much time we have left." Ghyath motioned to the door emphatically. "Follow me."

Tim didn't need to be told a second time, but he felt Charlotte lagging. "What are you doing?" he demanded softly. "Do you want the Vagari to keep taking our blood? Find out how to create the all-inclusive 'death' strand? We're getting out of here!"

"I'm in favor of the idea," she returned, relinquishing to follow after him slowly. "But I'd rather blaze our own trail."

"You think we can do this by ourselves? Charlie, we're in over our heads, and you know it! This is a gift..." Tim's mouth snapped shut and he stopped with a jerk upon discovering a muscular vagari standing just outside in the hall. He backed toward Charlotte, tensing for conflict, though he feared he probably wouldn't be able to do much before the alien zapped his energy.

"It is all right!" Ghyath insisted at once. "Tariq is on our side. He is the one who turned _me_ loose."

The purple-masked turtle folded her arms with a severe look. "No. He's one of them!"

"I was also an Overlord once," Ghyath replied. "I do not see much difference. But I laid aside my former life when I found the Light. I would not have gotten this far without him, and he agreed to the task of tracking you down as well. No friend is worth refusing under these circumstances."

Charlotte shook her head in frustration. "I don't want any part of him, and I don't _know_ you. Maybe you were friends with our dads, but how does it help us tonight?"

"Charlotte-" Tim started, only to be cut off by her upraised hand.

"No, Tim, I want to hear it from him." She switched her gaze to Ghyath. "You give me one good reason we should do anything you say."

To the blue-masked turtle, it appeared the alien was trying to shrink in order to appear less threatening. "I was not told who was abducted exactly, that is, the information has been closely guarded. I only knew two of you were taken, and subjected to experimentation in Vagari labs. I cannot do anything about what happened before, but now that I am here, I swear I will die before I let anything else hurt you. I would be happy to prove it as well as my undying loyalty to your family, if you are able to put some trust in me. Can you do this, young one?"

"No," she answered faintly. "I don't trust you." Charlotte shifted at once to look at Tim. "But I trust my cousin. So if he says yes...then I _will_ follow you, regardless."

The blue-masked turtle switched his gaze to the dark-haired vagari, who was mostly hidden in shadows. "Come out. Let me see you."

The alien obeyed hesitantly, but barely held eye contact.

" _Look_ at me," Tim ordered firmly.

The ebony eyes which fixed on him were swallowed up in terror and regret. The inner turmoil of whatever he was carrying appeared to be weighing the alien down physically. Tim was unsure about his true motivation for being there, until the vagari snuck a glance at Ghyath. That was when the teen caught the smallest inkling of Tariq's hope, and his decision was cast.

"He's okay, Charlotte," he assured his cousin.

The vagari cleared his throat awkwardly. "We've got to go, Ghyath."

"Will you free my young friends first?" the golden-haired alien requested.

Tim stepped toward the aliens to demonstrate his confidence to Charlotte, and allowed the vagari to remove the annoying band from his forearm, separating it into three pieces.

When the stranger turned to Charlotte her face was still stoic, but she didn't move while he selected another tool from the pouch slung over his shoulder.

"Why did they use such a crude method on you?" he wondered. "Didn't it hurt?"

"I'm immune to the band," she replied flatly.

Tariq looked confused. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"Good for you!"

The vagari didn't try to answer that time, but focused on freeing the shackles from her feet.

Tim turned back to Ghyath. "What's this opportunity you're talking about? It looks like they're running on lower power than usual. Is that it?"

"There is an immense atmospheric disturbance taking place, the likes of which has not happened since the days of the Overlords. It takes a tremendous expenditure to cause a power failure of this magnitude inside Central, but it is exactly the chance _we_ needed." There was something smug about the alien's smile. "Trying to imprison me inside Central was not the smartest thing the Vagari could have done. But then, there were only about a dozen Elohim involved in the redesign of the infrastructure after the Nalikjan gained control. Others would not be as aware of the built in safety features."

"Wait, so you know this place?" Charlotte perked up instantly. "You can find the way out?"

Ghyath seemed relieved for a positive interaction with the purple-masked turtle. "I know _everything_ about Central, and much more than the Vagari who have taken up residence. But I will tell you more once we are in motion. I am also curious to make real introductions, especially since you somehow identified me having never met."

The female made a scoffing sound. "Tim does that – you'll get used to it. I'm Charlotte - I belong to Donatello."

"Are you one of his twins? The babies which Yasir-"

"So help me, if I have to listen to more talk about that _stupid_ gene, I might hurt someone!"

"Forgive me, terrapin. I am only trying to place things correctly in my mind." Ghyath glanced at Tim expectedly.

The blue-masked teen was distracted, mulling over something the alien had said a few moments ago. "So you're Elohim like them."

"Yes, that is our race, although we are also called by-"

"Do you know anything about another captive? I think he's in pretty big trouble."

Ghyath appeared to freeze. " _What_ other captive?"

"You haven't heard about Shukri?"

The elohim's hands went to Tim's shoulders. "Shukri lives?! You _know_ this?"

"He was alive when we met three days ago."

Ghyath whipped around to Tariq. "We are not leaving without him."

"I will support you in whatever path you choose, Ghyath," the vagari answered meekly. "However, I find it necessary to remind you of the time constraints."

"Shukri is one of my dearest friends. I will no sooner leave him behind than I would the terrapins! We are _going_ to find him."

Tim felt fingers grasping his elbow, and glanced at Charlotte. "It's the right thing to do."

She shrugged. "I'm glad you know it is. Less pressure on me. At the moment, I'll settle for being along for the ride."


	73. Found

There were no words for the frustration the instant paralysis triggered in Raphael, or the consuming dread which made him wish the Earth would open up and swallow them whole. _All we needed to do was avoid notice, and we had an entire planet to do it! Now we're screwed, and so is everyone else along with us!_

The red-masked turtle cursed vehemently at the massive figure standing over him and his youngest brother. The sound of more footsteps approaching made Raphael want to turn his head, but still seizing muscles wouldn't respond to the desire.

Amber eyes roved instead, seeking out the strangers. He tried valiantly to scowl, but couldn't even muster an annoyed expression. A blur of a stocky figure came into view along with a flash of red hair, but Raphael couldn't distinguish anything else about him.

"You cheating bastards can't do _anything_ the right way! You'd be better off killing me here and now, 'cause I'll never cooperate with ya. You're all gonna pay for this somehow, if it's the last thing I ever do!" He didn't even think as he strung words together, anger fueling what was surely a worthless speech.

One of them had the nerve to laugh, which only infuriated the turtle worse. He swore up and down, berating his unresponsive body along with those who were doing this to them.

"I see age has done absolutely nothing to mellow you, Raphael."

The red-masked turtle blinked in surprise at the familiar brogue, and tried desperately to engage his muscles again.

"Hold still," the figure instructed. "The sensation will lift once the next phase is applied."

The closeness of his voice along with the shock of recognition made it impossible for Raphael to form coherent words.

"Close your eyes," he was encouraged.

Raphael obeyed and witnessed a flash of brilliance against the back of his eyelids, followed by an odd tingling sensation across his exposed skin. It started at the top of his head and spread over the rest of his frame like a wave, which immediately allowed slack within frozen muscles.

"Now, I want you to take it slow, but you can sit up if you li-" The man never got to finish, because the red-masked turtle exploded from the ground and caught his old friend in a fierce embrace.

 _"Ezra!"_

The man's laugh was followed by a deep groan. "I think you're stronger than I remember, turtle!"

"You never could remember that well," Raph retorted with a grin. "Especially now that you're _old_."

"And what are you, a spring chicken?" Ezra scoffed. "I'm as fit as the day you left."

Raphael started to laugh, but then recalled what had just happened, and dropped his friend like a rock. "You stupid lunkhead, you scared us all to death! We're out here being hunted by freakin' Vagari, and your guys come in like _that?_ "

Ezra picked himself up from the heap into which he'd fallen and dusted off his hands. "I apologize, Raphael, but your friends tried to shoot us. They didn't even give me a chance to explain or introduce anyone."

The red-masked turtle glanced around to see a couple more of the aliens filtering through the camp. Only one of the others had wings, but none of them compared to the behemoth still standing adjacent to them with an amused expression. From the way his own teammates were slowly rising, it was apparent they'd received the same "antidote" as him.

"Friends?" Raphael repeated, jerking a thumb toward the Major and the two stunned soldiers flanking him. "They ain't our friends. In fact, you can do whatever you want with them, and I won't complain one bit."

"What?" one of the young men sputtered. "Y-you can't do that!"

Raphael smirked at the ginger-haired soldier he'd taught a valuable lesson to days earlier, but the Major was the first to speak.

"Oh, grow a backbone, Zambon. If they wanted to hurt us, they would have done it already."

Michelangelo popped up on Raphael's left like a jack-in-the-box. "True story," he agreed, then wheeled to greet the Irishman. "Ezra, dude, you shoulda called or something."

The man gasped as the orange-masked turtle practically hefted him over his shoulder. "I swear, none of you have really aged a day!"

The eruption of another language nearby cut off the red-masked turtle's snarky response, and had him jerking around to the sight of his rapidly approaching brothers, trailed by Bahri and Kamryn.

Within the ensuing chaos and relief that followed, Raphael forgot all about the surrounding soldiers while basking in the glow of _one_ plan working.

"...It's going to take a while to make proper introductions," Leo was saying breathlessly. "But rest assured, we're _extremely_ glad to see you, Ezra."

"It does my heart good to see all of you, but I wish it wasn't the case, not like this," the man returned solemnly. "My friends, I'm so sorry."

The blue-masked turtle paused to throw his own arms around him. "Don't apologize. We owe you big time, just for coming after us."

Raphael snorted and was about to interject something else, when he noticed the wide-eyed stare with which Bahri fixed the stranger in their midst. The elohim spoke up in his native tongue, and the huge figure smiled broadly as he launched into a reply, then stepped forward to meet him.

The way the alien dwarfed even Bahri caused the red-masked turtle to take a step backwards. Watching the two of them converse made him wish he could understand, and his frustration increased the longer he observed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kamryn shift uneasily from one foot to the other, and caught her by the elbow.

"What the shell are they going on about, Kamryn? Are these friends of yours?"

"No, he...he is one of the Legatus." The combination of fear and awe in her voice was unsettling. "I don't believe it."

"What are they saying?" Leonardo cut in.

"Who is Legatus?" the Major asked louder. "Who are these people, and how did they find us?" For the first time, Stewart's voice registered more concern than annoyance.

Leo held up a hand to ward off his questions. "We don't know anything yet, Major."

"You sure as heck know him!" Will motioned severely to Ezra.

The Irishman stared back at the turtles, confused. "So they are not your friends, Raphael?"

"That's not the word I'd use to describe 'em."

Ezra glanced between Raphael and Leonardo. "Well, forgive me, but what on Earth are you doing here with them?"

"It's a long story," the oldest turtle proclaimed. "We'll explain everything, but right now we're in the dark too. Who are these guys, Ezra? How did you get tied up with Legatus?"

Ezra shook his head. "That's a long story too, and it doesn't begin with me. It's clear we have a lot of catching up to do."

"You could start with how you found us!" Stewart insisted. "Whether you're friends or not, I'm feeling more exposed by the minute."

When the Irishman nodded Kamryn's direction, the woman finally sprang forward to greet him herself. "We followed her. This was Kamryn's mission from the start, no matter what anyone else said or did. And you succeeded beautifully, _hamna_."

Kamryn laughed without humor. "This is what success looks like?"

"But you're with them?" Will continued. "With the...aliens?"

Ezra nodded seriously, but Raphael could tell he was restraining a smile. "I know how you feel. I went through the first shock too, but I was much younger."

"Your accent makes you seem legitimately Irish."

"I am. I was abducted by Overlords as a boy, and lived on Zuhur ever since. I spent decades as a slave, until the Nalikjan overcame."

"Did they do weird experiments with you too?" Stewart snuck a glance at Kamryn, and the woman rightfully glared.

"No, they only erased my memory, but that happens with most everyone."

"Then how do you know you were abducted?"

Ezra chuckled. "The same way these turtles know-" He stopped suddenly when Brandon shouldered his way into their circle with Jazz clutching his hand. The man uttered a started laugh and held out his arms to them. "Nice to see the _entire_ family made it!"

"This isn't even close to all of us," Brandon negated, but didn't hesitate from hugging the man. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

To Raphael, it appeared Ezra was trying hard not to stare openly at Jazz.

"I had no idea what you meant about your look before, lass, but I think I understand now."

Jazz nodded proudly, ruffling fingers through the lavender tips of stark blond hair. "Better, right? I mean, considering everything we've been through in the last few days, I'm sure I look atrocious, but still."

"I wouldn't describe you as atrocious, but certainly grown up. I can hardly believe it's you!"

"How do you know my daughter?" Will seemed to be on the verge of exploding, and Leonardo took that as a cue to break up the conversing aliens.

"Excuse me, Bahri! Could you give us a hint about what the shell is happening?"

The blue-eyed elohim spun around at once. "My apologies, terrapins, everyone. I am as shocked by these events as you, but there is nothing to fear." Bahri turned sideways to indicate the alien beside him. "This is Liran, he is Hiryn to Legatus, that is, their most honored chieftain." He inclined his head with the words respectfully. "He also does not speak any English."

"Okay," Raphael allowed. "But what's he doing here? I thought your kind hadn't talked to them in forever."

Bahri shook his head, and the red-masked turtle detected a shudder through his frame. "My message was picked up by their ship. It never reached the Nalikjan. It is Legatus who alerted _them_."

Donatello cleared his throat. "But if there hadn't been any contact, how'd they know where to look for them?"

"Ghyath has been speaking to Liran since last year, so he says," Bahri admitted softly. "I had no knowledge of it. They were on their way to Zuhur when they inadvertently intercepted the transmission. We have clearly not had time to each tell our stories, but given the opportunity-"

The elohim didn't get to finish, because a line of young soldiers led by Luke and Director Kelley broke through their circle, brandishing assault weapons.

Raphael instantly stepped in front of Ezra protectively and threw up his hands. "Whoa, whoa! Guys, it's okay! Put the dang guns down, they're _friendly!_ "

Luke didn't lower the barrel which was fixed on the towering Legatus. "That was not an act of friendship!"

"Doc, put it down," Leo ordered. "They were attacked first. Soldiers shot at them, so they took it upon themselves to act in self defense. But they haven't hurt anyone, as you can clearly see."

Kelley pointed his rifle toward the ground, but continued to look irritated. "Some self defense. _We_ weren't doing anything except trying to get some sleep. Woke up to a bunch of confused shouting and scary paralysis. What were we supposed to think?"

Ezra stepped out from behind Raphael. "I'm truly sorry, but it appears you weren't released from the stun properly." He pointed toward Luke's trembling legs. "We will take care of it for you."

"Who are you?" the blond doctor demanded harshly.

"Doc, this is the guy I was partnered with in the slave ranks on Zuhur," Raphael explained. " _This_ is Ezra."

Luke released a huge breath. "You mean it worked? Your message got through?"

"Apparently," Leo said dryly. "But there's no point in repeating everything multiple times, so we need to come together and address everyone as a group."

Raphael heard his brother, but was concentrating on the shaky, sweating soldiers behind Luke and Kelley. It was obvious _none_ of them were completely steady on their feet, yet they'd tried to take on who they believed to be alien assassins. Gazing at the young men now, he was tempted to look at them as more than annoying brats for the first time. _Probably looking out for their interests more than ours, but it still took guts. Especially since they had to know they'd probably fail._

"I concur, Leonardo," Ezra responded. "You must forgive our abrupt entrance. It is clear I should have approached alone, what with the threat you're under."

"With our group, it probably wouldn't have helped." Mike chortled.

"But if you say they're friends, the rest of us are on board," Kelley added.

"Ezra is," Leo reassured. "We don't know the others yet, or what they want with us...But it's a good enough place to start."

* * *

Raphael felt the tension like electricity in the atmosphere. It was a surreal experience to be joined by additional aliens, even after having been on another planet. _Of course it's weird. This is our home we're talking about. No one ever expected to see any of them here. Never thought about what it would be like if the message really got through to the good guys. Still don't know if Legatus fits that description, but if Ghyath was connecting with 'em, how bad could they be?_

In actuality, there were only four alien newcomers in addition to Ezra, but the unusual manner of their arrival had made it feel like many more. Once introduced properly, he remembered the two Elohim as members from the Nalikjan, but still found himself comparing them to the Legatus.

When the turtle looked closely, it was easy to see the resemblance between the aliens. The Elohim still possessed a far more ethereal quality, owing to the fact that their genes had largely been selected prior to being born. They were golden-haired with vividly bright eyes, whereas the strangers felt more natural and muted. _With the exception of the ring of fire in that "Liran's" eyes._

The stature of the other legatus felt similar to the Elohim as well, despite the chieftain rising high among them all. Raphael studied the giant, silently dissecting his demeanor. The alien hadn't tried speaking to any of them, but something about his smile was so disarming, it made the turtle want to relax. _Which I can't, because we don't know him at all._

When Liran _did_ speak to one of the other aliens, the deep quality of his voice was so pleasant, Raphael instinctively knew the legatus would be able to sing well. _If their type even bothers with something like that. This is nuts. Are we gonna trust our lives to people we ain't never laid eyes on?_

Liran noticed the attention he was openly giving him, but the alien didn't seem disturbed. The perfectly silver sheen of his hair was the only feature besides his size which led Raphael to believe his DNA could have been tampered with. At the same time, his noble bearing made it feel appropriate, and he wanted to believe the alien hadn't been messed with.

Bahri had been taking the last couple of minutes to speak with the Elohim alone, which normally would have irritated Raphael, if he hadn't been using the opportunity to get better acquainted with Liran.

A small huff from his older brother indicated Leonardo didn't feel the same way. "Excuse me." The blue-masked turtle didn't seem able to help himself. "If you're all going to decide something, do you think we could have a part in it?"

Jayden snorted somewhere in the background. "Welcome to our world."

Leo cast a dangerous look at the sixteen-year-old, who immediately sank out of sight, then gazed back at the aliens. "Bahri? What are you guys talking about?"

"I am sorry, Leonardo," he said meekly. "There is some indecision about what we should do first, though we are in agreement about getting you off the planet."

"We're definitely up for chasing after our kids," Leo told him. "But as far as Earth goes, what happens when we leave? Isn't that the cue for destruction?"

An elohim Raphael only barely remembered stepped forward. "It is not the planet they wish to destroy, terrapin, but only the people," Alarid explained.

"Why?" Stewart stood up at once. "Why only the people? Do they want our resources? Is that what all of this is about?"

Alarid hesitated. "They have no need of your resources. Their entire objective is to protect the universe from you."

The red-masked turtle was baffled. "That don't make no sense. If they don't want anything we have, why do they care what happens to the planet?"

Ghysis glanced at Liran. "We have learned things in these last days which expand our previous understanding." He gave Bahri an apologetic wince. "It seems the Elohim's version of historical events are somewhat...incomplete."

Alarid turned to face the rest of the circle. "That which is most clear now is the necessity to prevent the Vagari from getting their hands on the terrapins at any cost. Not only because none of you deserve to die or suffer under their treatment, but based on what they wish to use you for."

"Which we're not prepared to discuss in current company," Leo said quickly. "There are those among us who aren't trustworthy, and therefore don't know everything."

Alarid appeared uncertain. "I am not sure how you want me to proceed, terrapin, but I fear things are worse than you realize."

"That wouldn't surprise me," the blue-masked turtle stated angrily. "But if you'd leave the topic of the Vagari's intentions for a private conversation, I would appreciate it."

The elohim nodded. "Then we need to determine where we will take you."

"You don't have to figure it out," Raphael spoke up. "We need a ride to go after our kids. That's why you're here, ain't it?"

"You want to...go after the Vagari?" Ghysis pronounced each word slowly.

Leo crossed his arms. "No one said you have to. But if you'd get us to the planet, we'd be eternally grateful."

"We want to help you. That is why we came," Alarid said warily. "But we are in no position to attack Vagari, and it is imperative that we keep you away from them!"

"We aren't discussing that yet," Leo reminded him through gritted teeth.

"But there are things you must know-"

"Not in front of all the ears present!" Leonardo declared. "Don't do it again."

"I do not understand. Who are these ones you dare not to trust?"

"You don't have to understand. Stop making our business a public matter, and we'll be fine!"

"If you knew the danger-"

"Stop. Just stop!" the blue-masked turtle interrupted again. "If there are things we need to discuss privately first, we'll do it."

"What do you think is going to happen?" Will was exasperated. "We couldn't take you out if we tried, especially now. I don't understand your reluctance. We're in the same boat here – we may as well be on the same team."

"A couple days ago, you were still talking about handing us over to your superiors, Major. In what universe am I supposed to trust you?"

Stewart stared at Leo for a silent moment, then shrugged. "I guess you can't. I don't know what to say."

"You could pull your men back and give us some privacy. That would tell me something."

"You won't be plotting how you're getting rid of us?"

Raphael face-palmed. "Man, you don't see nothing, do you?"

"All right," the Major proclaimed wearily. "You want us out, we'll pull back. But will you tell us what's happening before you jet off wherever you're going?"

"The level of respect you show us will be returned," Leo answered. "And we're not 'jetting off' anywhere without telling anyone. Give us some time to talk, and then we'll catch up after that."


	74. Fugitives

A distant banging resonated in Shukri's ears, but the sound wasn't interesting enough to get him to open his eyes. He'd been hovering on the verge of a dream, and was content to leave behind the prison in which he was trapped for a few minutes.

" _Banrif*._ Shukri!" (scientist)

The hissed calling of his name caused the elohim to raise his head and look toward the ruairi youth imprisoned beside him. "Aalok?" he murmured wearily. " _What is wrong?_ "

" _Something strange is happening, Banrif. Get up!"_

Shukri sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. He squinted toward the dim overhead lighting, and was immediately struck by the phasing power. With a loud gasp, he turned to the teenager next door. _"Aalok, how long have the lights been doing that?"_

 _"Shukri, are you listening?_ "

The elohim was confused by the question, but ignored the odd sight above him long enough to pick up the noise Aalok referred to. A barrage of rapid-fire bangs carried faintly down their corridor, and only mystified Shukri more. " _By El, what is happening? Chirayu, can you see anything?"_

He heard his mate take a sharp breath. " _I cannot, lha nylgani*, but I think it is coming from the Nopf's booth. For the life of me, I do not know what they are doing, but the sound has become more desperate in the last couple of minutes."_ (my love)

The strain in her voice left Shukri further concerned for her. Chirayu's heartbreaking arrival had occurred sometime during the Vaga's address he'd witnessed with the terrapin. When he'd been taken back to the cell-block, his nightmare had come to life. _I am grateful she was not murdered along with the others, but the only reason we remain here is because of the Vaga's plans for us. I would rather embrace a quick death than the experimentation they intend to perform._

 _"Shukri, it sounds as if they are trapped,"_ one of the other Ruairi, Nabhi, called out. " _But how could that be?"_

The elohim returned to gazing at the lights. _"Central appears to have experienced some form of power failure, perhaps as high as 90%. It could be that..."_ Shukri paused with a shudder. _Do I dare get my hopes up?_

" _Allow me to try something,"_ he told the others. " _I cannot say if this will work, but maybe..."_ Shukri cleared his throat to gain more volume. " _Computer, activate voice command."_

 _"Vocal recognition complete,"_ the automated intelligence returned.

Shukri's heart skipped a beat along with the gasps of his cellmates.

 _"What did you do?"_ Madhu, the third Ruairi in their cell-block demanded.

 _"It is a fail safe we designed for Central,"_ Shukri answered. "W _hen an electrical outage takes place, the system is reversed to its original settings."_

 _"What does that mean, Shukri?"_ His mate regained some strength in her tone.

 _"It means I might be able to gain some control."_

 _"Do it!"_ Aalok cried. " _Shukri, you must try!"_

 _"All right, be still, Aalok,"_ he urged. _"Allow me a moment."_ Shukri prayed inwardly that whatever force caused the power to fail was complicated enough to provide them adequate time. _"Computer. Engage system reset."_

 _"Reset failed,"_ the monotone voice returned. _"Passcode is required."_

 _Passcode? That means someone has already given the initial command. But there are few who would know how to complete the action at this level._

 _"Shukri, can you do anything?"_ Nabhi asked tightly.

 _"I am not certain. It sounds like the new passcode has been set up. However, it cannot be something random. The system at this stage is programmed to recognize a limited number of codes which we determined in advance. As I recall, everyone who took part in the designing of the new software created their own. If I can figure out which one was used, I should be able to get our doors open. The problem is, I cannot remember them all. I helped to record phrases, but there were at least a dozen..."_

" _Try, Shukri!"_ Aalok pleaded. _"Please try."_

 _"Everyone be quiet, and let me think."_ The elohim took several breaths, mentally going over the memory of the day the system had been implemented. _It will not be Kenric's. He was one of the first to be slain when they entered the conference._ Shukri trembled at the memory. _It will probably not be anyone who was in that room. The Vaga allowed me to live, but only for the knowledge I harbor._

On a whim, he called out Bahri's passcode hopefully.

 _"Authorization failed,"_ was the only response he got.

Shukri's shoulders slumped, but he wasn't finished. The elohim rattled off three more possibilities from the top of his head, but to no avail. He paced in front of his bars, agitation increasing. _I will not forgive myself if I cannot take advantage of this opportunity. Whose could it be?_ He faltered through Ezra's passcode, which he remembered for its sheer oddity in the Gaelic he'd used. _I am not certain I even said it correctly. Foreign languages of Earth have never been my strength._

 _"_ Shukri?" Chirayu called out. " _Do not get upset. Relax, and it will come to you. You must remain calm."_

 _"I am trying,"_ he told her, but still felt he was on the verge of panicking. Ghyath's passcode nudged the back of his mind, but Shukri initially dismissed it. _He cannot live. No one with any intelligence would give him a chance to fight back. He is better off than the rest_ _of us._

Shukri wracked his brain, but honestly couldn't remember the five or six additional passcodes which had been created. He swallowed deeply, dreading telling his mate and friends that he couldn't help them. Again, the particular phrase Ghyath had chosen lit through his mind, and the elohim threw up his hands in frustration. " _Neh di Taij-Kliaa pahi xi jehce!_ *" he shouted, merely to expel the words from his head. (May the Light-Bringer draw you near)

" _Passcode acknowledged. Would you like to perform the system reset?"_

Shukri was too stunned to respond at once. " _I_... _no, Computer! Deactivate cell numbers 136, 137, 138, 139 and 140!"_ His hands went to the bars encasing him, and he laughed when the door gave way easily with a tug.

" _Shukri, you did it!"_ Aalok was the first to follow his example, and very nearly bowled him over in his excitement.

The elohim gripped the youth's shoulders firmly and focused on his gold-rimmed eyes. _"I need you to stay calm, Aalok. We are not out of here yet. We have to be absolutely silent and avoid being seen by anyone."_

Shukri swept by the other two older Ruairi's cells, flinging open their doors as he passed. By the time he arrived at Chirayu's prison, the door was ajar, but she'd barely moved within.

 _"Is this a trick?"_ she wondered. _"Can it be real?"_

Shukri nodded while entering her cell. His arms instantly went around his mate, and the crystal softness of her wings enveloped him in return. " _We have nothing to lose, even if it is. You heard the passcode which worked, did you not? There is a chance you will need it again."_

 _"Why do I need to remember it when we have you?"_

 _"I want you to go ahead of me,"_ he explained. _"I have to try and reach the terrapins."_

Nabhi snagged the sleeve of his tunic. _"Their lock-down is surely heavier than ours."_

 _"I am sure it is, but I now have a measure of control over the system."_

 _"And what if the power comes back?"_ Madhu demanded.

Shukri looked between the Ruairi, then back at his mate. _"Then there will be nothing more I can do, which is why you have to move_ now _."_

 _"I admire your compassion, Banrif, but this is a mighty risk,"_ Aalok added.

" _I agree, which is why I said I would go alone."_

 _"You are not going alone,"_ Chirayu insisted. _"I am not letting you out of my sight again."_

Shukri caught her wrist and drew the elohim woman closer to him. " _Elweis and Catani need you."_

 _"They need us both, but more importantly, the Vagari must be stopped. I know they cannot be allowed to continue using the terrapins."_

He gave his mate a severe look to deter her, but the one she returned with was harder than his. Wilting, he cast another glance to the three Ruairi. " _You can still run ahead of us."_

Nabhi bowed his head. _"Run where, Shukri? We do not know Central the way you do. What can we accomplish without your help?"_

 _"We are in this together,"_ Madhu agreed. " _But maybe we ought to locate some weapons."_

Shukri managed a small smile in spite of the nerves rocketing through his frame. He went straight toward the small booth, whose door was being attacked by a figure who appeared to be locked in. The elohim casually waved to the Nopf within, and reached for a seamless panel to the right of the entrance. With a swipe of two fingers, he revealed a reader strip, and applied his thumbprint.

The strip flashed white, and the panel automatically retracted into the wall. He peered into the compartment and removed the two energy rifles hidden within. Shukri eyed the Ruairi judiciously before handing the first of the guns to his mate.

" _The goal is not to create a fuss_ ," he warned the others, knowing it was unnecessary to explain to Chirayu. He then handed off the second rifle to Madhu.

Nabhi went to his side. " _Are you certain you would rather one of us did not handle the other gun as well?_ "

Chirayu tossed a high ponytail over her shoulder with a scoff. " _Thank you for the offer, ruairi, but you know one of the Brayliq* is quite capable with such a thing."_ She pointed to the enraged guard. _"Can he break out of there, Shukri?"_ (honor guard)

The elohim shook his head. " _It is reinforced specifically for their protection, but since they are locked out of the controls, it can also serve as his cell. Let us leave this place, quickly."_

Despite the need for haste, Shukri hesitated a moment upon reaching the hall.

 _"Do you know where the terrapins are?"_ Nabhi asked.

 _"I know the location of the most secure bunkers, and that is where we will find them."_

 _"Can the computer give you any more information about our enemies?"_ Chirayu suggested. _"It would not hurt to ask."_

 _"A failure of this magnitude forces the Crystal Network to go down. That eliminates surveillance to tap into. Transporters may still be functioning, but it would be risky to use them. If the power phases any worse, they could be knocked out as well. We are better off taking the stairs, though it will slow us down."_

 _"If we get caught, we will not be able to help anyone,"_ Aalok pointed out. _"Running while we have the chance may be the best hope we have."_

 _"Then all of the Ruairi need to go. I am not stopping you!"_ Shukri encouraged

 _"We need each other."_ The teenager attempted to sound diplomatic, rather than terrified. _"I am not opposed to helping anyone else, but do we have time to complete this mission?"_

 _"I do not know how much time we have, so..."_ Shukri trailed off at the sound of an approaching transporter. The elohim bolted around the corner and flattened against the wall, wishing now for a weapon of his own. He'd given up the first to Chirayu, knowing she was a much better shot between them. However, the overwhelming desire to protect his mate made him want to shove _her_ safely back in the corner.

Madhu stood stock-still with gun poised, and Chirayu was across the hall from him, having partially taken cover behind a half wall flanking an abandoned security station. Shukri mentally pleaded with the ruairi not to expose himself too quickly. _But I specifically chose to arm him because he is the most even-tempered._ The impetuous nature of the young ruairi in particular made him a greater risk in battle.

The transporter halted, but the occupants didn't exit at once. The delay gave time for greater nerves to crush Shukri's chest. _We did not get out only to go back where we came from. I should have taken the time to find a couple more guns._ The elohim briefly considered slipping down the hall to search for additional reserves, but he couldn't leave everyone without saying a word. _We_ need _more arms. I knew this was not going to be easy, but I did not expect to be found so fast..._

Shukri cringed when a gun went off, knowing it was Chirayu's based on the direction from which it originated. Madhu's lit up right after her, but the firepower which returned was greater by far.

The elohim knew better than to try peering around the corner. The multitude of footsteps indicated how badly they were outnumbered. Shukri wished he had given his mate and Madhu instructions for a last resort if they were cornered, but it was a little late to try now. _I honestly believed this was our chance...and it seems to have failed. El, please let them kill us quickly. I would much rather we die here than be subject to whatever testing is to come in the next few days. It will end in death either way._

Shukri was tempted to run directly into laser fire, but his legs didn't cooperate with the urge. He couldn't see Chirayu, and wasn't sure if it was because she was hiding, or had been hit.

"Chirayu!" he bellowed over the gunfire.

A pale hand shot up from behind the half-wall, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief right before pounding feet swept down the corridor, and he found himself staring down the barrel of an enraged vagari.

 _"Get on your feet!"_ the Nopf demanded.

He stared up at the sentry silently, contemplating forcing the vagari to shoot him.

" _There are worse ways you and your mate can die_ ," the gunman threatened. " _Do you honestly want to hear them?_ "

Shukri had no chance to answer, as a bolt of laser fire narrowly missed the vagari's head. His attacker sprang to the side with disappointing reflexes, and darted back to capture the elohim by the collar. The vagari dragged him upright and braced his gun against his temple.

" _Drop your weapon, now!_ " the Nopf commanded the woman.

" _Chirayu, go!_ " Shukri called out. " _It will be all right. You go!_ " He could barely see the top of her ponytail quiver, but knew in his heart she wouldn't listen to him.

" _Up on your feet!_ " his captor ordered her.

Shukri's eyes shifted, searching for the Ruairi. His spirit sank upon fixing on Madhu's unmoving form splayed face-down in the middle of the hall, the multifaceted feathers of his wings trampled. The elohim wanted to rail at the Nopf nearly choking him with his grip, and also wanted to urge his mate to run once more, but no words came out that time.

 _"Throw it down!"_ The sentry punctuated the statement by tapping the gun harder against Shukri's head.

Chirayu rose from her cover, but didn't let go of her gun. Shukri made eye contact with the woman, silently requesting that she shoot him before the vagari had the chance to put him back in prison. _But making her kill me would be extremely detrimental for her spirit. It will do less damage if I force the vagari's hand instead._

Shukri struggled against his assailant in spite of the barrel, fighting to either break the vagari's grip of his collar, or push his enemy to shoot him outright. The Nopf cursed and rammed the butt of his gun over his forehead so hard, darkness pulled at the fringe of his vision while he pitched to the ground.

Amidst the buzzing in his ears, Shukri was vaguely aware of a terrible commotion that made him sick to his stomach. _I knew they would not kill me so easily, but as for the others, I led them to their deaths. I suppose it is more merciful this way, but I wish I could have joined them..._

A shout from the vagari standing over him sharpened the elohim's mind slightly, but the remaining fog still left him dizzy when he lifted his head. Upon hands clasping him under the arms, he desperately tried to fight the Nopf off again.

"Shukri!"

The voice stopped him in his tracks and left the elohim limp while someone rolled him over. A sob tore from his throat when he focused on the familiar face hovering inches from him.

Ghyath dropped to his knees at once, throwing muscular arms around him. _"I thought you were dead, brother!"_

Shukri couldn't find his voice yet, but words were unnecessary while he hung onto to his friend. The embrace lasted all of a few seconds before the sound of violent blows registered in the elohim's ears, and he jerked his head sideways. His eyes widened upon the sight of two creatures moving so fast, his beleaguered mind barely registered the terrapins. " _What are they doing?_ "

Ghyath chuckled, and it was the most incredible sound Shukri had heard in weeks. " _Our terrapin friends have been restricted for a while. I thought they could stand to enjoy themselves."_

Shukri's view of the thrashing being meted out against remaining sentries was suddenly blocked by his mate dashing to join them. Ghyath withdrew as the woman collapsed at his side.

 _"Do not let me catch you fighting a gunman that way, not ever again!"_ she said fiercely.

"You _would have fought back."_

 _"That is beside the point!"_

Shukri's body went slack with the laugh that resonated deeply in his chest.

 _"We need to get him up,"_ Ghyath urged apologetically. " _We must go before the storm is over, and our chance is lost."_

Both Ghyath and Chirayu gripped one of his shoulders, and Shukri took a moment to assess his balance.

 _"I would say our chances are much greater since you have come, my friend,"_ Shukri stated firmly.

Ghyath grinned back at him. " _I have very little to do with this advantage, but I will not hesitate to use every opportunity which presents itself. It is good to have you back, Shukri."_

 _"And much better to have you."_

 _"We can argue about that later, Shukri. For now, I am satisfied to call it a tie."_


	75. Trust

Ghyath's senses were on overload. He'd had a feeling that resetting the passcode wouldn't succeed in containing all their enemies, but didn't expect to arrive upon an assault in progress. He was also deeply saddened by the deaths of two Ruairi. _But the time to grieve is not now. I cannot afford to be distracted when we are still in so much danger. In fact, there is one more step I ought to take before we do anything else._

 _"Computer! I want you to shut down all transporters,"_ he directed.

 _"Authorization required,"_ the automated voice returned.

" _Neh di Taij-Kliaa pahi xi jehce."_

 _"Request acknowledged."_

"What are you saying?" Charlotte asked on his right.

"I told the computer to turn off the elevators. Hopefully we can avoid some encounters that way."

"Will it not also take us longer to escape?" Aalok was impatient.

"We have already established that the transporters are too risky to use," Shukri insisted. "We could become stuck if the power chose to fall further. We are better off without them." The elohim sounded a bit haggard, but his expression was determined. Ghyath tried to shake off his own lingering concern for him.

Tim appeared without warning on Ghyath's other side. "How much control do you have?"

"That is a complicated question, terrapin," he admitted, looking to Shukri for explanation.

"Under the normal operating system, the voice recognition and our passcodes were rendered useless." Shukri told him. "The only thing we currently control are the _secondary_ processors, which were designed as a fail-safe. So long as the strain on the power remains, the secondary will operate in the primary position. When the electricity is restored, the advantage will disappear."

"Then we need to blow the Hotel California instead of standing around talking about it!" Charlotte declared.

Ghyath snorted softly at the baffled looks the purple-masked young one received from Tariq and Aalok. He no more understood what she meant than they, but was accustomed to the random things which flew out of the terrapins' mouths.

"Agreed," he said, carefully hiding any sign of amusement lest Charlotte think he wasn't taking her seriously. "I know exactly where we need to go, but it will take trust on your part." Ghyath nodded meaningfully toward his new friends. "We are heading below."

This time he didn't wait for the others agreement, but started moving down the corridor which would eventually dead-end into the Qif.

Aalok sped up to try and match his longer strides. " _You want to go deeper underground? I know you must have some plan, but that makes no sense_."

" _That is why I said you must trust me_." The elohim sent a glance over his shoulder to confirm everyone was following, and then continued forward.

The others lapsed into a silence for which Ghyath was grateful. He didn't mind answering questions, but their attention was more valuable dedicated to watching for danger. _Enemies are everywhere. Some of them are contained behind locked doors, but as evidenced, there are still those that are free to roam. They cannot organize yet without the Crystal Network, but it does not make them less deadly._

 _"_ Rynn*." Chirayu was so quiet behind him, he took no notice of her until she spoke. " _Will there be enough electricity for the tram? I fear time is of the essence_." (Commander)

He nodded. " _They also run off battery by design. Once we reach the depths of the Qif, we can be out within the hour_."

" _We will need help_ ," she said thoughtfully.

" _It possesses a built in communicator which does not access the Crystal Network. It may take a few minutes to raise someone, but I am confident they will hear us_."

" _Are you also confident of this vagari_?" Chirayu whispered.

Ghyath turned his head to face her. _"Do you think he would be with us if I was not_?"

" _It is an awful risk to take_."

" _Were it not for him, I would not be here, Chirayu. I will not say he is one of us yet, or even that his life is surrendered to El_ -"

" _Rynn, that does not make me feel better."_

" _But_ ," he added reproachfully. " _His heart is heading in the right direction_."

" _Is it enough_?"

" _El confirmed him. That is good enough for me_."

She released a shaky breath. " _All right, Rynn. I trust in El, and I also trust in you."_

He smiled back at the woman. " _I did not create this opportunity, Chirayu, nor did it ever cross my mind. You can be encouraged that_ none _of this was my doing."_

" _I should know better than to question you_."

 _"No leader can expect blind trust, and neither do I. But if you place your faith in El, you will have no reason to doubt the events of this evening, or those who take part in them."_

 _"You speak truthfully. I thank El they did not kill you, Rynn._ Everyone _thought you were dead."_

 _"It was the Vaga's wish for them to think so. I am sure I would have eventually been made an example of, if not for the grace and providence of El_." Ghyath paused for a moment from continuing. He wanted information on everything that had happened in his absence, but it didn't seem like the time for long stories. Instead, he focused on the person he was most concerned for. _"What of Bahri? Did they get to him? Do you know if he still lives?"_

Chirayu looked away. " _No one can say for certain. He_ was _taken, and transported off the planet. It is our belief the Vagari wanted him alive for the information he may be able to provide."_

The news sent ripples of both rage and anxiety across the calm surface of Ghyath's psyche, and he had to strain for a few seconds to get it under control. _Bahri would not willingly help them, so the question of where he is now or what may be happening must remain unanswered for this time. I have to focus on this place and our escape._

The flickering of brighter overhead lights made Ghyath pull up short and call out to Shukri. "What does that mean? Are they gaining more power?"

"We are running out of time!" his old friend replied. "We have to hurry."

"The Qif is not far," Ghyath insisted, and snapped back into a jog.

 _"Computer – can you direct any of the existing energy cells to reinforce your secondary mainframe?"_ Shukri requested.

 _"Stabilizing at 80%. Remaining margin is dedicated to life-saving apparatus. Would you prefer to recalculate?"_

 _"No,"_ Shukri said quickly. _"Keep the last reserve for the hospital, but if more power becomes available, I want you to lock on."_

"What are you doing?" Charlotte prodded.

"I am trying to grasp more of the power grid as it becomes available. We will not be able to hold onto it for long, but it could afford us a few extra minutes to escape," Shukri answered.

"We are nearly there," Ghyath said over his shoulder. "We need only pass through that door. We have several flights to descend upon reaching the Qif, but it is a straight journey down."

"It has to be the Qif?"

The elohim hesitated at the shaky quality of the blue-masked terrapin's voice, and found Tim had stopped altogether. "Yes. I am sure you have seen it before, but we will not have to linger..." He didn't finish the statement because of the shudder that took the young one.

"I can't, I—I can't do this..." Tim stammered, backpedaling from the group.

"Tim, it's gonna be okay," Charlotte assured him. "It won't be like before. This is completely different."

"Charlotte, I _can't!_ "

"Itoko, you _have_ to! The only alternatives are to stay here or try escaping another way, that we don't know any better than this one. You said it yourself – we're in over our heads. We have to trust somebody else, so you've got to bite the bullet and go through with this. I know it's hard, but it'll be over before you know it, and you'll never have to see that place again. So c'mon!"

The only effect her desperate speech had on the blue-masked terrapin was to feed into the anxiety already contorting his features. Tim backed against the wall and appeared to be shrinking inside himself to avoid her. "You don't get it, _I can't!_ "

His cousin latched onto his arm with sudden ferocity. "If I have to beat your shell to get through to you, I'll do it!"

Ghyath went toward them rapidly. "That will not be necessary." He inserted himself neatly between the pair, though Charlotte fought his effort to separate them. He was loathe to use strength against her, but had to be firm. "You are not helping," the elohim told her quietly. "Let me try something else."

"You don't know what happened there," she retorted accusingly.

"I do not need to. Please give your cousin room to breathe."

Charlotte backed off a couple feet with a loud huff, which Ghyath ignored. He gave his attention to the blue-masked terrapin instead.

"Young one. It is my duty and honor to protect you and your cousin. I will do it to the best of my ability. I would rather not cause you undue stress, but our options are few. The best chance for escape lies in the secret tunnel at the bottom of the Qif. I can see it causes you considerable distress, but perhaps if we do this together, it will not be as bad."

"I haven't...they didn't take me that way again, not after I..." Tim finished with another shudder. "Shell, I'm glad my dad's not here."

Ghyath saw the shame combining with Tim's terror, but cutting off Charlotte's anxious entreaty had succeeded in calming him slightly. The elohim couldn't account for the powerful presence which invaded _his_ frame when Tim had first offered up his hand, but he was slowly gathering the intense sensitivity the young one harbored. _If I can redirect his energy toward something positive, it could make this experience more bearable._

"If your father was here now, he would embrace you, terrapin," Ghyath said firmly. "But he is not. So in Leonardo's stead, I dedicate myself to help in any way I can." He tentatively cast an arm over his shell. "We will do it together."

The young one focused on him with difficulty. "You might end up with a complete breakdown on your hands."

"Let us not think of that, Tim, but of hope that lies on the other side of darkness." Ghyath hooked an arm through his. "Come, terrapin. We are all with you."

The first two steps were the hardest; Ghyath read the strain in terrapin's face, as though crossing to the platform on the other side of the entryway signified Hell itself. The elohim gave him a moment to collect himself, and felt the youth grip his arm harder.

"I'm sorry," Tim said faintly.

"You do not have to be. We will take it one step at a time, and when you are ready, we will pick up speed."

"It won't work. Charlotte's right, we need to run _now._ You ought to just knock me out."

"I would rather you have the chance to witness hope when it appears, after all you have already been through."

"It's ridiculous," the terrapin murmured, but began forcing one foot in front of the other. "All the training in the world means nothing in the face of this stupid fear."

"Courage is not the absence of fear, young one. It is the ability, and the choice you make, to act in spite of it. You are being extraordinarily brave, and I respect you for it."

Tim snorted, and the sound gave the elohim reason for relief. "That's something my dad would say."

"I concur with you, terrapin. He was the one who first told me that, many years ago." Ghyath felt dark eyes studying him, and glanced over at Tim upon reaching the next landing. "What is it?"

"What were you afraid of?"

"I did not believe I could ever be good enough, terrapin. I can recall the conversation now, as clearly as the day it happened. It was not the first time your father brought it up."

Tim's breathing became heavier for a few seconds, before settling down once more. "He's persistent, Ghyath."

"He certainly is, and I had no choice but to listen. The hours we spent forging his Arsiterite blades are something I would never take back, though I hardly dared to believe him at the time."

"Why were you afraid?" Tim asked once more.

"El forgave my entire past, young one, but it was not sufficient in my mind. There was a part of me which could not entirely let go of the things I had done. I still felt largely weak and powerless. The Nalikjan were in dire need of leadership, but I considered myself neither good enough nor strong enough to accept the urge laid upon my spirit.

"Leonardo saw it inside me, but no matter how he encouraged my heart, I could not bring myself to move beyond my past."

"Then when did you _stop_ being afraid?"

"No one ever stops being afraid completely, Tim. My initial decision was cast in a moment when the future of the Nalikjan and all of our lives were in jeopardy. I can recall asking El for more faith many times, and feeling nothing in return. It made no sense. Why would He not want to help me do what He wished me to perform?

"We were cut off by Overlords, hopelessly outnumbered, and unable to save ourselves. With our entire population on the verge of destruction, that was the time when El revealed the essence of faith to me. The ability to do the impossible does not rest on how _much_ faith one has, but where the faith is set.

"With but a small amount of real trust in El, what is wholly improbable, completely out of our reach, becomes possible. Not as a result of our belief being so strong, but because of the One in whom we believe. That is where hope lies, young one. Such hope is one of the only things which is stronger than fear.

"If you can remove your eyes from where we are and trust in what lies on the other side, you will realize it too. I have no doubt of that. From the instant you took my hand, I sensed the gift inside you. You are one who sees."

"More like one who _feels_ , whether I want to or not," he grumbled.

"It is still a choice, though it may not seem like one," Ghyath replied. "Just as you made the decision to willingly step foot in this place which has meant nothing but horror for you. You have chosen to believe in the escape which exists beyond it."

"Are we going to make it?"

Ghyath knew how difficult the question was for the terrapin to ask, and didn't hesitate from answering. "We _will_ make it, young one; not because we are strong or particularly clever. We were granted an open door this night, and we only have to be bold enough to walk through it. We are well on our way."


	76. Under

***My apologies for the long wait. The difficult mind frame I am already in was further complicated by another family crisis. Truthfully, I'm also disappointed in myself. The point of writing/venting was to find healing, and I haven't. Talking about it isn't doing any good either, so I will leave off there...and pick up where things were left.**

* * *

Charlotte was irritated about being separated from Tim when he was clearly traumatized, but she couldn't deny the calming effect of their leader. She begrudgingly accepted her place toward the back of the group, and alternated between studying the ruairi and the elohim woman. The bird-like features of the new alien and novelty of coming in contact with another strong female warrior in what was obviously a patriarchal society was a distraction from the problem marching _behind_ her.

The teen couldn't bring herself to trust the vagari Nopf called Tariq, no matter how much Ghyath seemed to. _If Tim is this comfortable with their Rynn it ought to tell me something, but it doesn't make me feel great about having an enemy breathing down my shell._

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, but every small sound and flicker of the lights had her paranoid about the power being restored. They'd been descending through the Qif for what _felt_ like forever, and the purple-masked turtle prayed the end was almost in sight.

"How much further?" Charlotte requested of those in front of her.

Chirayu looked back briefly. "By my estimate, we have roughly half a dozen flights to go."

 _I suppose traveling down is a lot easier than going up, even if it feels like suicide. I guess we're a lot closer to home than I imagined._

Charlotte's sharp gaze landed on the lean figure of the ruairi, who hadn't stopped hugging the newly acquired weapon to his chest like a security blanket. _I can't really blame him, considering what he's probably been through, along with the fear of what would happen if we get caught. Which we're not going to._ She was tempted to drill the others for more information, but Charlotte didn't want to give them any reason to slow down.

It was impossible to describe the relief which flooded upon seeing the bottom of the massive structure, but she didn't take the time to relish it. Instead, the teen slipped in between Aalok and Chirayu to get closer to Tim.

She stared at her cousin judiciously under the low lighting. His pronounced shudder illustrated how shaky he remained. It moved Charlotte to grasp his free hand, while the other remained wound around the elohim's arm like a lifeline. Her cousin jolted at her sudden appearance, but then sent her a concerned look.

"It's okay, itoko," she assured him. "It's almost over. Isn't it?" Charlotte directed to Ghyath.

The alien nodded firmly. "You will be able to relax completely soon."

She held Ghyath's golden eyes for several seconds. _I have to trust him. No choice now._

Her breath caught upon setting foot on the ground floor, to what appeared to be a single narrowing passage with a dead end. Somewhat alarmed, the purple-masked teen rapidly searched right and left. "What is this? It can't be it."

"It is not," Ghyath told her, then glanced at Tim. "Terrapin, I will need both my hands for this part. Your cousin is still beside you."

She sensed Tim's disappointment in separating from him, but the small smile her cousin sent her made Charlotte feel better. They huddled side-by-side and were soon joined by the others while Ghyath crouched close to the floor.

By that point, her adrenaline was pumping so hard, the sudden halt at the bottom of Qif was almost unbearable. She felt like pacing, but the limited space wouldn't permit it. It also didn't allow her to avoid the vagari, who was silently watching her and Tim.

In two seconds time she shifted from feeling entirely impatient to protectively glaring back at the alien. He loosely grasped a rifle at his side, but Charlotte still would have tried to tackle him with very little incentive.

"Charlie," Tim hissed, gaining her attention back from the stranger.

Charlotte looked over, and was surprised by the opening which now existed where once were seamless floor tiles.

"Terrapins, quickly!" she heard Shukri urge behind them.

Her heartbeat increased within an instant, but the way Tim nodded at her caused Charlotte to follow his example. Lowering herself through the entrance enveloped the teen in the blackest darkness she'd ever experienced. _And that's coming from someone who grew up underground._

The next elohim to drop through the opening into the tunnel struck something on the ground, and a light sparked from within a short rod in her hands. Charlotte was fascinated by the way the entire pole shimmered, and grinned when Chirayu tossed it to her, then ignited a second rod the same way.

Tim stretched a hand to touch the glowing object which emitted no heat, but cast a beautiful brilliance in the crevice of the passageway.

"Shukri, will you work on the tram?" Ghyath requested. "I am going to shut the door, and dig out one of the communicators."

Shukri and Chirayu carried their own light the opposite direction, illuminating a streamlined craft which resembled something only slightly larger than a luge. Charlotte was caught up in trying to get a better look at the machine, and took no notice of what was happening behind her until Ghyath called out.

"Tariq, what are you doing?"

She whirled, prepared for a fight, only to find the vagari holding a smaller gun to his own head.

"I dare not go any further, Ghyath. I...I can rest secure, knowing you will make it to safety."

Ghyath shook his head slowly while he cautiously advanced. "The intention is that we would _all_ make it, Tariq. Put the gun down."

"There is no place for me anywhere. I can't go back, and I don't want to. But there is also no room for me with your kind, Ghyath. Let me finish now, with what dignity I have left."

"It is pride that would choose to take your own life," the elohim countered. "I ask you not to do this, Tariq. We did not get through everything for you to end it here."

"Where can I go? I am neither one thing nor the other. At worst, I'm deserter and murderer. At best...a puppet who has cut his own strings."

"None of those things are who you _are_ ," Ghyath corrected. "I know how you feel, Tariq. You have heard the background I come from. I did unspeakable things in the name of the Overlords. When I first found the Light, I hardly wanted it to envelope me. I was afraid to be seen for all that I was, every evil act and flaw revealed by its dazzling brilliance. But the purpose was not to destroy me, any more than it will destroy you.

"Yes...it will illuminate things you do not want to think about or acknowledge. But it will also change you from the inside out, if you let it."

" _Your_ people will never accept me. They will not want me near them."

"Tariq, we came from the same place where you were. We are all woven together under the same problem of inner darkness. But you must decide to take the next step. The Light exists, and its transforming power can alter your life. However, without cooperation, you will go nowhere. You do not have to give up, Tariq. You can choose to go on, with us."

The vagari's hand shook while he lowered the gun, but he didn't move toward them. "I don't belong with you."

Ghyath smoothly closed the gap and claimed the weapon from his grasp. "For most of my life, I heard the same voice now speaking to you inside my own head. It tells you hope cannot exist for someone like you. You have done too many things wrong. Perhaps you can redeem yourself through sacrifice, but you could never _really_ be good enough to live in the Light."

Tariq hung his head, but didn't shy away from Ghyath's arm.

"My friend," Ghyath said gently. "As my flask was never emptied but constantly renewed, the love of El will never run out. That which you felt once before is not already lessened by any means."

"It was for you – the miracle was yours," Tariq returned.

"I bless El for His providence, Tariq, but the miracle was for _you_. Do not throw away hope when it is offered. I cannot promise this will be easy, but you are not going through it alone."

Charlotte found herself caught up in the conversation, and dearly wanted to know what "miracle" they were discussing. It didn't feel like the appropriate time to interrupt, so she made a mental note to ask the elohim later.

"The tram is operational," Shukri offered from the outskirts, blissfully unaware of what he'd missed.

"Good," Ghyath replied, casually prodding Tariq to join the rest of them. "I will send a transmission before we depart, and hopefully assistance will be roused by the time we reach the other side."

Charlotte stuck by Tim while approaching the "tram", and warily watched Shukri demonstrate how to enter the individual compartments. The space seemed tight for the alien, but because of the size difference with the Elohim, the teen recognized she and her cousin would have more room.

 _You okay,_ she mouthed to Tim.

The blue-masked turtle nodded, and looked at Ghyath. "Will it take a long time?"

"If we were walking the tunnel, it would take hours. This mode of transportation should have us out in about forty minutes. There is a possibility of being forced to wait for someone to arrive when we reach the exit, but we retain the option to be hidden. Are you ready to leave?"

Charlotte didn't feel sure about anything involving a race she'd only heard of through stories. _But I can't afford to be picky. So ready or not, here we go._

* * *

Leonardo's eyes roved over the newcomers, lingering first on the ethereal figures with whom he was familiar. His gaze fixed much longer on the powerfully built, yet more subtle forms of the Legatus. When he stared at Liran, the alien returned eye contact with open curiosity.

The blue-masked turtle's keen senses couldn't detect any underlying threat within his demeanor, but it didn't explain why the third faction of the defunct Annunaki had gotten involved.

"Bahri, are you going to help us out here?" Leo requested.

The elohim had been conversing almost nonstop with Alarid and Ghysis in their own tongue ever since the military had pulled back.

"Forgive me, Leonardo." Bahri looked embarrassed to have been ignoring them.

"It's all right – I know you need to catch up. But the rest of us would like some understanding too. Will you help me ask some questions please?"

"We should sit down," the elohim suggested. "I myself was not prepared for some of which they already shared."

"We want to hear it," Leonardo assured him. "But there's something else we need to know first. Namely, why are the Legatus here? I know they accidentally intercepted your message, but why did they choose to get personally involved?"

Bahri nodded to acknowledge the question, and then turned to Liran to (hopefully) repeat it in their tongue. Leo studied the alien carefully while he replied. It was impossible to understand him, but with any luck he still might be able to detect whether he was being truthful.

Liran spoke longer than the blue-masked turtle expected, not giving Bahri a chance to relay anything. From the elohim's expression, it was clear their friend was digesting information.

"We will have to slow down to be more effective," Bahri explained to the circle. "To begin, I will sum up the story he told me, and from this point on, I will repeat what he says word for word. Liran tells me that he first reached out to the Nalikjan roughly a year ago, as your time is measured on Earth. He requested a conference with leadership, and Ghyath chose to speak to him alone.

"His intention, Liran said, was to address the rift between brothers, and discuss the impending threat of the Vagari's dominion. His first mission was to fill in existing gaps in the Elohim's history, which he only discovered after speaking to Ghyath for some length."

"Why do the gaps matter?" Raphael interjected. "I mean, it's your history and all, but what does it have to do with us?"

Bahri opened his mouth to speak, but then hesitated. "I have my own answer, but it is probably more important to hear _his_." He inclined his head toward Liran and fired off the turtle's inquiry.

The time, his counterpart's reply was shorter, allowing Bahri opportunity to interpret portions gradually.

"Liran says that their history is an important factor in determining what the Vagari are going to do, and _why_ they are doing it. Their actions have already directly impacted us, and will soon encompass the entire human race, as it has many others. Their motivation gives understanding, which in turn, will help us make better choices. From what he has told me, the significance behind the reason our race split to begin with is greater than any records showed."

"But it wasn't that long ago," Don pointed out. "Five hundred years is nothing compared to the vastness of time, and your own people live over half that long. How could such vital events be skewed in the span of a generation?"

"Because you are dealing with Overlords, Donatello," Bahri answered. "It would seem in the quest for perfection, Abeiron forced others to cover up and eliminate that which would not fit in with his views."

"But how do you know they're telling the truth?" Brandon ventured. "Are we supposed to take their word for it?"

Bahri nodded to his fellow Elohim. "Legatus did not approach without compelling evidence which _they_ have already seen, and Liran tells me he shared it with Ghyath as well. I can perform my own study, but based on what we have discussed, I would tend to trust him."

"What's the significance?" Leo pressed on. "Why did the Annunaki disband? It wasn't because three brothers wanted different things?"

"At the core, their difference in opinions is what separated them, but the dramatic events behind the fissure was the largest omission," Bahri replied, and looked at Liran to continue. After a few moments, he took over again.

"The Annunaki were a self-sufficient race, largely concerned with their own people, and the preservation of the planet they lovingly tended. Though they possessed the ability to travel the universes, they chose to remain close to home, and avoided outsiders. But there were two planets within their star system who were at odds with one another, to the point of increasing violence.

"The Annunaki stayed out of their disagreement and attempted to ignore their presence altogether. That was until their planet was caught within the warring ones nuclear crossfire."

"What happened to them?" Kamryn asked.

"Three quarters of the world was devastated, and the population cut in half during the aftermath," Bahri said slowly. "Of those that remained, another 500,000 died from complications in the days and months which followed." The elohim took a shaky breath and paused for several seconds, during which no one tried to ask him anything else.

"The decision to move on was made more out of necessity than choice," he finally continued. "But the idea of where they would go or the next action to take divided the Elohim, Vagari, and Legatus. The most popular of opinions involved a counter strike against the planets who caused the disaster."

"How could they take on two planets?" Mike wondered. "They have some extra special nukes of their own?"

Bahri said something to Liran, and waited for his response. "No. They detest chemical weapons of every variety, and their harmful impact on the environment. For that purpose, they would never employ such means, even against an enemy. In the case of those two worlds, the Annunaki's military mobilized their own effective response: a combination of pandemic, and the use of the elemental disperser. They utilized 'natural' disasters to decimate their civilizations first, and the following diseases took care of the rest. It is the same method they have employed across the galaxies for the last few centuries."

Marcus raised a hand tentatively. "They killed everyone? A lot of those people had to be innocent bystanders. They weren't responsible for destroying the Annunaki's planet or the war itself."

Bahri interpreted his statement for Liran, who nodded gravely. "This is where a difference of opinions was formed. Legatus was vehemently opposed to the attacks as a whole, while those belonging to who would become the Overlords wished to avoid conflict altogether.

"But the militia was not satisfied with destroying the races which had done so much damage to the Annunaki. In their mind, it was not enough to deal only with those who directly harmed them. With the elation of victory and success of defeating their enemies soundly, their scope widened, and their mission unfolded.

"While Legatus wanted to rebuild elsewhere and Elohim desired to improve what remained, the Vagari were inspired to go on the offensive. They made plans to travel and search out the civilizations who used such dangerous weapons. The goal became to eliminate them before their scope of power threatened Nature and the universe itself."

Bahri stared at the ground for a long moment. "Our own records remembered the Vagari as violent, blood-thirsty savages who desired dominion over all forms of life. It was said they were concerned only with power, desiring to control as much territory as possible. But the picture I have obtained from Liran is somewhat different."

"Why does it matter?" Raphael huffed.

"The motivation of why a person acts in such a manner will determine how far they are willing to go to obtain said goals," Bahri replied. "In the Vagari's minds, they are on a righteous mission to eradicate any civilization who has discovered the use of nuclear technology. It is rare for them to interfere with a class one planet, unless its people are deemed particularly foolhardy. But the moment they reach the second level of classification, they are considered worthy of death."

"What do the classifications mean?" Donny spoke up.

Bahri turned to Liran, and exchanged a couple sentences with him. "A class one indicates a planet which is 'innocent' in the eyes of the Vagari, and poses no viable threat. The discovery of the heart of an atom results in a world jumping to the second category.

"A class three planet, such as yours, is one who has both implemented nuclear technology and gained the ability to leave the atmosphere. A class four would encompass a world which has attained both chemical weapons, and the power to travel vast distances through space. Anything beyond the innocence of a class one planet is considered provocation for the Vagari to intervene."

"How will they act?" Leonardo forced himself to ask. "We've already seen their elemental disperser in action once. Are they going to kick up disasters? Release the plagues? What's their first objective?"

" _You_ are their objective," Alarid told him. "Our information is sadly limited, but we have been able to funnel some key pieces of intelligence out of Central. There is something in the dunamis gene-"

"The what?" Luke interrupted.

"Dunamis," the elohim repeated. "The gene which was implanted in Donatello's twins, which you _alone_ possess the ability to reproduce. We do not know what they want it for, but have heard it can be twisted for extremely devastating results.

"The elemental dispersers produce a side effect of destruction to planets which the Vagari do not prefer, but have been forced to compromise with. Moving forward, they would rather concentrate on dunamis, which for whatever reason, is somehow more deadly than the pandemics they have previously used."

The blue-masked turtle exploded from his seat. "WHAT are they doing with our kids?!"

"We do not know," Alarid answered tightly. "But the fate of many more depends on the Vagari not getting their hands on _you_."


	77. Quiet

"Tim."

The blue-masked turtle startled awake with a violent jerk, to find the hatch to his "tram" open, and a tall figure standing over him. He didn't remember nodding off, though he recalled fighting to keep his eyes open.

Ghyath crouched down closer to the ground. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Just tired. Haven't been sleeping much."

The elohim beckoned him to come out. "You deserve the rest, but it will have to continue elsewhere."

Tim got to his feet slowly and immediately glanced around to locate his cousin. Charlotte looked wide awake, and nerves were still radiating off her in waves. _Of course they are. Blindly trusting strangers is never easy, even when they appear to be helping._

The creases in her brow eased slightly when she saw him. "Seems like you got some sleep."

"Not on purpose," he admitted. "But I could handle a lot more. Did we make it to the other side? It still looks really dark."

"That is because we are concealing ourselves," Ghyath explained. "Though, I have good news for you. I received word back from the Nalikjan, and a transport is going to meet us."

Tim took a sharp breath. "Are we actually safe? Can the Vagari reach us here?"

"There are very few who know about the tunnel, young one. I am certain they will look for you, but nearly positive they will not be able to find us in this place."

"What happens now?" Charlotte asked bluntly. "What will you do with us?"

Ghyath's smile was disarming. "We desire to help, Charlotte. I understand your difficulty in trusting anyone's intentions. I do not know the atrocities you have experienced apart from being ripped away from your family and home, but I mean to demonstrate that you can rely upon me."

"It's gonna take a while," she informed him.

The elohim nodded. "I am patient. At times like these, one must be, or stand the risk of losing their mind entirely."

Charlotte gazed at the alien pensively. "What did the Vagari want with you?"

Ghyath's face fell slightly. "The Vagari are not...how can I say this? Their hearts were once right, though they have since become unbearably twisted. The Vaga Arzhan, he would have preferred my cooperation. He honestly desires to see the Elohim united once more with Vagari, and intended for me to...I believe you might say, bridge the gap?"

"Then why did he want the others to think you were dead?" Charlotte continued.

"Arzhan plays tricks with the mind," Ghyath answered. "I believe the object of removing leadership was a ploy to eradicate the hope of the Nalikjan. Later, 'hope' could be rekindled under the guise of a restored friendship."

"Do you think it would have worked?" the blue-masked turtle ventured. "If you'd gone along with what he wanted, would the Nalikjan follow?"

The elohim shook his head. "No one who knows the Light can be satisfied with darkness. There is no comparison." He paused for a contemplative moment. "Arzhan would have killed me eventually for my refusal, and most likely used it as a lesson to my own people."

Tim felt a pang of intense longing coupled with anxiety while the alien hesitated a few more seconds.

"I was largely ignored," Ghyath finally said. "Denied regular food and water, although I found myself sustained in other ways."

"Who are you worried about?" Tim didn't mean to ask, but the question escaped before he thought it through.

Ghyath looked mildly surprised, but not offended. "A good friend; one of those who evaded the fateful meeting where the Vagari attacked. I never knew what happened to him. Hearing from Chirayu that he was taken by the enemy leaves me with fear of what is being done to him. But as El was with me, I must believe He is with him."

It sounded like the elohim was talking to himself, and Tim took the opportunity to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Where will you take _us?"_

"There are still a few refuges on the planet which remained secretive, for good reason. After the Overlords were defeated the Nalikjan took control, but we did not imprison or kill the Elohim who chose not to embrace the Light. Free will is their right. As long as they committed no hurt to another, they were allowed to live life in peace. But as their loyalty was never given, there remained a need to protect ourselves."

Tim swallowed. "There were Elohim at the Vaga's address. They were just as excited as everyone else."

Ghyath nodded sadly. "You cannot force someone to see or understand the truth. We loved them as much as we were able, but there were many who still rejected any association with us. For that reason, we had alternatives planned in case of revolt. We never knew if they planned to turn on us, but everyone was aware the possibility existed."

"Ghyath!" Shukri's voice carried from the left behind them. "I received another contact. There is a ship in range, and the surrounding sky is clear."

Ghyath smirked faintly. "The Vagari would not expect us to make it this far. I could not have planned this better if I did it myself."

"Did we get lucky then?" Charlotte wondered.

Tim snorted. "Yeah. It was a huge dose of _turtle_ luck, Charlie." To his surprise, Ghyath chuckled too.

"I am familiar with the phrase because of your fathers, but on this night I would lean toward El being the source of our unlikely escape."

Charlotte shifted on her feet. "El is your 'God', right?"

"He is not only our God, Charlotte. He is the Creator of everything, and dwells everywhere."

The purple-masked turtle glanced at Tim. "Then why is any of this happening? Do you realize what they want to do with our genes?"

Shukri trembled out of the corner of Tim's eye. " _I_ know what they plan to do, and Arzhan tried to make me help them."

Tim cast his "co-prisoner" a curious look. "What do you know about dunamis? Why did he want your help?"

The sorrow that overtook the elohim's spirit weighed Tim down in the fraction of an instant. "In my younger days, I served very closely with Yasir."

The news made Charlotte's eyes narrow dangerously. "The one who _started_ all this? Did you help him do it? Were you there when he had my mom-"

"Charlotte." Ghyath quickly stepped in her path to prevent the teen from advancing toward Shukri. "He is in no way responsible for dunamis, what was done to your parents, or what happened to you. By that time, he had already turned his back on the Overlords and only remained at Yasir's side as a spy for the Nalikjan."

"Charlotte, he helped them get out," Tim reminded her. "Don't you remember your dad's story about being the bounty? Both Ghyath and Shukri helped save your mom from Yasir, and you guys."

She trembled, on the verge of tears. "What do you know about the gene?"

"More than I wish I did," the elohim said honestly. "This is perhaps not the time to discuss it, but I will share everything in a better moment."

Charlotte's face hardened again. "I'll hold you to that."

Tim caught her elbow and steered her away from Shukri. "Stop," he hissed softly. "He's not the enemy. None of them are."

The look she returned with was helpless. "You might know that, but I don't."

"Then trust _me._ "

"I do. It's the only reason I followed them to begin with."

Tim squeezed her arm briefly before letting go. "We're gonna be okay, Charlie."

"I hope so, Tim."

* * *

The moment they stepped outside into the cool night air, Tim was in awe of the rapid-fire bursts of light in the atmosphere over their heads. He was so fixated on the beautiful yet terrifying sight, he didn't notice the cruiser sitting a couple yards away until Charlotte nudged him.

Instead of following Ghyath toward the transport, the blue-masked teen focused on the sky again. "What's happening?"

"An electrical storm," the elohim replied. "It is responsible for knocking out the power to Central, although, it seems to be dying."

Tim could only shake his head and wonder what the storm looked like at its peak.

"There's no rain," Charlotte noted.

"Not with this type of charged event, at least, it is not typical," Shukri told her. "We have not had a disturbance of this magnitude in almost two decades."

"We should go," Ghyath urged. "It will take longer to reach our goal than I desire, and I do not want to waste time."

"Why will it take longer?" Charlotte returned. "Because of the storm?"

"We are choosing to stick to the land. Though the storm is abating, the atmosphere will remain active for some time. We will still reach our destination, but not as quickly than if we were flying."

Tim was mildly disappointed by the arrangement, but the craft itself proved fascinating upon closer inspection. He was curious to get a look inside, but when the door opened and someone jumped out, he backpedaled along with Charlotte. The two turtles watched silently while another elohim met Ghyath and Shukri with breathless speech in their own language.

Tim watched the Elohim during the exchange, and instantly felt a burgeoning joy that left him with goosebumps. Ghyath's laughter was deep and free, and the sound seemed to brighten the clinging darkness. The golden-eyed elohim embraced the stranger fondly, and nearly lifted his counterpart off the ground.

"What is it?" The blue-masked turtle was going to burst if he didn't find out.

Ghyath turned, beaming. "The Nalikjan received message from Bahri, through another unexpected source. Contact was made between him and your family!"

"Your friend is on our planet?" Charlotte clarified sharply.

" _With_ your family. A team has been sent to retrieve them. This is better news than I dreamed of!"

Tim exchanged a quick look with his cousin, and the disbelief in her eyes illustrated how he felt perfectly. _Can it be this easy?_ He sighed achingly as reality came crashing back down. _We may be free, but our problems aren't over, and neither are Earth's. I want to take a few minutes to be relieved, but I can't._

"We need to go."

Ghyath's voice invaded Tim's thoughts, and the elohim motioned them toward the open door. Tim warily followed the alien onto the ship, noting Charlotte's reluctance as well. Another broad figure strode to greet them, unintentionally putting both turtles on guard.

"We are so honored to have you here," the elohim announced, perfectly unaware of the effect he'd had. "We have plenty of provisions – anything you might need! You have only say the word!"

"Iyas?" Ghyath interjected gently. "The terrapins could use some peace."

The smile Iyas returned with was sheepish, and Tim immediately liked him more. "Forgive my excitement. It is such a joy to meet you, and to find you _living_ , Rynn."

Ghyath clasped his shoulder. "I am happy to see you too, brother. Thank you for coming."

"We were fortunate to already be close by. But we dare not fly in the midst of the disturbance, so it will take longer to get to _Cri Drojen_."

Charlotte raised her hand for attention. "What's that?"

Iyas nodded to acknowledge her. "As of now, it is the safest refuge the Nalikjan have left on Zuhur. It would be wise to evacuate you from the planet entirely, but it is not advisable while the atmosphere is so charged."

"Evacuate us?" Tim repeated. "Do you mean you could take us home?"

It was Ghyath who nodded then. "We can and will, but our first mission is to prevent the Vagari from getting their hands on you again. You are not our prisoners, terrapins, and will not be treated as such. I would send you home this instant, but I fear the danger is still quite great."

"Well, they're after all of us," Tim murmured. It was a discouraging thought in the midst of kindling hope, and it felt like throwing a wet blanket over a flame.

"Please, may I do anything for you?" Iyas requested.

"I am thirsty," Tim relented. "Aside from that, I'd rather get some sleep."

"No one will bother you, terrapin," Iyas insisted. "I will show you to a cabin. It is not much, but I think it will suffice for the journey."

"We've been locked up for weeks," Charlotte volunteered, "It won't take much to improve accommodations.

The glance Ghyath gave him made Tim feel like the elohim sensed his disheartened state. "You are all right?"

"I'm tired," he answered evasively. Tim was grateful when the alien didn't press for more information.

"We will see that you are not disturbed." Ghyath turned to Charlotte. "Let us know if you need anything. I presume you would like to rest as well?"

"My needs differ from Tim, but we won't be parted any time in the near future."

"No one will try and separate you," Ghyath encouraged her. "I hope you can get some sleep of your own."

"I don't require much. I feel a lot better being out of the chains and free of that wretched place." Charlotte held the elohim's gaze steadily, like she was contemplating what she wanted to say. "Thank you for coming after us."

"I would never have left you behind," Ghyath declared. "I also will not let you down, Charlotte. You have my word."

"And I'll give you the chance to prove it," she agreed. "I hope you won't make me regret that."

"I will show you," Ghyath said quietly. "The Nalikjan are not perfect, Charlotte. But we embrace the Light in every aspect of life, and act accordingly. We will not do anything to bring you intentional harm."

"That would be a nice change of pace." Charlotte finished by glancing at Tim.

He wanted to reassure his cousin it would be all right again, but he couldn't presently force the words out. _Escaping is well and good, but what does it get us? What hope can there be when you're dealing with enemies like the Vagari? Maybe I'll feel better after I've slept for ten hours, but I don't see how things could literally improve in that length of time._

Tim had the urge to slap himself. _I have to get out of this frame of mind. There's a lot to be grateful for. Why can't I focus on_ that? _Because I always have to make things harder than they need to be._ He shook his head, as if to clear unwanted thoughts. _I'm done with it for now, even if I can't be finished for good._

* * *

A hand on his side drew Tim awake from a blissfully dreamless sleep. In his groggy state, the blue-masked turtle didn't recognize where he was, and it took a moment longer to recognize his cousin standing over his cot.

"Charlotte? What's happening?"

"We're arriving," she told him. "How do you feel?"

He swung his legs over the cot and got up stiffly. "Okay. How long did I sleep? Did you bother getting any?"

She ignored both questions, taking his arm to pull him toward the door instead. "C'mere. You'll want to see this."

Her insistence nearly made him trip over his feet, but he didn't fight her grip. Tim rubbed his eyes while entering the shadowed corridor of the ship, but picked up traces of natural light from the end of the hall.

"Is it morning already?"

"They said it would take longer traveling by land."

Tim eyed Charlotte with intrigue, having picked up the excitement in her spirit. It was nothing to complain about, but it didn't match where they'd ended the night before. He'd intentionally gone to sleep as soon as possible, so she wouldn't be able to ask him questions.

Now his cousin was practically dragging him into the main cabin, which they'd only briefly passed through upon entering the ship. The crystalline surface which covered the entire starboard side was impressive then, but didn't compare to view daylight provided.

To Tim, it appeared they were approaching the edge of the planet, with wilderness spreading so far in every direction, he couldn't fathom how many miles it covered. The cruiser itself was waiting upon the precipice that overlooked a massive canyon rimmed with green and golden-hued trees. A river cut through the valley, winding and twisting between the plants as if they'd been created to coexist.

"Here is where the road ends," Ghyath offered from behind them. "Good morning, terrapins. I trust you slept well."

Tim nodded vaguely, though he didn't face the elohim. "What is this place?"

"Cri Drojen, or as you would say in English, Quiet Springs."

"Are we going down there?"

Ghyath chuckled at the blue-masked turtle's sudden eagerness. "Have a seat, my friends."

"Rynn, would you like to take us in?" Iyas called from where he was stationed at what looked like a control panel.

Ghyath stepped over to join him. "It would be my pleasure." He pointed to the seats adjacent to him. "You are welcome to watch, terrapins, or if you are hungry-"

"I think food can wait a while," Charlotte interrupted, while they both raced for seats at the same moment.

Tim gasped quietly when the ship pulled over the edge of the cliff and hovered in midair for a few seconds. A smooth descent through wisps of early morning fog followed, and the teen had difficulty remaining seated.

It was not long before they appeared to be skimming mere inches above the treeline, spinning off vestiges of mist in their wake. Tim broke away from bright foliage to fix on the vast expanse of the clear sky, which was a stark contrast to the violence of the evening before.

He finally switched over to look at Ghyath, who was guiding the craft with the only the lightest of motions. "You've done this a few times, huh?"

"I love flying," the elohim answered. "It has been in my blood for as long as I remember. Do you see the waterfall to our east, terrapins?"

Tim gazed in the direction he indicated, and picked out the cascading stream which reminded him more of Angel Falls than Niagara.

"That is where we are going," Ghyath said casually.

"To see it?" Charlotte asked.

"You will get a good view when we pass _through_ it."

"Through it?" she squeaked uncertainly.

"It is the way in. Fear not, terrapins; this is all by design."

Tim's mouth dropped slightly when the elohim did exactly as he'd said, and pulled into the falls like they were nothing more than a curtain. Eyes widened while they passed harmlessly to the other side, and were faced with the mammoth opening of a cavern.

At that, the blue-masked turtle leaped to his feet to watch the waterfall retreating from the other side of the ship, while Ghyath flew them deeper into the tunnel.

"I can make you no promises for the future, terrapins," the elohim said solemnly. "But in this moment at least, you can relax. We are here."


	78. Truth

Nathaniel had waited patiently during the harried packing of their campsite for an opportunity to catch his purple-masked cousin alone, but it seemed Jayden was nowhere to be found. _It's almost like he's avoiding me on purpose. Can't imagine why,_ the thought ended on a sarcastic note. _Keep it cool, Nate. Don't make a scene._

The necessity to move into the mountains was pushed up by the new arrivals, and the eighteen-year-old _was_ glad they were doing something. _Even if our "enlightenment" has brought on an additional set of problems._

Things were still in various stages of being torn down; a task Nate was forbidden from partaking in by doctor's orders. _Coincidentally, it's also the reason I've got to find Jayden. He's way too big to hide, even in this group. Where the shell is he?_

Nate took to wandering the outskirts of the camp, pretending to survey the work taking place, while actively searching for the turtle he wanted to throttle. He walked with purpose so he wouldn't get stopped by anyone else, but his eyes roved constantly for his cousin.

He finally spotted the sixteen-year-old helping Leo roll up a tarp, and stopped in his tracks. _Well, that won't work. I need another tactic._

"Jonin." The orange-masked turtle casually approached the pair. "I could use Jayden's assistance for a few minutes. Think you can spare him?"

"We'll make do," the older turtle agreed, motioning for the teen to go.

The purple-masked turtle took one look at the slight narrowing of Nate's gaze, and shuffled his feet nervously. "Sure you don't want to let me finish helping you here, Jonin?"

"Jay, there are plenty of hands to go around. Stay with your cousin, and be useful, okay?"

"Yeah, c'mon, itoko," Nate added innocently. "Help a guy out."

Jayden grimaced out of Leonardo's eye-shot, but had no choice except to follow him. He glanced at Nate warily once they'd escaped their leader's hearing range. "So...what's up?"

Nathaniel caught his cousin by the bandanna tails and jerked his head the direction he wanted to go. "I think you know what's up."

"Easy on the merchandise, Chokkan!"

"Zip it," the orange-masked turtle ordered, taking note of others nearby who could also potentially hear them. "Come on." He yanked his bandanna a second time for good measure, to make sure his cousin would cooperate.

"Geez, Nate, would you chill?"

On the edge of the forest, Nate gave him a small shove, succeeding in sending the larger turtle off balance.

"What is your _problem_?" his cousin demanded.

" _Shut up_ ," he commanded through clenched teeth. "I want the truth from you, now."

"Okay, so I was the one who took the last bag of Skittles, but I didn't know you wanted it that bad-"

"Would you cut it out?" he interjected. "The other night, after the attack on the building, you came to me. You said Marc told you to give me something."

"Yeah, so?"

"I asked Marcus about it this morning. He said it never happened."

"Uh, my bad? Musta come from Doc."

"Don't insult my intelligence, Jayden! What exactly did you give me?"

The purple-masked turtle had the audacity to grin. "How's the hand?"

Nate formed a fist unconsciously with the fingers of his left hand; a feat which _should_ have been impossible. "What did you do?"

"I kinda think you figured it out."

The eighteen-year old dropped his head in his hands with a groan.

"I didn't do it to you, Chokkan – I did it _for_ you. Do you really wanna be sidelined with an injury at a time like this?"

Nate lifted his eyes with a dark glare. "Jayden, you've got no right to fundamentally alter someone's DNA without their consent!"

Jayden shrugged. "No one asked for _my_ consent, and I'm being treated like a personal blood bank anyway. Seriously, what's the big deal? It's an improvement!"

"The big deal is, you didn't tell me!" Nate couldn't keep his voice down. "You couldn't know what would happen, but you did it anyway. What if something had gone wrong?"

"Dude, I barely gave you a sample. What harm have you seen our blood do to anyone?"

"That didn't give you the right to force it on me!"

"What would have been better, Chokkan? Our dads already look for every excuse under the sun to get us out of the line of fire. Jonin left you behind at the Tower-"

"To protect our family!"

"Well, why didn't he stay and do that? Or one of the others? He chose you because you were hurt."

"I'd like to believe that wasn't the only reason, but thanks for pointing it out, Jay."

" _I'm_ not saying you couldn't handle the action. I just didn't want them to have any reason to steal the fight out of you! I was trying to help," he finished weakly. "I really was."

"You should have told me," he retorted, still angry.

"Would you have taken it?"

"No, I wouldn't have! Not without the blessing of our medical team. Now how am I supposed to explain the fact that my hand is _healed?_ "

"Uh..." Jayden floundered. "It's a miracle?"

Nathaniel batted a tree branch in frustration. "I don't believe you did this."

His cousin snorted. "To be fair, I wasn't positive it would work. But I figured after the way it multiplied when it was introduced to my dad and Jonin, a whole pint or two might not be necessary. Maybe the gene only needed a chance to catch on, and it could replicate all by its itty-bitty self."

"Jayden, it isn't funny. You had no right to do this to me."

"No right to do what?"

Nate froze at the voice of his Jonin behind them, and slowly turned. _I knew I was getting too loud. But then again...I'm the innocent one here._ He didn't bother cringing under his leader's stern gaze. "Ask him." He motioned to Jayden.

The sixteen-year-old wilted under their combined eye contact. "Before I say anything, you ought to know that Nate's had a miraculous recovery!"

Leo exchanged a glance with the orange-masked turtle. "What's he talking about?"

Nate scowled at the younger turtle. "You tell him what you did, Jay."

Jayden held up his hands, as though to ward off a physical attack. "So, um, the other night, I wanted to help Nate out. I got this idea that maybe I could speed things up."

Leonardo crossed his arms. "Spit it out, Jayden."

"I gave him a sample of my blood, okay? I knew it wouldn't hurt him. It doesn't hurt anyone!"

The blue-masked turtle looked at Nate quickly. " _Are_ you okay?"

"Yeah. Nothing weird, except..." He held up his formerly broken hand. "It feels fine. But he didn't tell me he was doing it."

"It was a tiny amount," Jayden insisted.

"That doesn't change anything," Leo said sharply. "We'll discuss this in detail later. Go help finish packing up so we can leave."

The sixteen-year-old appeared grateful to escape, but Leonardo turned his attention back to Nate.

"You're sure you're okay?"

"I didn't even feel anything. You know, like when Uncle Don temporarily gained Jay's strength, and you were running off Charlotte's energy? Nothing like that. Maybe it only happens as a reaction to the larger volume, or I didn't absorb enough?"

Leonardo took hold of Nate's hand, and probed it carefully for himself. "No, Nate, it 'absorbed' all right. Your hand wouldn't have healed this quickly any other way. We need to have Doc take a look at you and collect some blood samples."

"He's gonna be ticked."

"That's not your problem."

"What are you going to do with Jayden?"

The blue-masked turtle shook his head. "I don't know. It'd be easier to shove him off on his dad, but he'll get it from Don too either way. You're positive you haven't felt anything else?"

Nate shrugged. "It's only been a couple days. I wasn't paying much attention, 'til I woke up this morning with my bad hand braced under my head. Started to panic, and then couldn't understand why it didn't hurt. I was confused until I remembered Jay bringing me something. He told me Marc insisted that I take it. Probably should have questioned him more at the time, but the docs hands were full."

"It's not your fault, Nate. If Don and I are any indication, you'll be fine. I'd say welcome to the club, but in light of new information, it seems inappropriate." The blue-masked turtle wheeled around to head back to camp, and Nate followed.

"What are we going to do in general?"

Leo sighed. "We have to go after Tim and Charlotte. That part isn't negotiable. But as far as the Vagari? I don't have any ideas yet. What about you?" he added impishly.

"Well..." Nate faltered, not sure if his uncle was asking for real input. "I mean, at least they don't wanna destroy the planet. Just kill everyone on it. Which...doesn't make it better," he admitted. "What if they disarmed? You think the aliens would cut them any slack?"

"Not likely," Leo said faintly. "Being on a so-called 'righteous mission' only strengthens their resolve."

"How do people get this messed up?" Nate ventured. "How do you go from wanting to protect yourself and your home, to killing entire races who never did a single thing to you?"

Leonardo ducked under a low-hanging branch. "I can't answer that, or why we have to be in the middle of it."

"Because we have 'magical' DNA," Nate said bitterly. "Life isn't complicated enough, so let's make it harder."

The blue-masked turtle's hand stretched to his shoulder. "I still think there's a way through this, Nate. With everything that's happened, all the pieces which have fallen into place, it doesn't feel like a coincidence, does it?"

"Hardly ever does." Nathaniel gave his leader a sidelong glance. "But about Zuhur. Do you intend to block anyone in particular from following you?"

"We honestly haven't discussed it, but in my mind...it's going to come down to the parents to decide."

The orange-masked turtle nodded thoughtfully. "That could start a couple battles."

"I'm sure it will, but we have another fight to focus on first. We have to do something about the existing team trying to track us down. Don't ask me what, because I have no idea," Leo finished quickly. "All I can do is take one step at a time, which includes getting you checked out next."

Nate didn't bother replying. _Jayden is in for it. I'm sure he meant well, but way to completely change someone's life._

* * *

"Should you be doing that?"

Nate dropped the bag he'd been lifting guiltily, and cast a glance over his shoulder at Burrall. It hadn't occurred to the teen how difficult it would be to hide nonexistent injury from the military.

"I'm actually feeling better," he volunteered stiffly.

Chris gave him a strange look while hefting the bag he'd been about to carry. "Pretty sure you're not supposed to do anything like that with a broken hand."

"Yeah, okay." Agreeing was easier than lying.

"Are you happy to be moving on too?"

"I'd be happy if I knew what we were going to do."

Burrall gaze drifted to individuals packing up vehicles. "I never figured it would turn out this way."

"What way?"

"The end of the world. You think you'd wanna know this stuff, but honestly? Right now, I'd rather be ignorant. Almost nobody knows this is going on. They're just running around in their normal lives, which could be over any day. But at least they can be happy. We can't do anything, _and_ we get to worry about it."

"Who says we can't do anything? Not having a plan yet doesn't mean we won't," Nate challenged.

"Do you believe that? Or are you trying to make me feel better?"

"I think I'm trying to believe it, Chris. But there are reasons to say there's hope."

"Such as?"

"We didn't die in the first storm they spawned. We've escaped from Vagari multiple times, so who's to say we can't avoid them? The message Bahri sent got through, and acquired more help than expected. So there are some good things happening."

"Yeah, but I heard them. They can't help us. All they wanna do is fly you out of here, which is cool. Why should you die if you don't have to?"

Nate winced at the frank statement. "Chris, we care about this planet too. We want to save it as much as you do."

"Burrall!" The Major's shout made Chris's head jerk to the right. "Fall in, soldier."

"I guess I gotta go," the young man said apologetically.

"Nate, you ought to come too," Stewart followed up.

The orange-masked turtle's brow creased, but he trailed behind Burrall to where the soldiers were lined up on either side of one of the Jeeps, and the rest of the turtles were crowded near the back.

"Are we all here now?" Stewart appeared to be counting them.

"What do ya want?" Raphael's voice was tinged with suspicion.

The man stepped up to the back end and opened it. "I have your property," he said gruffly. "It's time for it to be claimed."

"Our property?" Don repeated, peering around the man into the trunk. Then he gasped. "Oh, _shell_ yes!" He darted into the car before Nate understood what was happening, and emerged a moment later with his bo staff.

That was enough to create a pile up of turtles attacking the trunk, but Leo planted himself firmly in front of the group.

"One at a time! Like civilized ninjas, please."

Raphael grumbled something unrepeatable, but a line begrudgingly formed. Nathaniel wasn't in a hurry to get to the front; the satisfaction of knowing his weapons had been preserved was enough to help him wait it out. He stood at the end of the line, but after a couple of minutes his father approached him proudly.

"Got you something, Nate."

The eighteen-year-old grinned broadly as he took his nunchaku from the orange-masked turtle and then eagerly accepted the sword case. Nate couldn't resist drawing the Arsiterite blade for inspection. Nate tilted the katana to capture the sunlight, enjoying the incandescent sheen of the alien metal. He was startled at Burrall's low whistle across from him.

"Dang. You don't play around, do you?" The young man looked impressed. "How are you doing that?"

"It's made from a special alloy, Chris. Not of our world."

Burrall laughed. "I don't know why I bother asking stuff. Any moment now, you'll probably sprout wings and fly away."

"Turtles don't fly," Nate answered solemnly, and sheathed the blade to fit it back onto his belt. "But we do kick serious shell."

"I have your phones too," the Major announced. "I've got a feeling that too much use could be detrimental to our position, but I'm not going to withhold them anymore."

"We appreciate that," Leo told him evenly. "And the return of our weapons."

Stewart held his gaze. "I would appreciate a little information at some point too."

"It will happen," the blue-masked turtle assured him. "We have no intention of leaving you in a lurch."

"You're _not_ leaving?"

Leonardo paused, and seemed to be weighing his words carefully. "We will leave, because we have to track down our kids. But we aren't disappearing without telling you first."

The man had no chance to respond to that, because Jazz approached his other side.

"Took you long enough," she proclaimed, digging her own device out of a bin.

"You're not even supposed to own a smart phone, are you?" the man retorted.

Jazz tossed her hair without concern. "What the courts don't know won't hurt them, or you. You gonna tell on me?"

The Major muttered something Nate couldn't hear and turned away from her, extending the bin toward Leonardo.

The familiar weight of the katana strapped across Nate's back made him feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the world. _Because the only thing missing from Earth's dramatic deliverance was an Arsiterite blade. Still, it definitely feels good to have it back._

"Let's get loaded up," Stewart's voice carried over the group again. "Sooner we're out of sight, the better."

The aliens had already chosen a spot not far from where they'd been dropped off in the mountains overnight, and it made sense to return to it.

Nate's hand automatically strayed back to the hilt of his blade while he waited to get into a Jeep, and he had a hard time not drawing it again.

"You're not gonna let it out of your sight, are you?" Liv teased.

"No more than you'd lay down your sai."

"I'd die before I gave them up again. But I wish I had _my_ katana," she lamented. "Though I probably wouldn't use it anyway."

Nate fixed her with a probing look. "I wanted you to have the other Arsiterite blade, remember?"

When Leonardo had tried to give him the pair, he'd outright refused to take them both. Olivia had been trained on the katana along with him ever since they were youngsters, but despite her practice, the red-masked turtle was hesitant to use it in battle.

"We've been over this, Chokkan. If I deserved it—"

"Why wouldn't you deserve it? What does that have to do with anything? You've logged thousands of hours on a weapon you're completely disregarding."

"It's _too_ good of a weapon," she answered before stepping away, and leaving him to shake his head.

 _I wish I could say something to convince Liv to pick it up, but it's definitely not the time._ He flexed his left hand, which was still bandaged for show. _It's such a weird feeling to know I'm carrying the same thing Jay and Charlie have had all along. It's probably only a matter of time before it gets passed on to the others. Whether it's a gift or a curse, we have to live with it now._


	79. Level

Will felt utterly deflated, but was trying to make the most of the situation. He'd known their vehicles would only be able to make a partial trip up the mountain, and was prepared for the eventuality of being on foot. He _wasn't_ ready for the new contingent of visitors which put his team at an even greater disadvantage, particularly as they were being left in the dark.

Amidst dizzying anxiety, concern for his men and terror for Earth, Stewart was also acutely aware of his energy, which had rebounded much quicker than anticipated. _There's no explanation for it, along with so many other things._

He peered at Garver to his right, and was struck by the ease with which the woman kept up. The man fell back slightly so he would be parallel with the soldier who served as their chief medic and cast her a closer look.

"Something wrong, Major?" she asked.

"Not necessarily, just...surprising. You seem to be faring much better."

Angela nodded. "I am. When I woke up this morning, I almost felt like a new person."

Stewart shook his head, perplexed. "It doesn't seem odd to you?"

"I don't know if I'd call it odd, but it wasn't what I expected."

"Now see, I felt something similar. The morning after the attack, I was barely in my right mind," Will admitted. "I don't remember much of it, but I could have sworn I was worse off than this. I didn't think our wounded were ready to carry on, but..." He glanced over his shoulder, intentionally seeking the handful who'd been injured. "I don't see anyone lagging. Can you explain any of this?"

The woman laughed. "There are entirely too many things I can't explain, Major. This one seems minor in comparison."

"Granted," he allowed. "Yet at the same time..." Will's gaze shifted to the young orange-masked turtle a few feet in front of him, drawn by rapid movement. The fact that the teen aided one of his allies who'd stumbled over loose rocks wasn't shocking, but the use of _both_ his hands made the man more curious yet.

"Odd is definitely the word," he reiterated. "Did you get a close look at any of Leonardo's injuries after he was shot?"

"They didn't let us near them, but their manner at the time suggested his situation was more serious than it ended up being."

"It was serious," Stewart insisted. "I saw the volume of blood he was losing. It was the only reason I allowed Donatello to stay near him."

"Why are you bringing it up now?"

"Because it fits the pattern."

"Of people being hurt?"

"Of unnatural recoveries." The Major was starting to feel impatient. "Don't you see it?"

"There could be multiple explanations. We know nothing about their physiology, Major."

"And how do you explain what's happened with the rest of us?"

"I can't, sir."

Will sighed. _I've got to find a way to make them open up. Time has to be running out. God only knows how much longer they're gonna stick around. I don't have another moment to waste._

He spied Leonardo near the head of the group, and made a snap decision to catch up with him. He'd been pacing himself to conserve energy and keep an eye on his men, but priorities were shifting.

Going sharply uphill wasn't the best moment he could have chosen to increase speed, but it wouldn't stop him from trying. Will pushed to a jog with little attention to _where_ he put his feet, and didn't notice his world tilting until it was too late to correct the mistake. Arms flailed through the air while he stumbled off the side of the path, searching for support that didn't exist. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the edge of the cliff bearing down on him.

A shout resounded in his ears an instant before a shadow came between him and the ledge, ending his descent with a violent jerk. He came to himself to find he was breathing rapidly, and the red-masked turtle staring at him like he'd lost his mind.

"What the shell, man?" Raphael straightened from his protective crouch, and probably would have cast Stewart over his shoulder if another cry hadn't stopped him.

"Raph, wait!" In another flash, his purple-masked brother skidded down the loose rocks to join them and ended up on Will's other side. "Major, did you get dizzy? Are you suffering any symptoms?"

Will shook his head, looking back and forth between the turtles. "No. I was just being stupid." Now also embarrassed, he quickly gained his feet.

"Take it easy," Donatello chided. "Let me have a quick look at you-"

"There's nothing wrong with me!" he bellowed. " _Why_ isn't there anything wrong?" Will added softer.

The genius turtle backpedaled a couple feet. "You were told we couldn't explain everything."

"You don't trust me, and I can't blame you for it. But before you go disappearing into oblivion, it'd be nice to have _one_ freaking clue about what's been going on this entire time! Do you think any of you are capable of that?"

The brothers exchanged a glance without speaking, and in their silence, someone else spoke up.

"Hey. Is everything all right?"

Stewart lifted his head to see Leonardo peering over the ridge. "No, not really."

Before the turtles could add anything, the blue-masked one slid down the embankment toward them. "Are you hurt? What's going on?"

Will crossed his arms with new resolve. "I want you to give me your word. I need you to promise to level with me. I have to know the truth about what will happen to our planet, and what's going on with us."

He swore Leonardo's gaze burned a hole through Donatello while he uttered something in Japanese.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't." The man fumed.

Leonardo turned to him, softening. "I'm sorry. I wish we had the option to be completely open with you, but the truth is, we're clueless about a lot of things too. We don't know when the Vagari will move in, or what their first strike will look like."

"But these newcomers do, don't they?"

"They can give us information about their past, but as far as what they'll do next? No one can predict that," Leonardo corrected.

"Are you going to tell me _anything?_ I've made a lot of mistakes in the last few days, but I've also tried my hardest to protect you from a threat I don't understand. I...I can't understand any of this, least of all what's happening with myself and the others who were injured."

"It's nothing to be afraid of," Donatello encouraged.

"I'll reserve my own judgment until you tell me the truth."

"We can't entirely," the purple-masked turtle said bluntly. "It's too dangerous where our way of life is concerned."

"Your way of life?" he echoed in disbelief. "Your life on Earth is over! You're finished here, aren't you? The only reason the aliens came was to get you off the planet. They didn't seem to have any ideas, besides keeping you away from the enemy. But that's the opposite of what you're intending to do, isn't it?"

"If an enemy had _your_ loved ones, wouldn't you go after them?" the oldest retorted heatedly.

"I didn't say you're wrong, Leonardo. I'm only pointing out that the secrets between us don't hold much weight anymore. The world as we know it has little time left. Maybe all of the 'whys' shouldn't matter so much, but to me, they do."

"It ain't fair, Fearless," Raphael agreed unexpectedly. "He's right. They had the chance to sell us out, and risked their lives instead."

The blue-masked turtle glanced down briefly. "Can you give us until this evening? I'd rather discuss some things with my brothers before we throw the floodgates open."

"Okay," he returned with a deep exhale. "You've got a deal."

* * *

Donatello was trying to focus on the upcoming meeting, instead of the overpowering presence of his son lingering right over his shoulder. Jayden's sulking expression hadn't lifted in hours, and though he hadn't said anything, Don could predict what was going through his head.

"You're gonna have to quit it," he told the teenager. "You're digging a deeper hole."

"I'm not doing anything," Jay returned defensively.

"I know what you're thinking." At Jayden's snort, he fixed on his son sharply. "There's nothing funny about this!"

"I know, Dad. I can't get over the hypocrisy of the situation either."

The older turtle froze up for a moment. "It's not the same thing."

"Yeah, you're right, because all other instances involve you guys, and this one is about me. It's really messed up that I'm the only person who's not allowed to choose who to give my genes too. Rest of you can pass them around like a giant buffet, but not me."

"You didn't even tell anyone-"

"Like you told any of the soldiers you helped out?" The teenager at least had the presence of mind to speak quietly.

"We are in a precarious situation, and were dealing with some severe injuries," Donny said through clenched teeth. "Telling them what we were doing would have put us at risk, and you know it! It isn't the same thing as permanently altering your cousin's DNA."

"I did him a favor, Dad."

"Jayden, you don't know that! Just because you and Charlotte have flourished under the gene doesn't mean everyone else will. Leo and I had no intention of authorizing it for the rest of us until Doc has had more time to study its effects!"

"Aren't we running out of time? It doesn't sound like we _have_ years to figure this out. This seems more like your typical brand of over-protectiveness to keep us safe from everything that moves. But what good does it do, Dad? How will it help when the enemy is on top of us, and you go down trying to save everyone else? We'll still be left behind to fight them."

"You're missing my point. You took your own course of action, lied to your cousin, and changed his life without any regard for what he wanted. How would you feel if the roles were reversed?"

"When was the last time you had any regard for my feelings?"

"Jayden, this isn't about _us._ " His voice automatically rose in frustration, and he fought to lower it. "It's about what you did to Nate."

"I can't take it back, Dad."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't reconsider your actions."

"I don't need to, because I won't regret it."

"Jayden!"

"Just being honest. If you want me to fake being sorry, I can, but that's all it would be."

The purple-masked turtle felt like screaming, but the appearance of Michelangelo turning the corner made him shut his mouth.

"We're gonna get started, bro," Mike told him.

"Cool. You guys have fun," Jayden said curtly, and stalked away into the surrounding shadows.

"Jay, you stay close!" Don called after him, tempted to chase his son down to illustrate his seriousness.

The teen waved a hand to acknowledge the statement, but kept going. Donatello cursed as he was made to travel the opposite direction with his younger brother at his side.

"Y'know, we could handle this one if you wanna go after him, Donny."

"Wouldn't do any good. We'd only fight some more, and it's hard to keep up when I know he's right."

"About?"

"We're being hypocritical where the gene is concerned. Using it however we see fit, but getting mad at him for doing the same thing. Not that he should have done it," he added hastily. "Or that _we_ should have. I don't even know anymore, but I'm sorry your kid is involved."

"Don, we're all involved. Are you sure Jay will be okay out there?"

"I'm sure he'll be as 'okay' as the rest of us. As for wandering off...he knows better than to go too far."

"All right, Donny, if you say so."

The purple-masked turtle fell silent as they crossed from the path into the cavern, and he was faced with the dreaded fire circle. The presence of the soldiers was heavy, even though they were giving them a wide berth. The Major was the only one currently seated with the turtles, their allies, and the aliens.

Don picked up speed when it became apparent they were keeping the group waiting, and he joined the others sheepishly. "Sorry, everyone. I got distracted."

Leonardo made eye contact, and he mentally told his oldest brother not to ask about it. Then he folded hands in his lap and nodded at the blue-masked turtle to get the ball rolling.

"It's hard to know where to start," Leo said slowly. "We'll try to be honest, Major, but once again, there are many things we don't know, or haven't figured out."

Stewart turned to face the aliens. "What's the point of all it? You say they don't want to destroy the planet, but only its people. Why are they doing this? What's their motivation?"

Bahri cleared his throat uncomfortably. "If I were to put the Vagari into terms you will most likely recognize, you would probably call them Eco-terrorists. They have no need of your planet or possessions. They abhor the chemical weapons your people have developed and consider them a threat to the environment and the universe as a whole."

Will's eyebrows rose. "The universe? Do they understand how little space exploration we've performed?"

"In their mind, it is only a matter of time before your species makes the leap," Ghysis offered. "One of their goals is to remove a threat before it becomes active."

"So they want to put all the dogs to sleep to stop _one_ from biting, is that it?"

Bahri pondered the statement. "That may be over-simplified, but in essence...yes."

"Is there any way to reason with them or talk this through? Has anyone ever established a peace accord with the Vagari?"

"They choose not to negotiate with the depraved." Alarid winced with the statement. "My apologies, human. I speak the truth from their point of view, not my own."

"No, I get it, but are you telling me there's no recourse? No one's ever been able to prevent this from taking place?"

Bahri said something to Liran, and then interpreted his response. "To our knowledge? No."

"Then what can we expect?" The Major put on a stoic face, but Donny detected the tremor in his shoulders. "Will it be over quickly? Will it last for weeks? How much time do you think we have?"

"None of us could tell you, human," Alarid said sadly. "We can describe their methods in detail, if you honestly want to hear them."

The man squared his posture like preparing for a massive blow. "I do."

"In the past, their strategy was two-fold," Ghysis said. "Beginning with the use of the elemental disperser, which enables them to produce conditions such as the phenomenon you already experienced."

"The storm that blew up."

"Yes, Major," Alarid confirmed. "The second wave includes the use of pathogens, designed to kill as many as can be infected. According to Liran, the process can be quite lengthy, as most self-preserving races can find a way to survive for a time. On many occasions in the past it required the repeated use of the disperser, which wrecks havoc on the planet's ecosystem. The Vagari are willing to sacrifice a world in order to destroy its people, but working against Nature is not their preference.

"They would rather focus on pathogens, but have found it takes more effort to kill everyone that way. This is the reason they are combining old methods with...new techniques."

"And that means what exactly?"

Don had a sudden tightness in his chest. "It means they're taking something which isn't inherently dangerous, and twisting it into a deadly weapon."

Stewart glanced at him uncertainly. "You have to be more specific."

"Our DNA is a mystery, Major. There are so many things we don't know about it, and probably never will. But it's the reason we got picked off by the Overlords to begin with a couple decades ago. Their genius unlocked part of our genes, and added something of his own. In our experience, it's been nothing but beneficial. But in their hands, or I should say, the Vagari's hands, it could be the death of the human race and several others."

The man's eyes ceased to focus. "And they already have two of your kids."

"We didn't know this part," Leo added. "We're aware of the gene, but not what they wanted to do with it."

"It's too late," Will murmured. "It really is too late, isn't it?" He eyed the Elohim shrewdly.

Bahri shook his head. "No one can say for sure, Major. Even my own people are not aware of what they are doing with the terrapins' young ones. They only know testing is taking place. But their efforts to retrieve the rest of them tell me the Vagari do not yet have all the pieces they need."

Stewart pounded his palm with his fist. "You have to take them off the planet. You've got to get them out of here!"

"We _know._ " The force of Leonardo's irritation made him sharp. "But we also need a strategy. The Vagari spare no love for anyone on Earth, meaning, their annihilation could be set into motion the moment they realize we're no longer here. We have to lead them on somehow, and make sure they keep searching while we're moving behind their backs."

"You still intend to go after your kids."

Leo nodded resolutely. "We have to. For their sake, as well as life everywhere."

"But if you were able to get to them, what then? What comes after?"

"If there's a way to take the Vagari down, we'll do it."

Stewart's body sagged suddenly. "And the reason myself and my men are recovering faster than we should have?"

Don ducked his head guiltily. "You were treated with minute amounts of the gene, which has extremely restorative properties."

"But why?"

"Your head injury caused a brain bleed," Luke explained. "It required intensive care we couldn't provide in the wilderness. You also possess a blood type which is hard to reproduce from the group. One of the benefits of this gene is its ability to adapt to the user. In the case of a human, it appears to harmlessly filter back out. I apologize for not communicating what we were doing, but we weren't comfortable revealing the information."

The man digested the news more calmly than Donatello expected. "It doesn't change the fact that we need to get you out of here. _Why_ are you still here?"

"We need a strategy," Leo reinforced. "We want to get out too, but we're not trying to end the world with our departure. It's a lot of pressure, so if you could try not to add more, I'd appreciate it. We're not taking any of this lightly, and you'd better believe we're not going to abandon Earth to whatever fate comes. We're _getting_ our kids back, and after that...It's gonna be finished, one way or another."


	80. Background

Charlotte had been standing in the middle of the small room she and Tim were sharing for so long, she felt awkward. There was no way her cousin didn't know she was there, but as of yet, he'd said nothing.

The purple-masked turtle was at a loss for what she should be doing. _Sleep is good for him, in one sense, and he definitely needs the peace. But I can't help feeling like this might only be an attempt to escape. Do I push him to get up? Insist that he do something, whether he feels like it or not? Let Tim be, and trust that he'll rejoin the world when he's ready? I don't have a clue, and it's getting old._

She opened her mouth to speak, but decided not to once more. _I don't know what to say. I wish our parents were here, for so many reasons. But mainly because they'd know what to do about Tim. I_ should _know. We've been together for weeks, going through it all. But it doesn't seem to make any difference._

A light scratching at the door drew Charlotte's attention away from the bed in which the blue-masked turtle was huddled, and she quickly went to answer it. She wasn't shocked to see Shukri on the other side – merely surprised it had taken several hours for him to approach them again.

The alien peered over her shoulder mutely, gazing at the object of her own anxiety. "Young one, may I speak to you?" he whispered at last.

She motioned for him to back up, and then joined the elohim in the hall.

"Has he been asleep this entire time?" Shukri asked carefully.

Charlotte nodded. "That, or pretending to be. I sort of thought someone would check on us sooner."

He grimaced. "Ah, well, they would have, but I specifically directed the others to stay away. I know you have been through a tremendous ordeal, and expected you to prefer some space. I should not have assumed without asking."

She shook her head. "You didn't abandon us. We had the means to ask for anything we needed, but...I'm not sure if there's something which can help Tim at the moment. I'm not even doing any good."

"You cannot believe that based on what your eyes see, terrapin. You are a constant source of comfort to your cousin, as evidenced by his request to remain together. He was the first to speak it."

Charlotte stared at the floor. "I need to leave him alone in the 'hole' to process, but I hate doing it."

"The hole?"

She waved off the question. "That's what he calls it – don't ask me to explain. I don't want to let him be, but I think he needs some time." Charlotte lifted her eyes to face the alien. "I have questions of my own, and you're probably the only one who can answer some of them."

Shukri nodded meekly. "I assumed you would. I hope you would also not mind a couple of my own questions which are based in...concern."

Charlotte glanced back at the door. "If we're just talking, I'll be okay. I'm not ready to do anything hands on, if you follow me."

"I do, of course. I had no intention of asking to examine you, despite my fear of what Vagari were doing with you and your cousin."

She considered it for a couple more seconds, then backed toward the entrance. "Let me tell Tim I'm stepping away. I'll be right back."

The purple-masked turtle passed through the door and hesitated in the same spot she'd been standing before, a couple feet away from where Tim was mostly hidden under the covers.

"Tim, I'm going to talk to Shukri for a little while. He knows things about our history that no one else can fill in. I want to learn what I can, but I'll be back soon, okay?"

He didn't respond, and she resisted the urge to get irritated, barely.

"Could you give me some sign you're listening please?"

The mattress shifted and looked over his shoulder at her.

"Thank you. Is it going to bother you if I leave for a while?"

"No," he replied. "Someone should talk to him."

"I'll be back soon. If you need something in the meantime, you remember how to use the link right?"

"I won't need anything." His reply was muffled by the blanket.

"All right." She struggled to keep her voice steady. "I won't be long."

"Okay." He rolled over on his side once more.

Charlotte felt sick to her stomach leaving the room, but she wasn't accomplishing anything standing over his shoulder. _He might rest better if I'm not there. Maybe my own energy has been eating at him this entire time. I wish I had a clue what I ought to be doing._

She found Shukri waiting nervously where she'd left him. "I think he'll be all right. Where are we going?"

"Do you feel like walking?"

"I've been pent up for weeks, Shukri. I could run ten marathons, but I'll settle for a walk."

The elohim looked at her curiously. "I was told the energy binder didn't work on you. Yasir altered your DNA further than I first believed, it would seem." It seemed like Shukri was talking to himself, but he immediately looked apologetic. "Forgive me. Such is not a topic you are likely interested in discussing."

"I wouldn't mind discussing it, if you can shed light on anything."

"I have details, but not the entire story," he admitted. "Yasir's research was closely guarded. I may have known more than most anyone else, but there were still many things he never told me. The extra modifications he made with you and your twin were one of them. Is an abundance of energy a common thing for you?"

Charlotte snorted through an unexpected laugh. "Only every day of my life."

"And your brother? Is he the same?"

"No, Jayden has his own 'modification', but we can talk about that some other time."

The alien went ashen. "I am sorry. I promised myself I would not do this, and I am already prying."

She shrugged. "Shukri, you can ask as many questions as you want, but I might not answer a lot of them."

"I will try not to ask."

"You're all right. You'll _know_ if you offend me."

He lapsed into silence while leading her to a transporter. Shukri beckoned for her to join him on the elevator, and selected a button with foreign characters. They traveled upward so quickly, it left a weightless sensation in Charlotte's gut.

She wasn't prepared for the bright rays of sunlight which hit her after being in darkness since arriving at the hidden stronghold. They weren't outside, but an immense opening in the cavern ceiling allowed the brightness to filter in without hindrance. She stared at the impressive cut-out in the catacombs for a few seconds, until the teen realized Shukri was waiting on her. "Sorry."

His head bobbed lightly in return. "I would not mind if you want to look around."

"I'd rather do that when Tim is up for it too. Right now, I want to talk."

Charlotte followed the path Shukri cut across the cavern, trying to squash the residual fear and distrust of the elohim. _Tim believes them, and that ought to be good enough. I wish that it was, and I didn't have to be so suspicious of everyone. But I don't think I can help it._

Breathing the free air when she passed through an opening into the light of day was a great relief to her spirit. Shukri quietly led her along a trail which bordered a sharp cliff, but it was wide enough that Charlotte didn't feel claustrophobic. She stared at the elohim as he continued to say nothing, and identified fear in his features.

"What are you thinking, Shukri?"

"I am trying not to think too much, because it frightens me. I desire answers. I want to know what was done to the both of you, and how he was hurt..." Shukri faltered without finishing the thought. "To leave that intricate of scarring over epidermis would have to be a significant event."

"Don't ask him about those," she commanded. "In fact, don't ask him anything period, unless he comes to you. Which he probably won't."

"I will not, terrapin. I did not even want to bring it up to you, but the stress it created is difficult to contain."

"Tell me about it. I know you're probably dying to examine us, but if you'd been where we were...you'd understand why we don't want another alien messing with us."

"I _do_ understand, Charlotte. The Vaga hinted at what he was doing with you many times. I never wanted to picture it, but I confess it haunted many dreams."

She stopped mid-step to gauge the authenticity of his statement, and was impressed by his genuine empathy. "I didn't have it as bad. I mean, it sucked, don't get me wrong. But all they wanted from me was blood, so I was basically in and out. Tim, on the other hand...that stupid Vaga took a personal interest in him.

"He ignored me for the most part, yet caused Tim's lab sessions to run two-three times longer than mine. They were taking as much blood from me as him, but the Vaga was also fighting to get inside his head. I don't know the extent of the damage he did, but the impact he left on Tim..." She paused to collect herself.

"His physical wounds have healed, and even the scars are starting to fade. But psychologically, he was torn wide open, and Tim's still extremely raw. It leaves me in this spot of feeling like I need to do something, but I don't know what. I can't remember being this lost before. We're free, and I should be happy. And while I _am_ grateful, the relief is nowhere near what it should be. That makes me feel even worse."

"It is because the danger has not passed," Shukri supplied. "You are beyond the immediate threat, but the problem remains. There is yet a powerful enemy who seeks to destroy life for their own misguided purposes, and they cannot be reasoned with."

"How many of you are there? Would it be impossible to stand against them? That's probably a stupid question, but I'd like to know what our chances are."

The elohim flinched. "Our hope does not lie in numbers. If we added our own people to that of Legatus, the Vagari would still outnumber us nearly three to one. I spent my first hours back at Cri Drojen becoming acquainted with the real history of my people, which I _thought_ I already knew."

"What do you mean?"

"All that I was taught concerning the Annunaki's past came through the filter of the Overlords. Many things were omitted or changed to suit Altus Abeiron's purposes. From listening to the Vaga in my own 'sessions', I had a feeling the past was different than I was led to believe, but not to this extent."

While Charlotte was curious to know what he referred to, she was more eager to ask the questions which had plagued her all of her life. Even the dream of an uprising could take a backseat to the inquiries which had been burning in the back of her mind ever since learning of Shukri's former association with Yasir. "What can you tell me about dunamis?"

The elohim sighed. "It is one of the things where my understanding is...incomplete."

"But you worked around Yasir long enough to grasp a few things."

"More than a few. But I do not want to mislead you about the depth of my knowledge."

"Where did it come from?"

"The first version of dunamis was said to be an accident. The gene was cultured within a laboratory setting by Yasir's father; at least, that is what he claimed. It was shown to possess marked abilities for regeneration, as well as new growth. When it was applied within other cultures, it left an amazing impact on every cell that it touched.

"It was a monumental discovery, not only for the healing properties it appeared to enact, but in the way it conformed to multiple strands of DNA without losing its potency. The ability to adapt was unlike anything which had been accomplished, nor has it be been done since then."

"All right, so the first time was an accident, but he clearly learned how to reproduce the cell. Why does it require someone like me and my family to step in and do the work _for_ them? Seems like it would be quicker to do mass production on their own."

"It was the most agonizing aspect of the gene, for both Yasir and his father. They knew how to design dunamis. But when it came to implanting it into actual test subjects as opposed to sample material, the gene never behaved the way that all the tests had proved it _could_. While it rapidly disintegrated diseased cultures and regenerated damaged cells, it would not do the same thing when transplanted into living tissue.

"The project consumed Yasir for his entire life. I would venture to say that 90% of his work was dedicated to developing a DNA strand into which dunamis could be cast, and successfully replicated. I think he believed if the gene took root, all of its potential for our own race would be unlocked."

"So the gene mapping my dad described, the mass genetic experiments of the Overlords...all of that was due to dunamis."

Shukri nodded. "Yasir improved upon our race for over two centuries, but it was not until the end when he stumbled upon the answer to his problem within your family."

"Yeah, because their DNA was why they were taken in the first place."

"The Overlord's interest surrounding your world at the time was centered in both their desire to one day take the planet for themselves, and what small worth human beings offered them. Occasionally Yasir traveled with contingents to Earth's atmosphere in search of various animals. It was his custom to integrate their genetic code with his own experiments.

"He was on one such mission with a team from Zuhur, when your fathers' unusual chemistry was detected. It was an opportunity he could not bypass, so they were immediately taken, along with the humans in proximity."

"Which included my mom, who happened to be pregnant."

"Yes. The discovery of the twins she carried inspired Yasir to begin his testing on the life which was in vitro, rather than with your fathers."

"What was he looking for?"

"Reproduction," Shukri answered simply. "It is in the nature of dunamis to replicate itself, but it will only do so under very specific conditions. The conditions which your DNA offer."

"Why?" she demanded. "Why our DNA? Why does it have to be us?" Charlotte knew there probably wasn't a satisfying answer, but couldn't help asking.

Shukri said nothing for a few moments. "For every beautiful and amazing creation of El which exists, there are always those who would seek to exploit and use it for their own purpose. It does not make your kind less valuable."

"But we weren't 'created', any more than dunamis was. It was an accident, and so are we. Probably the reason we get along so well," the teen added bitterly.

"Terrapin, I do not believe in accidents. All around the universe, I see aspects of brilliant design, and examples of divine inspiration. Just because you cannot explain _how_ you came into existence, it does not make your life a random event. As for dunamis, I am less inclined to look at the gene as something an Overlord 'fathered', but rather, something he discovered.

"For centuries, Yasir tried his hand at developing the perfect specimen who could carry it. But all of his work was for nothing. He did not attain perfection, or accomplish the impossible. He uncovered a truly unique creation unlike anything he'd ever seen, and used you to force his goal to become reality. It is my belief that if he had not found you terrapins, Yasir would have died without fulfilling his obsession."

Charlotte took a shaky breath. "Do you know what it's like to carry this? Do you _want_ to know?"

"If you would like to tell me, I am listening."

She gazed around the sunlit valley, searching for the words to sum up the overwhelming burden which permeated her entire life. "Do you recall the glorious sensation of being at perfect peace with everything around you? Obviously no one has it good all the time, but you've probably had those flashes and moments of serenity."

"I have."

"I don't know what that's like. I don't know what rest _is_. There's a turmoil inside me that never completely dies down. Sometimes I can tune it out or ignore it for a little while. But in those times when everything gets quiet and all other voices fall to the wayside, that's when it's the hardest to avoid. The physical energy can be annoying, but the distress which is so deeply entrenched within that I can't fathom what it would be like to not have it..." She faded with a shudder. "I guess that's why Tim and I gravitate toward each other. Misery loves company."

"I have heard the phrase from Bahri before, but it does not seem to apply in your case."

"What do you call it?"

"I see it as two young ones who are burdened with challenges far beyond their years, seeking solace within one another."

"I've never been able to help him."

"If that were true, he would not mind being separated from you."

"I'm familiar, Shukri. We're all each other has of home."

"Be honest with yourself, terrapin. Surely you can remember times when you have been a support to him, as he is to you."

"I can't bring up anything recently."

"Charlotte, do not allow his dreadful injury to remove all hope from your mind. It is easy to be discouraged when faced with such circumstances, but you must remind yourself how we got here."

"We're here because you guys got us out."

"No. We are here because of a storm which provided the temporary advantage for us to escape. We are here because El is changing the heart of at least one Vagari, who chose to turn his back on the old life. These events were not arranged by chance. It was also no coincidence which allowed Legatus to intercept Bahri's message from Earth.

"I have been in this spot before, terrapin, faced with odds which were insurmountable. I too believed the ability to overcome was so minuscule, I barely dared to hope for it. I will not make the same mistake this time. I can honestly say that I do not know how this will end.

"But I am certain El is active here. Whether He chooses to deliver us from this threat or we go to join Him, I find my peace in being in His hands. It is for that reason that I tell you to look for hope, though it does not seem to exist. I had no idea we would be here today, yet on this precipice we stand. What will happen next, only El knows."


	81. Follow

Bahri was fairly used to the consistent pain which wracked his back, but something about the combination of their travel up the mountain and the general discomfort of their rocky environment was making for a torturous evening. He stayed as still as possible to avoid the others' notice, but no matter how motionless he remained, the elohim sensed someone watching him. Bahri heard the soft exchange of his language between two others, who most likely assumed he _was_ asleep.

"... _whatever the turtles decide, I think we had better get him off the planet sooner than later._ " Ezra's unique brogue shone through, despite using the alien tongue.

" _I agree, but the risk of exposure is so great,"_ Alarid replied. " _I would rather remove everyone from the planet_ now _. Every time a ship enters and exits the atmosphere, it leaves a tangible trail the Vagari can track. Even a poorly timed transmission could result in our discovery. We have no business staying on Earth. Ezra, do you have any ability to convince them of this?"_

 _"I can move them as far as I can shift this mountain, Alarid."_

 _"But why do they choose to remain when they can do no good here?"_

Bahri turned his head to face them both. _"Because they have great love for this planet and its people. Would you not find it difficult to abandon everything you cared about if it were required?"_

 _"It is not abandonment,"_ Alarid insisted. _"If the Vagari capture them, hope will be lost."_

 _"Hope does not depend on them,"_ a fourth, deeper voice added from the shadows.

Bahri's head snapped toward the distinctive bass tone, and he stiffened nervously. Liran had given him no reason for fear, yet he found himself awkward in the presence of the legatus.

" _If hope depended only on what the Vagari do, we would have no reason to continue,"_ Liran added.

" _Does putting faith in El mean we ought to be reckless with the terrapins?"_ Alarid's question was earnest. _"Are we not meant to take the action we are capable of to prevent the worst from happening?"_

 _"What is the worst that can happen?"_ Liran asked like he already knew the answer.

Bahri exchanged a glance with Alarid and Ezra.

" _They could use the terrapins to do what they have been striving to accomplish for centuries, and kill billions of others whose only crime is living in an advanced society,"_ Alarid suggested.

 _"But that is not the worst that can happen,"_ the legatus corrected. _"To be cut off from El to live in utter darkness, would that not be a more terrible thing?"_

 _"It would be worse,"_ Alarid agreed. " _But what should we do then? Allow the inevitable to take place, since we cannot stop it anyway? If that is the case, we should broadcast our presence to the Vagari so they are tempted to finish us quicker."_

Liran shook his head. _"So determined you are to embrace defeat."_

 _"I do not prefer to embrace defeat, Hiryn, but I have not heard your ideas yet either,"_ Alarid said stiffly.

Bahri gave the younger elohim a sharp look, to which his friend appeared abashed.

" _It is not my part to jump ahead, but to follow,"_ Liran replied calmly.

" _Who are you following?"_ Ezra asked.

 _"The same One who has led me my entire life, Ezra, and I do not mean to lose faith in Him now."_

Bahri shifted and sat up with a grimace he tried to conceal. He flinched when Liran moved toward him, but didn't fight the legatus' help in straightening further.

 _"The one you should ask that question of is here before you, Ezra."_ Liran asserted. " _Bahri would answer it more accurately."_

Bahri blinked rapidly at his assessment. _"No one should look to me, Hiryn. I have not followed anyone, nor did any measure of success bring us this far."_

 _"What_ did _bring you this far?"_

Not looking at Liran was difficult since the legatus was so close, but Bahri tried valiantly to avoid him. " _No strength of mine carried us to this point. By the sheer will of the terrapins and their determination to reclaim their children, we have kept going. I have done nothing noteworthy or useful, with the exception of following their instructions in the mission to send the message."_

 _"You have taken several actions of your own, Bahri,"_ Liran told him. " _I will force you to count them if you cannot admit that."_

 _"What should I admit?"_ Bahri felt anger rising, despite desiring to remain respectful with the Chieftain. _"That I was kidnapped? Tortured? I was rescued by Kamryn, only to arrive on Earth too late to save anyone?"_

 _"Why did you decide to follow Kamryn?"_

 _"I could not have refused."_

 _"Yes, you could have,"_ a small voice added behind him.

The elohim sighed heavily and glanced back at the woman, praying she would not exaggerate his part to play. _"No, I could not. You risked your life to be on that ship. I was not going to allow your sacrifice to be wasted."_

 _"What of your sacrifice?"_ she challenged. _"I'm tired of you acting like they destroyed you, Bahri. They didn't. They_ couldn't _, even though they tried. When you had the chance to rise, you did. That's what makes you a hero to me, and a great friend to the turtles."_

 _"There is nothing heroic in me, Kamryn. I followed you, and nothing more."_

 _"He wouldn't wait for acclimation to the atmosphere,"_ she announced. " _He suffered the full fury of the Nitrogen to try and make up for lost time."_

 _"Why are you doing this?"_ Bahri couldn't contain his irritation.

 _"Because it's true, Bahri. If you won't own up to it, I'll do it for you."_ Kamryn turned to face Liran. " _He complains so little, yet he is in constant physical pain. His heart was utterly broken, but Bahri is still more concerned for the turtles' loss than his own."_

 _"But what is it that drives you?"_ Liran continued. _"I want you to look inside yourself, Bahri, and give me an explanation."_

 _"I do not have one!"_ Bahri eyed the friends across from him before going on. _"I asked El to let me die many times. Not only inside the Vagari's prison, but in these last few days. I know it is wrong to make such request, and I bear the guilt for desiring to do nothing more than give up."_

 _"Why did you not give up?"_ Liran pushed.

" _Because He would not want me to!"_ Bahri tried to keep his voice down. In his mind, the audience was already too large.

Liran smiled back with the ease of confidence, as if he'd won some argument. " _Why does it matter what He wants, Bahri?"_

The question startled the elohim, and he wasn't sure how to respond to it. " _Because...this life is not mine to throw away. It was given to me as a gift. And though it feels ruined beyond repair, it is not in me to tear down what El has built."_

 _"It feels ruined, you say. But there is a part of you which believes it is not."_

He was going to respond, but then hesitated to allow the words to sink in. _"There is a chance it is not."_

 _"You must take hold of whatever hope presents itself, Bahri. You still have some, though you would choose not to see it."_

 _"I am_ afraid _to see it!"_ the elohim declared. " _I have stumbled so far already..."_

Bahri paused, expecting Liran to interject something, but the legatus merely waited for him to continue. " _I have lived on the mountain top,"_ he said more quietly. " _I saw my dreams and those of the Nalikjan come true, against all odds. There are so many who desire to climb those heights, but few recognize the damage of falling from such a high place. To believe it could be attained once more, and then fail...I do not think I could recover from it. I dare not trust to hope again."_

Liran's arm made the lightest of contact around his side, without bearing any weight against his frame. _"The hope exists, though you fear to trust it. It has been there all along. A belief that though things might not work out, there was still an opportunity for salvation._

 _"I want you to acknowledge your refusal to give up, Bahri. The fact that you carried on in the face of discouragement and pain, it means something, my friend. You perceive nothing but weakness, where I see a bruised reed which refuses to break."_

 _"I am broken! I cannot repair the damage which was done to me, or that I have done myself. This separation from El is due to my own failure."_

 _"It is not your job to fix it,"_ Liran told him. _"Your part is to believe."_

 _"I want to believe He will accept me, but this state where fear consumes nearly every waking hour...It is easier not to try sometimes, rather than fail once more."_

 _"You do not have the power to change Him, Bahri."_

The elohim's eyebrows rose at the unusual statement. " _What do you mean, Hiyrn?"_

 _"El is the same, always. His love, mercy, and compassion do not ebb and flow like the tides of an ocean. He does not choose to care about you one moment, and in the next breath, cast you aside. Your fear may hinder you from seeing the truth, but it does not change it. He does not cease to be loving if you do not look for acceptance. He does not become unfaithful because you will not accept mercy. So though a separation may exist, Bahri, it is not because He willfully chooses to push you away._

 _"Regardless of your feelings, El has not changed into anyone else. He is who He has been. That, my friend, is where hope lies. Not in a performance that makes us 'worthy' of the One who loves us so much. But in the strong foundation of a constantly abiding El who was, is, and always will be exactly the same."_

* * *

Arzhan cocked his head toward the door when he heard the tone announcing someone was outside. His isolation was designed to avoid contact with others, with the exception of the periodic updates he'd requested to receive at the top of every third hour.

The fact that this particular messenger was late in coming meant he had nothing relevant to offer, and the vagari considered ignoring him entirely. _However, if I do that, the others may come to believe their efforts do not need to be so great. No, I must inspire them to continue._

The Vaga spun and mashed a facet of his crystal to open the door, then faced Varij stoically. " _If you insist on coming to me with nothing, a delay does not help your case, Safyni."_

 _"The delay was not intentional, Vaga. I was engaged in interrogation, and simply lost track of the time."_

 _"For all of your questions, have you learned anything?"_

 _"They had help in escaping, Vaga. They must have!"_

 _"We have knowledge already of the one missing Nopf, who obviously left with them. What else do you hope to learn from those left behind?"_

 _"I find it hard to believe they only had help from one. Some of the Elohim shared how deeply these Nalikjan ensconced themselves in the Overlord's network years ago. The traitors were scattered throughout the entirety of their ranks, ranging from mere technicians and pilots to high-ranking military officials. Let us not forget about Shukri, who served personally at Yasir's side for over a century! Now he is gone along with the others, and you are not the least bit suspicious that more individuals could be involved?"_

 _"I have performed my own research, Varij. While you may be required to ask questions, my method for getting to the heart of a matter is simpler. Those that remain are not guilty of anything, but for the idiocy of the ones who had opportunity to hamper them, and allowed a handful of prisoners to overwhelm them instead."_

 _"Then how do you account for their escape?"_

Arzhan fixed him with a smoldering look, indicating his patience had worn thin with Varij. It wasn't in his nature to lose control of his temper in front of someone else, whether they were underling or enemy, but the events of the last two days were testing his resolve.

" _My apologies, Vaga,"_ the Safyni said quickly, bowing his head. " _We are not only focusing on those who are inside Central. The search for them in Arcadia and the nearest cities continues-"_

 _"They are far from here,"_ the Vaga assured him. _"I feel they have fled beyond this territory. You need to widen your search range."_

 _"Can we be certain they have not left the planet?"_

Arzhan nodded confidently.

" _You are sure of this?"_

 _"I don't have to see either of the terrapins, Varij. I am still aware of_ his _presence. I want you to send contact to every elohim, ducaz, human, and whatever other creatures chooses to dwell on this filthy planet. Put out a bounty for their return, but they must be taken alive._

 _"Zuhur is suffering for the Nalikjan's rebellion. The very air is heavy with their arrogance. Once the terrapins are retained,_ all _of them, I mean to move on. I want for a freer atmosphere."_

 _"It does leave something to be desired,"_ Varij noted. _"Do you think the indigenous population is inclined to side with the Nalikjan? They have coexisted for some time."_

 _"The number of Elohim who already submitted to us tells me that the folly of the Nalikjan is recognized. I will not turn away those who repent, but these Ducaz are only opportunists seeking to save their own skin. That is why I believe a bounty could be the most effective way to track down those we seek._

 _"We don't even need someone to hand them over to us. We have only to discover where they went, and then we can deal with them accordingly."_

 _"What should I communicate they are being promised?"_

 _"You may tell them we will leave the planet in peace once we have what we came for, and seek to bequeath back to them what is rightfully theirs."_

 _"And the Elohim?"_

 _"They could be restored to a place of honor, and the ability to hold actual ranking within our troops. It will be for them as if the split never happened."_

 _"They must honestly prove themselves, in that case,"_ Varij stated darkly.

 _"You have no cause for jealousy, Safyni. Prove your_ own _worth to me, and we can discuss your rank again."_

The vagari nodded begrudgingly. _"I will send word. Is there anything else you require from me for now?"_

 _"Only that you cease to question our men, and focus on the outside. You could also reinforce the new programming taking place."_ Arzhan ended with a huff. No one could account for the manner in which the computer malfunctioned after losing the majority of Central's power, but the Vaga had two dozen of his best _Piuti_ on the mission to make certain it wouldn't happen again.

 _I cannot control the unstable atmosphere in which we reside, but I will not lose control of my own keep for a second time._

 _"I will speak to them again,"_ Varij told him. _"If you have any-"_

Arzhan held up a hand to silence his Safyni the moment a notification flashed on the large screen across from him for permission to connect. He rapidly tapped the underside of his crystal and approached the panel. " _This is Vaga Arzhan. You may transmit when ready."_

The difficulty of the picture to pixelate indicated the distance the contact called from, and caused the Vaga to quickly adjust the link's resources to bolster the range of the device. Only a few individuals would find a good enough reason to contact him directly, instead of reaching out to a lower official first.

" _This is the Vaga. Go ahead,"_ he encouraged.

" _Greetings, esteemed Vaga. I bring word from Earth._ "

Arzhan smiled back at the image of Josaad Chakor _. "I could use some good news right now."_

 _"I have it, Vaga-Arzhan. We detected another ship entered Earth's atmosphere, and are following up the energy trail. The accumulation tells us they did not stay long, but we have reason to believe they left others behind."_

 _"What have you seen? Speak, Josaad!"_

 _"The concentration of their matter was dispelled below the Equator. We have determined the region in which they landed, and confirmed that Elohim are on the planet...along with members from Legatus."_

 _"Legatus?"_ Arzhan was puzzled by the name he didn't expect. " _What else? They didn't travel there out of curiosity, Chakor. They are undoubtedly searching for the terrapins themselves."_

 _"We are working on getting closer to them, Vaga. I will let you know the moment I have confirmed their presence."_

 _"I don't want you to speak to me before acting. I will not take the risk of relying on long-range communication. I prefer to lay out the strategy in advance, so you are prepared to take them when the time comes._

 _"My gut tells me they have located the terrapins already, and mean to spirit them off the planet. You cannot, under any circumstances, allow that to happen. We need them, Josaad."_

 _"Once they are discovered, what do you want me to do?"_

Arzhan considered the options for a few moments. _Given the chance to fight for their lives, they will probably die before allowing anyone to touch them, and a hands-on battle could also result in serious injuries I prefer to avoid. I don't know how many on Earth currently carry the gene, but I still can't afford to lose them. It will have to be machine over military._

 _"I want you to use the elemental disperser. Has it been thoroughly evaluated?"_

 _"We still can't explain what happened during the last storm, Vaga-Arzhan."_

 _"It remains the most dependable equipment we possess for such a task, but take care in the strength of your settings, Chakor. I want them overcome, but not badly injured. This is a necessity."_

 _"Do you have any suggestions for me, Vaga?"_

Arzhan growled under his breath at his Josaad's helplessness. " _Our research suggests they are sensitive to temperature variations. Freeze them out, but take care not to kill them."_

Chakor's nerves were visible through the screen. " _Yes, Vaga. We will move forward with caution."_

 _"Go forward with_ purpose _, Chakor. You have the opportunity to make up for former failures. I don't want to be disappointed by you again."_

 _"I won't let it happen, Vaga."_

 _"The moment_ _you have confirmation, I want you to move. When it is done, tell me that I can expect your return. I will be waiting, Josaad. Finish this task, and your honor will be forever cemented within my army."_

 _"It will be done."_


	82. Cold

Kamryn sat up with a jolt, startling the shadows of two figures to her right. She didn't know _why_ she'd woken up that way, and was left breathing too hard to explain regardless.

Donatello set down the tablet he was handling, and scooted closer to her. "Are you okay? Was it a bad dream?"

She rubbed one eye wearily. "I'm not sure." The woman mutely surveyed the cavern, but didn't need to do a head count to realize they were missing a lot of people. "Where is everyone?"

"They went to the well. More hands meant they could carry back a ton at a time," the purple-masked turtle said. "It's also a little claustrophobic in here."

Shunshi gave her a shy smile. "I hope we did not disturb you. I thought we were being quiet enough."

Kamryn shook her head. "No, I don't know what it was, but I don't feel like it was you."

"We can give you some more space, just the same," Donatello offered. "I don't think you've had enough sleep."

"Probably got more than I've had in recent nights."

"You must prefer to be nocturnal, like my friends," Shunshi said. "I was the same, until I went away to the Academy. They made me change so much."

Donatello looked amused. "You could always sleep any time, Shun. Never met someone who could go for fifteen hours straight."

"I did not make a habit of that!"

"Because no one let you," the turtle filled in. "I kid you not, Kamryn, he's the only person I know who would get up to train with me or my brothers for two hours, and then go back to bed until lunch."

"You and your kind could learn to get more rest," the young man insisted. "At least I am taking care of myself properly."

"You must be going through withdrawal after missing so much sleep in Okinawa."

"Have you never heard that some people require more rest than others?" Shunshi demanded. "I am one of them, but that does not make it a bad..." He trailed off, casting a glance at Kamryn. "Forgive me, Kamryn-san, for speaking too much in front of you."

She chuckled. "You don't have to apologize for talking."

"Such inane conversation is not appropriate to have in front of someone else when they are not included."

"Well, I like to sleep too," Kamryn volunteered. "And yes, part of me wants to be nocturnal. I _can_ sleep at night, but it's usually not very deep. It comes easier during the day, even though there's more noise to contend with."

His eyes widened. "We will not bother you again, Kamryn-san."

"I just said you didn't wake me up," she returned. "Why do you add 'san' to people's names? Does it mean something?"

"It is automatic. I mean nothing by it, except to express respect."

"It's called an honorific, Kamryn," Donatello told her. "They're ingrained in the Japanese culture. Although most of us aren't the 'proper' types, our fellow counterparts haven't let go of them."

"You are the ones who taught me the importance of respect!" Shunshi protested.

"I'm not complaining." Donatello grinned at his friend for good measure. "Just simplifying things for a newcomer to the Japanese language."

"There is nothing strange about it where I come from," the young man asserted. "The Academy was even stricter. There were some who liked to test the boundaries, but they quickly learned it was unacceptable."

Kamryn nodded. "Would you prefer I use an...honor-ific with you?"

His laugh was surprised. "No – it is not necessary."

"But if you think it's proper, shouldn't I address you that way?"

"For you, there is no right or wrong way, as long as it does not involve a rock."

Kamryn cringed, but his impish expression told her it was a joke. _Doesn't make me feel better about attacking him, but I appreciate how much he's trying._

 _"_ Kamryn, we'll back off," Donatello reiterated. "You really should get some more rest while you..."

Whatever the turtle was saying suddenly got lost in a familiar high-pitched hum which cut through Kamryn's ears without warning. She lunged to her feet and looked around the semi-darkness wildly.

"Kamryn-?"

Donatello's call distracted her from that which she was desperately trying to track. She waved at him severely to be quiet and walked forward uncertainly, searching for the ungodly source of the sound. Kamryn felt someone trailing behind her, but didn't acknowledge them. Instead, the woman continued to creep ahead, praying the hum had been her imagination. _But I've never hallucinated one of them, not to my knowledge._

"What is happening?" Shunshi hissed in the background, and Donatello quietly hushed him before she could.

The object of horror buzzed so near her frame that time, she didn't have to leap to catch it. Devastation took her in the blink of an eye.

"Kamryn, is it one of them?" Donatello asked tightly.

"One of what? What is going on?" Shunshi demanded.

The woman stared at the drone for a moment before smashing it against the ground. "It's too late. They know we're here. You, your brothers, your children! You must run before they're on top of us!"

The purple-masked turtle didn't reply, but snapped up his phone and strode toward the entrance to the cavern.

Shunshi was left to plead with her on his own. "What is going on? Tell me what is wrong."

"Vagari have come," she said bluntly. "This hiding spot is finished. They won't be far behind the drones. Now that they know the turtles are here, we will not be safe _anywhere_."

"Kamryn-san, do you remember how the turtles fight?"

"Yes, Shunshi, and if the aliens fought fairly, I'd welcome a battle with them. But that's not their intention. They will use whatever means necessary to overcome them. As of now, running is the best thing for them to do."

"But where?" Shunshi's hands flailed to indicate their surroundings. "Where can they go?"

"Off the planet would be the best thing. I know they don't want to go, but if the only alternative is getting caught, there won't be a soul left to _save_ anyone."

Kamryn trotted the direction Donatello had gone, resisting the urge to latch onto the turtle's arm like a little girl in need of comfort.

"...No, drop whatever the shell you're doing, and get back here as fast as you can!" Donatello lowered the phone and stared at the overcast early-morning sky. "I don't see anything, but it only takes one! We have to make a decision quickly!"

"What decision?"

Kamryn jerked at the sound of the Major's voice, and glanced at the man warily. It was tempting not to speak of the encroaching threat as there was nothing anyone could do to stop it, but instead, she felt a stirring of compassion at his fearful tone. _Probably because I've never heard it before._

"They're coming," she informed him. "I saw a drone. Vagari know we're here."

The man bolted back into the cave without so much as a word. Kamryn was curious about what he was doing, but kept her attention on the turtle instead.

Donatello was off the phone now, but his eyes were fixed on the clouds. "You think the Vagari will react the same way as before?"

"I can't say, Donatello. Going after your children on foot didn't work out in their favor, and neither did the disperser on their last attempt. Your best chance for evading them is to get off the mountain, in my opinion."

"And go where?" he murmured, shuddering with the breeze which picked up around them.

Kamryn detected the cooler air in its wake, but didn't say anything about it.

"Probably should have fled the planet when we had the chance, but we can't take that back," Donatello faltered. The hand gripping his phone was turning white from the force of his grasp.

A combination of shouts from within the cave drew Kamryn to look over her shoulder, and see someone else emerging.

"Is it true?" Luke called from a few feet away, before sprinting to join them.

Kamryn was the one who nodded, since the purple-masked turtle was occupied by studying something on the screen of his scanner.

"Why aren't the others back yet!" the blond doctor thundered.

"They're close by," Donatello assured him. "They were heading up the trail as it was. Their goal was to beat the sunrise, but the process took longer than anticipated."

"All the water in the world won't mean anything in a few minutes!" the man snapped. "You can't stay here like sitting ducks!"

"What do you want me to do, Doc? I can't make this happen any faster! But there's something else I _should_ be doing." He whirled on heel and ran back into the cavern.

Kamryn chased him, mystified by what the turtle's purpose could be. She was shocked by the speed with which the soldiers has assembled and the weapons that were arrayed, but the sight had no effect on Donatello.

"Major, you and your men need to leave," the turtle announced. "We can't protect you – not from this. These aliens aren't after you. If you go, there's a good chance you can get away entirely without being caught in the crossfire."

Stewart sent a glance to the troops behind him. "I already gave them the chance to do that."

"What are you talking about?" Donatello's voice rose with desperation.

"Permission was granted yesterday to abandon this post and the mission, before we ever came up the mountain," Stewart told him. "They have chosen to stand, and so have I."

"You can't do that!" Donatello argued. "There's no point! All you'll be doing is throwing your lives away."

Will shook his head. "Running wouldn't be any better, Donatello. Don't you understand? These aliens mean to kill us all. _Everyone_. We could preserve ourselves a little longer maybe, if we left. But in a short matter of time, we'd be dead anyway. Can't you see the madness in it?"

"The only madness I perceive would be staying here right now!"

"Our hope for survival is greater in _trying_ to stand against them than in attempting to run! You and your kin are the ones who need to get out of dodge before you become the Universe's most dangerous science experiment!"

Donatello didn't seem to appreciate the statement "That's our problem to deal with, not yours! You don't need to go down protecting us."

"This isn't only about you!" Stewart retorted. "I repeat, they want to kill everyone."

"And how will you save anyone else if you end up dying?" Donatello nearly shouted. "There's no reason in this whatsoever!"

One of the young men stepped forward unexpectedly. Kamryn recognized the soldier Burrall for the close proximity he'd often kept with Nate. "'Forward the Light Brigade! Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew someone had blundered.'"*

His curious words only confused her, but from within the pack of Green Berets, another of them continued.

"'Theirs not to to make reply, theirs not to question why. Theirs but to do and die. Into the Valley of Death rode the six hundred.'"

Stewart nodded his approval. "You don't join the Green Berets because you're scared of dying, Donatello. My men could go on, but do they need to?"

"You don't have to do this." Donatello's voice lowered significantly.

"It's too late to do anything else. What is it you say they track? Your body's chemical signature?"

"Which is why they'll chase us, and not you!"

"What if we _want_ them to chase us?"

"They'll see through a decoy," Luke replied with a tremor. "As admirable as the offer is, it won't work."

"Does that mean you're not willing to try?" Stewart was indignant. "What's your great plan for when they show up? Let them take you away like you surrendered to us?"

"We surrendered to you to keep our people in one piece, and because we didn't believe you'd kill us outright!" Donatello declared. "We aren't going to surrender to _them_."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Does it LOOK like I have one freaking clue, Major? We're wasting time arguing when you should be-"

Luke's hand on the turtle's shoulder stifled his rant. "Don, the temperature has dropped thirty degrees in ten _minutes_."

The turtle glance was annoyed. "I know, Doc. I'll call the others again."

"It won't make them get here sooner. We have to start taking action!"

Kamryn backed away from the discussion, heading for the entrance of the cave in slow motion. She felt another startlingly icy wind wafting through the space, which was stronger than the earlier breeze.

Dread grounded deep in her stomach, and the following shiver wasn't because she was cold. She stared up at the clouds speeding through the sky at an unnatural rate, and couldn't miss the way they were darkening.

"Maybe you should come inside," Shunshi suggested nervously.

She'd been too busy absorbing the conditions to notice the young man arrive behind her. "It will not help. I only hope the Elohim's ship can get here before _they_ do."

"What ship? Where is it?"

"It's a little obvious for a space craft to hang out in Earth's atmosphere."

"I agree, but how far away are they?"

"They picked a position a few million miles out. They ought to be able to reach us without making a jump, which can take upwards of two hours."

"But the Vagari are close enough to be causing...whatever this is?"

"So it seems," she said faintly. "But as the storm isn't critical yet, there might still be time."

Kamryn caught Shunshi staring at her. "Do you think that is true?"

"I want it to be true." The woman could see the sun trying to break behind the accumulating clouds, but its light was mostly shrouded.

"I still think you should come inside." His fingers grazed her wrist in a protective manner, which reminded Kamryn of Donatello. "Please."

She started to follow, but stopped in her tracks upon the sudden influx of smells assaulting her senses. "They're coming, Shunshi! The others are close." The woman wasn't positive why she felt relieved, but Kamryn breathed easier the moment she knew the rest of the group was nearby.

It looked like a literal stampede when they came into view, and if they'd been enemies, the woman would have been afraid. She was surprised when the turtles stopped altogether, and allowed the larger figures of the Elohim and Legatus to get inside first.

"Did they call the ship?" Kamryn cried over the commotion to Bahri.

The elohim looked frustrated. "We have been trying. But even if they were here, the Vagari craft is larger, faster, and capable of far more destruction. They could be destroyed within moments of revealing themselves. Where would we be then?"

"I'm not concerned about us; I'm worried about what happens to _them!_ " She motioned to the turtles near the entrance.

"So am I, Kamryn. I do not know what to do besides take cover for the short term. They are implementing the disperser-"

"We can all see that. Are you sure this is something we can take cover from?"

"No, but an energy field could perhaps help." He nodded to the Elohim who'd entered ahead of him. "They have the equipment to project a small force field for at least a couple of meters."

"Will it be enough?"

"It will depend on the ferocity of the storm, Kamryn. But we should allow them inside, either way."

Kamryn eyed the turtles mournfully, but was saved from needing to speak by Donatello rushing over.

"The soldiers aren't budging!" he exclaimed.

"At this point, I'm not sure they should," Leonardo admitted. "They probably wouldn't get far before all hell breaks loose."

"What are we doing? Is there any hope of getting help from their ship?"

"They haven't reached 'em yet," Michelangelo said weakly.

The purple-masked turtle grasped his temples. "Do we have any plan besides trying to survive whatever they're about to throw at us?"

Leonardo shook his head. "Not yet. We're going to _have_ to wait this out a little."

"Leo, I seriously doubt they're settling in for a long-term event. They want to finish this!"

The blue-masked turtle threw up his hands. "What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing! This is how it ends, with us doing _nothing_." Donatello growled.

Ezra cleared his throat beside them. "The Elohim say we have a chance, and that is better than nothing."

"They also wanted to get us off the planet ASAP, and we didn't do it! Now everyone else gets to pay the price!"

The purple-masked turtle's anger instantly made sense to Kamryn. _He is not furious with anyone. He believes they made the wrong choice in hesitating, and it infuriates him. Donatello is focusing on the long term effects more than what will happen in the next few minutes._

She was startled by fingers wrapping lightly around her wrist again, and didn't fight Shunshi's grip from guiding her back inside the cave. The wind which swept in behind them was the coldest yet, and carried with it a soft sensation which froze every area of exposed skin.

Kamryn halted and looked back upon the sight of what appeared to be a soft rain which had taken a more physical form. She stared at the white floating objects, and stretched out a hand capture one of the swirling oddities.

The woman had heard of this particular phenomenon from other humans on Zuhur whose pasts included Earth, but her home world had never seen a "winter". The picture of building snowfall was so mesmerizing, it was nearly possible to forget how much trouble they were in.

"We need more fires!" Donatello's voice commanded attention over the surrounding activity. "As many as we can build! What effect will an energy shield have on snow? We need to find something to block the entrance, because that wind will hamper any chance we have of staying warm."

"We have never seen a energy shield erected within snow," Alarid admitted. "That is why we do not know if it will work."

"It's a great chance to find out," Leonardo said briskly. "In the meantime, let's take stock of supplies and figure out what we can use to block that door!"

"Blankets, jackets, and every shred of clothing needs to come out," Luke interjected. "The temperature is plummeting, and you guys are the most susceptible to it. Those fires need to be built before anything else happens, and then I want your shells not budging from them."

"Doc, there's a lot to do-"

The man didn't back down, but instead stood inches from the blue-masked turtle. "Let the warm-blooded ones handle it. Don, do you remember much adrenal-heat we packed?"

The purple-masked turtle groaned. "Not enough for _this_."

"Okay, okay..." Luke seemed to be taking inventory in his head. "The seven of you are conserving heat, and that's an order."

Kamryn was grateful for the man's command, but clueless as to how long they could last. She cast a questioning glance to Shunshi. "They are in more danger than we are?"

"Any of us can freeze, Kamryn-san. Yes, they would go down faster, but that is not going to happen, because we will not let it!" He grabbed his own bag and dug through its contents before coming out with a hat and jacket.

Shunshi shoved the knit hat into Donatello's hands, but the turtle shook his head at the coat.

"That will never fit any of us."

"It can still behave as a partial layer if you will sit down as you were instructed," he retorted.

Donatello turned and tossed both hat and jacket towards Jayden and Olivia. "Cover your heads – that's where you'll lose the most heat. Going to need to get a lot closer than usual too."

Jake was already clasping the red-masked turtle's side. "And your dad can't even mean-mug me, Liv. This is gonna be great."

Kamryn laughed helplessly at the young man; there was nothing else she could do. It was a strange feeling to watch the turtles take a position of non-action while everyone else was moving around them.

She wished there was a tangible way she could help, but finally took a seat to Michelangelo's right. The woman awkwardly crowded much closer than she normally would have. "Is this really what you're supposed to do?"

"Togetherness equals toastiness." The orange-masked turtle surprised her with a wink.

 _I will never understand how they do this._ But Kamryn cast aside her need for personal space, and huddled next to Michelangelo silently. _Oh, El, we have to get through this. If You're going to help us, we really can't afford to wait._

* * *

 ***Charge of the Light Brigade was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson.**


	83. Missing

Sitting inside a freezing cavern while death loomed somewhere in the sky wasn't Olivia's first choice of activity for the day. She obeyed the orders to remain by one of the fires, whose wood had been piled high enough to force it to burn at a more powerful rate. The red-masked turtle gazed at the flames in front of her, then cast a glance to the other two bonfires being rapidly erected.

 _This method could work for a while, but what happens when we run out of fuel? The combination of drugs and heat will keep us around longer sure, but how much time do we really have?_

Olivia glanced at her purple-masked uncle across the flames, and noted the anger with which he regarded the screen of his scanner. "Ojisan," she called softly. "How long do we have?"

Jake's head perked up at the question, and he immediately squeezed her arm. "We aren't thinking like that."

"I can't lie to myself, Jake," she negated. "I want the facts. Don't you?"

"Actually, I'm one of those people who'd rather not know about _everything_ that could go wrong, Olivia."

"What good does it do to ignore the obvious?" Liv turned to her silent uncle. "How much time?"

"Liv, I don't know," the older turtle murmured. "At the rate we're burning, the number of fires we need...we'll come up short in the next couple of hours. We have a fair supply of adrenal-heat, because it's one of those necessities Doc and I always pack in the kits. But there isn't enough to go around for everyone, and it's only a temporary fix. The formula is designed to raise our core temperatures, but in these conditions, they'll only drop again."

"Do you have any reason to believe there could be hope?" Jake pressed. "What about the force field? If they get it up, won't it buy us some more time?"

Donatello sighed. "It will probably help shield the entrance from the elements, but I doubt it's going to have any affect on the air temperature. Unfortunately, that's where the greatest danger lies at the moment." He cast a look at his suddenly subdued son to the right. "How do you feel?"

"Cold," Jayden announced stoically. "What about you?"

"Same. Apparently the 'magic gene' doesn't cure everything."

"What are the chances of me getting some of that?" Olivia wondered. "I mean, you guys and Jayden are giving it to everyone else."

"I didn't give it to everyone," the sixteen-year-old protested.

"I don't want to talk about it right now," the older turtle added quietly.

Seeing her uncle this discouraged was a rare occurrence, and Liv didn't like it one bit. Her own building frustration caused Olivia to scowl when she saw Bahri hurrying toward them with a flask. "Is all the running around accomplishing anything, or are you only burning useless energy?"

"Olivia!" Don chided sharply.

"What, Ojisan? I can't ask a question?"

"You could do it a little more respectfully." The irritation in his expression faded while he peered at the bottle in the elohim's hand as though remembering something. "Is that what I _hope_ it is?"

Bahri nodded. "The _liomi_ extract. We are going to need to keep a fair supply of water nearby the fires to prevent it from freezing too. But the good news with the extract is that the potency allows it to be stretched."

"Then we should save it," Don said decisively. "Let's burn through one remedy at a time."

"Since you have mentioned 'burning', I can also tell you that we have a few acceler-bricks."

The grin which broke on the purple-masked turtle's face made Olivia sit up straighter. "You should have told me that sooner! No sense in keeping all of our assets to yourself."

"I was coming to tell you, terrapin-"

"What is the stuff he's talking about, Dad?" Jayden interrupted.

"The Elohim's medicine is based around concentrated extracts," Donatello explained. "Like Bahri said, it enables a formula to stretch much further than medicine of Earth's caliber. We already have experience using liomi on Zuhur a few times. It's much more effective in raising temperatures than say, adrenal-heat."

"And the acceler-bricks?" Olivia asked.

"They're an alternative fuel source. In the past, Zuhur didn't have many trees, so they couldn't dedicate wood for burning. Their version of an accelerant burns longer, and a little hotter, if I recall correctly."

"Aye, and it's prettier too," Ezra offered as he walked by.

"Prettier?" Liv repeated.

"You'll see," Don told her, then looked at Bahri. "We still need to stretch our supplies out as long as possible. How close are they with the shield?"

"It is nearly ready to be projected, but we have never applied it in such elements." The elohim shrugged helplessly. "No one knows what will happen."

"What about their elemental disperser?" Jayden added. "How long can they keep this up? Doesn't it have to run out of juice at some point?"

Bahri cringed. "I cannot say for certain. I have no personal experience with the machine, aside from our first encounter with the near cyclone. It is my understanding that the creation of a storm does not require as much energy when the force is compressed within a smaller radius."

Jake cocked his head. "So...if they focus their firepower in one spot instead of trying to make a _bigger_ event, the thing could last longer?"

"That is Alarid's opinion," Bahri admitted.

"But since we have more supplies and fuel, our chances have to be better," the young man insisted. "C'mon, Donny, I saw you smile. That has to mean something good."

The older turtle nodded. "It's a lot better than where I thought we were starting, but I hope..." He trailed off with a probing look. "We have to figure out how to make them stop. Bahri, can you communicate over your links at _all?_ "

"We have not attempted contact since traveling back from the well," the alien answered. "The current atmospheric conditions make it harder to establish a connection than it already was."

"Do you think we could get in touch with the Vagari's ship if we wanted to?"

The elohim's eyebrows rose. "It would not be impossible if they accepted the link up, but why would we wish to call them?"

"Their little drones can't handle these elements either, right? That means the Vagari could be coming in blindly, and don't realize the full impact of the freezing temperatures. If we convinced them they were killing us, they might pull the storm back."

"But then what?" Liv demanded. "They'll swoop down on us with the _rest_ of their fancy toys. What are we supposed to do? We've gone and stranded ourselves in this stupid cave, and they can literally do anything they want with us!"

Her uncle stared into space bleakly once more. "I don't know. I really don't know, but we won't last indefinitely in these elements. Whether we start dropping or our allies do, I can't handle the idea of anyone dying when there was something we could have done to stop it."

"Maybe there is something we can do," Bahri mentioned. "If the shield is stabilized, it could provide a measure of protection against a direct enemy onslaught."

"It's a good thought, but we still-" Don literally jumped when the scanner within his grasp emitted a high-pitched tone.

Olivia leaped to her feet. "What's wrong? What is that?"

"Um..." Her uncle was a few seconds in responding, and then looked baffled. "It's Jazz. Her temperature has dropped too far." He jumped to his feet too and looked rapidly left and right.

"How do you know?" Bahri came to look over his shoulder. "Your machine will tell you?"

"There's an interface connected with all our implants," he replied distractedly, and waved down Brandon. "Bran! Where's Jazz? She needs a shot of adrenal-heat, and she's got to stay by one of the fires."

The man looked as startled as the turtle had. "I...I'll find her. I haven't seen Jazz since we left for water."

"But she went _with_ you to get water!"

Olivia shook her head. "No, she didn't, Ojisan."

"She was invited, Donny, but Jazz said she needed to do something," Brandon continued.

"I saw her leave right after you did. I thought she was going after you."

The man quickly closed the distance between them. "But where did she go? Did she say anything?"

"I _thought_ she was following you!" he reiterated. "All she told me was that she'd be back."

The man swallowed deeply. "All right, so what's wrong? What do you know?"

"Her vitals are displaying symptoms of hypothermia."

"I'm sure she's here," the man said to himself. "I'll find her."

"Bran, hold on!" the turtle called after him. "Wait a minute."

Brandon shifted uneasily, appearing ready to run. " _Why_ am I waiting?"

Donatello looked down at his screen, and swiped the device with his finger a couple of times. "Because she's not here. Her coordinates put her at least three-quarters of a mile away."

"That's not possible."

"The computer's not lying, Bran."

"Then it's defective! She _is_ here, and I'll prove it to you!"

Even as the man flounced off in the opposite direction, Don whipped around in search of someone else. _Who_ , Olivia didn't know. "Guys? You guys, we have another problem!"

The magic words were uttered loud enough to draw the other turtles away from their respective fire circles.

Leonardo was the first to dart over. "What is it?"

"Yeah, we're dying to hear what else is going wrong," her father complained.

"It's Jazz – she's not here," Donny blurted out. "On top of which, her temperature has dropped like a rock. Bran's searching the cave, but he's wasting time. Her coordinates put her outside."

"So we can track her!" Leonardo declared. "Tell me we can still find her with the scanner."

Before Donatello could answer, the flash of a golden hue drew Olivia to look over her shoulder. She was just in time to watch what looked like an over-sized bubble phase and then solidify around the front half of the cavern.

"Shield is up," her purple-masked uncle announced unnecessarily. "And yes, we can find Jazz. We don't have any more time to lose."

"What's going on over here?" Luke inserted himself in the turtles' midst. "I'd better not be witnessing a mutiny. All of you are supposed to be conserving heat."

"Doc, aren't you paying attention?" Don tapped the scanner. "We have a situation."

"I forgot to charge the solar cells on mine," he allowed, and came to look at the mini computer screen. "What the...what's happening with Jazz? How did she drop that far already?"

The man nearly charged off, but Donatello caught him by the shoulder. "She's not here, Doc."

"Why in the name of God would she be anywhere else?!"

"It doesn't matter," Leonardo asserted. "We have to find her."

"Oh no you're not!" The doctor balked. "The seven of you aren't setting one foot outside. We'll handle this." Luke plucked the scanner from Donatello's hand. "Going to have to borrow yours."

"Doc, we have resources," Don argued.

"That's right, and you're not going to waste them. For once, you'll let someone else be the hero, and sit your darn shells back down before I call your wives on you!"

"Y'can't," Raphael said sullenly. "There's no signal in here. You can't stop us from going after you either."

"Really?" Luke challenged. "You're willing to waste what limited resources we have, and leave less to go around for everyone else? Once heat is lost, it takes more for you to get it back than one of us. I'll grab Brandon, Greg, and whatever soldier is brave enough to take on this mess, and we're going."

* * *

Brandon was fuming so hard when they left, the wind barely registered in his psyche. He knew it would eventually catch up with him, but for the moment he was satisfied to burn. The intensity of swirling snow which made it impossible to see anything more than a couple feet beyond him was daunting, but not intimidating enough to stop the man.

It was Luke's hand which made him hesitate, and he glared at his friend without meaning to.

"Hey, listen," the doctor soothed, apparently picking up his attitude. "We've got a limited path to work with, and I'd rather not lose anyone. You think we could stay together?"

"You think we could _move?_ "

"I want to find her too, Bran. But the beacon doesn't have an address to point us toward this time, and there are a lot of cliffs. Let me take the lead, and I'll keep us on solid ground."

Brandon begrudgingly held back, crossing arms while Greg joined him.

"It's not your fault, y'know?" Greg told him.

"I should have noticed. I should have looked for her the second we got back!"

"Getting mad at yourself won't help."

"No, but finding her will. Luke, where are we heading?"

"We have to go uphill a ways! Stay right on me, guys."

Brandon was tempted to hold onto the doctor's shirt to ensure he wouldn't lose him, but settled for crowding in behind him, and the others formed a straight line after Greg. The force of the wind against them made Bran feel like he was fighting for every step, but he was so determined that the battle didn't seem as great.

He heard something called out behind him, but couldn't decipher what the man said. Brandon had a deep sense of appreciation for the number of Green Berets who'd volunteered to go with them, but in the end, the Major had only selected one of his men to accompany him. After a couple more seconds of trying to determine what Stewart was saying, Bran gave up and focused on following Luke.

With every foot he climbed, Bran continued to smolder. Anger was giving him energy to care less about the punishing elements and fixate on the only thing which mattered: Jazz. The borrowed boots and jacket provided some protection, but the cold was still beginning to seep through like a leech. _And Jazz has been out in it this entire time._

Brandon hated Luke's pace. He wanted to run, even knowing they were skirting a ledge. He kept waiting for the doctor to give direction, but the man was irritatingly silent. When he finally followed the impulse to grasp the back of Luke's coat, the man shot a glance over his shoulder. While his friend still didn't speak, Bran sensed him moving a little faster.

Luke shifted their course to the left so they were edging closer to the rock-face than the drop-off. Brandon hadn't even realized how far they'd drifted over in the course of a couple minutes. _That's the problem with hardly being able to see anything._

Their quiet ascent was punctuated only by the whistling wind, which Brandon subconsciously knew made it feel colder than it really was. He was dying for Luke to give him some idea of their progress. It felt like they'd been searching for an hour already, although the man knew it had probably been significantly less.

When Luke paused in his step, Brandon leaned against his shoulder.

"What's up, Luke?"

"I don't think she's on the trail."

"You mean we _haven't_ been following her?"

"I mean she got off it, Bran. We need to do this part carefully, okay? Bear with me for a minute."

Brandon had no desire to stand around, and the confusion in Luke's voice put him on the verge of panicking. Greg must have sensed his desperation, because the man's hand landed on his back at once. Bran cursed the blizzard whipping around them and clenched his fists. _It's not gonna end here. Not like this._

The others huddled up around him while Luke picked over the path ahead. Brandon couldn't tell what he was doing, and it ticked him off.

"A little patience won't kill us, Brandon," Stewart spoke up gruffly. "Something tells me your man knows what he's doing."

"He typically does," Bran retorted defensively. "But that doesn't mean I want to stand here like a statue!"

The Major shook his head. "She's lucky to have people like your lot."

Brandon blinked rapidly through another onslaught of snowflakes. "I'm the lucky one. You have no idea how strong she is."

"I know exactly how _stubborn_ she is, and that's how I know Jasmine will be all right."

Bran wanted to agree, but the sight of Luke finally doubling back made him lunge toward him instead. "What did you find?"

"There's a crevice to our right up ahead; my calculations put her down there. You need to get fitted with the harness."

Brandon had the most experience out of their allies with the turtles' grappling guns. While he wasn't as proficient, no other human in their group could use them half as well. He would have continued dashing forward if the doctor hadn't blocked his path, and then led him around more cautiously to the side of the trail which dropped off sharply. Not until Luke crouched down and motioned for him to do the same did Brandon catch sight of fissure in the rock, which looked to give way to a subterranean cave.

"I'll go down with you," Campbell offered.

Brandon almost rejected the suggestion, but decided arguing was pointless. He couldn't see anything within the pitch blackness of the hole, though it didn't discourage the man from wanting to chuck himself through the opening at once. It took every ounce of self control within him to carefully descend hand-over-hand the way he'd been taught.

His body shook during the short journey, and he was certain the temperature had something to do with it. The area was protected from the wind, but the way the rocks seemed to absorb the freezing cold made it even more uncomfortable than outside. He threw out his feet to catch himself near the bottom, and didn't wait to start searching.

"Jazz?" Brandon clicked on his light and took a rapid scan. "Jazz!"

"Bran, do you see anything?" Greg hollered down.

"I'm looking!" he called back, and began sweeping his light further.

A cry erupted unbidden when the beam caught a flash of lighter color among rocks. Without hesitation he threw himself at the figure and grappled for his wife's wrist. "Jazz? C'mon, be okay. You have to be all right!"

"Brandon, do you have her?" Luke shouted urgently.

"I do!" He ran his light over every inch of the woman. "I can't tell how she's hurt!"

"Use the adrenal-heat!"

Bran felt in his pocket for the epi-pen the man had given him. "Does it matter where?"

"Pick a spot, and then get hooked back up to the harness!"

The moment Brandon applied the epi-pen to her freezing arm, Jazz jerked awake as though startled. "Careful!" he urged, bracing a hand under her head. "It's all right, Jazz. We're gonna get you out."

Grey eyes didn't quite fix on him, shifting left and right instead. "What _took_ you so long?" Her voice was so faint, he barely heard her.

"You didn't tell anyone you were spelunking, or we would have come sooner."

"Been waiting for days," she murmured. "Winter got here before you did."

"Sir?"

Brandon glanced up to find Campbell standing over them.

"You wanna get her back up there?"

Bran held his breath while he lifted the woman like a china doll, aware of the possibility of serious injuries.

"When did you get here?" she asked.

"Little bit ago," he answered casually. "You might try setting off your beacon next time you get into trouble, though."

"Where is it?"

"On your wrist."

"Do I still have it?"

He clutched her tighter to his chest and nodded to Campbell. "Help me with the harness. Doc needs to get his hands on her, and we have to head back before it grows any worse out here."


	84. Unconventional

Will felt like a huge chasm separated him from his daughter, even though she was only a few yards away. He was grateful to be included in the conversation Leonardo and Raphael were having with the Elohim for once, but he would have traded the position for being closer to Jasmine.

It was impossible to glimpse the woman from where he was: only the backs of the two doctors inconveniently blocking her. Brandon was forced to wait from a distance too, though he hadn't submitted to backing off entirely.

"..is disappearing gonna help anyone?" Raphael's heated demand successfully drew Stewart's mind back to the circle. "Are we really supposed to fade into the sunset and just forget everyone else exists?"

"It may not be what you want to do, or what any of your family would desire, but it is the only option we have to offer at this point," Alarid returned meekly. "I wish we had an alternative, but we are not capable of competing with their technology."

"What about back up?" The red-masked turtle sounded amazed, and not in a good way. "Didn't any of you think about what you could run into before you flew all the way here?"

Alarid's annoyance wasn't veiled that time. "The only thing we were thinking about was getting you off the planet."

"We're grateful you came," Leonardo stated diplomatically. "But at the same time, you can't force us to write off the others. Even if you leave our family out of it, this is the fate of the world we're talking about."

"I do not know what to tell you. If there was something else we could do, we would not hesitate," Alarid insisted. "But we are not warriors, Leonardo, and the same is said of many of the Nalikjan. Ghysis and myself are merely technicians, scientists who have more knowledge about your planet than most. That is why we were sent."

"Why do you have knowledge about our planet?" Stewart spoke up.

The alien's eyes widened, and his mouth opened and shut a few times before he could squeak out words. "I was...that is, they were..."

"The Overlords wanted to take on Earth for themselves at one point. But they don't matter no more, because they got destroyed by pillars of fire." Raphael's off the cuff explanation left a lot to be desired.

"Pillars of fire?"

Leonardo waved off Will's question. "It's a long story, all right? We need to focus where we are." He turned to the alien. "The fact that you're a scientist and not a fighter isn't a bad thing, Alarid. It means you see things in a more technical way. These circumstances may require you to think differently than you normally would. I want you to meditate on what it would take to make the Vagari ship pull back. There must be something to discourage them from continuing the mission here."

"Nothing that I know-"

Leonardo cut him off with a slashing motion across his throat. "I know you don't have any answers. That's why you need to mull this over, and talk with Legatus." The blue-masked turtle paused to glance across the cave at Liran and Lieasel. "Is it my imagination, or are you uncomfortable with them? Is Legatus on our side, or not?"

"We are uncomfortable, but not for any fault of theirs," Bahri explained. "You have been told the Overlords painted a different picture of our history than the actual events."

Will had only heard a shortened version of the "Breaking" himself, so he was extremely curious to learn more.

"It was said that the Elohim engineered the fissure between our race to prevent a civil war. But that does not tell the real story. It would be much more accurate to describe it as abandonment."

Stewart's brow furrowed. "Abandoned what? The sinking ship of your kind?"

"Legatus was very outspoken in their disagreement with the Vagari's actions against the warring planets, and vehemently opposed the expanded quest for nuclear weapons in _other_ galaxies," Bahri told him.

"Those who spoke out the loudest were punished, imprisoned, or...worse," Alarid added. "In response to the persecution of Legatus, all those who followed Naozumi, who fathered Abeiron-"

"As in Altus Abeiron?" Leonardo cut in.

"Yes," Bahri confirmed. "The Altus was the son of one of the ruling brothers of the Annunaki. Naozumi was given the ultimatum to side with either the Vagari or Legatus. They chose to depart instead."

"So they took no stance," Will said to himself.

"It appears they chose to preserve themselves above all others," Bahri said slowly. "Which sadly sounds very much like the Overlords. They turned their backs on their brothers and ignored what was happening, rather than putting their kind in harm's way."

"Okay, but that wasn't you guys," Raphael pointed out. "Sounds like a bad idea on their part, but it has nothing to do with you."

"It may seem like a very long time ago to you, Raphael," Alarid replied. "But by the measurement of our lifetimes, these were our own fathers and grandfathers who took such action. Those of subsequent generations who were deceived are only now learning the truth."

"You ain't got nothing to be ashamed of!" the red-masked turtle insisted, only for his older brother to ram an elbow into his side and whisper something in his ear.

Will wanted to ask what it was about, but the sight of Marcus heading toward them made it feel less important. "Doctor, what's going on?"

"We're getting Jazz warmed up, and assessing her more closely. Her injuries suggest she took a fall-"

"That's obvious! How bad is it?" Stewart snapped.

Raphael scowled at him. "You wanna get information? Don't cut off one of our docs. Shut up and let him tell it."

The Major glared back at the turtle, but Marcus cleared his throat before Will could say anything.

"Her core temperature _was_ hypothermic, but we're addressing it with the best tools in our arsenal. She also has a moderate head injury and a fractured femur, among the more minor contusions."

"Are you going to use that blood?" Stewart challenged.

The mild-mannered doctor blinked nervously, then resumed gazing at him. "I think it's in her best interest. Don't you?"

"I don't like her being given anything that I don't understand."

"Do ya like being alive?" Raphael interjected. "Because 'that blood' is the only reason _you're_ still breathing."

Will growled in frustration. "Should I jump for joy over it?"

"Maybe not, but you could at least-" Raphael cut off at a brilliant flash which registered out of the corner of Stewart's eye.

The man spun, prepared for the worst. He _didn't_ expect to see the snow blowing furiously against the force field suddenly cease, like someone had turned off a spigot. He took a couple of astonished steps forward, but couldn't bring himself to keep going toward the entrance.

"What the shell..." The nearness of the red-masked turtle's voice suggested he was near him, though he hadn't heard Raphael get up.

Leonardo passed them both, venturing closer to the opening. Will noticed the blue-masked turtle's hands drift to the hilts of his blades, though he didn't draw them. The mutant kept going until he was inches from the entrance, and squinted to peer through the golden-hued haze of their protective barrier.

"What do you see, Leo?" Donatello trotted up on the Major's left. "Did it implode on itself like their other storm?"

"I didn't hear anything like before," Leonardo said uncertainly. "There was only that flash." He looked around for the Elohim, and beckoned the aliens closer. "Does it seem as if something went wrong to you?"

Ghysis stood shoulder to shoulder with Alarid, and the pair discussed something rapidly in their own tongue.

"Do you know what's happening?" Raphael spoke up loudly, exasperation on full display.

Will couldn't help agreeing with the sentiment.

"It does not _feel_ like a malfunction," Ghysis volunteered. "But we cannot know for sure."

"What, so they just stopped?" Mike called from behind them. "Why would they do that?"

"Bahri," Leonardo raised his voice suddenly. "What are you thinking?"

Stewart turned to locate the other elohim, and noticed the probing expression on the alien's face.

"I am calculating when the storm actually started."

"Why does that matter?" Will retorted.

"Because...I believe it has been roughly seventy-five minutes since the first snow came."

"And?" The man crossed his arms in irritation, but the reaction from Leonardo was instantaneous.

"They're coming," the blue-masked turtle declared. "Weapons! Everyone up and on guard NOW!"

"Leo, I don't like this!" Donatello yelled back. "We've got nowhere to go in here! We've boxed ourselves into a corner. We need to _move_."

"But if the shield can protect us-" Michelangelo started.

"Mikey, we've seen those force fields fall too many times!" Raphael interrupted. "We can't trust their technology to keep us safe."

"The shield could buy us a little time, but hiding here isn't the best strategy," Leonardo agreed.

"Wait a minute!" the Major inserted. "Will someone please tell me what's going on? What does seventy-five minutes have to do with anything?"

"It is the amount of time required by our race for acclimation to your atmosphere," Ghysis answered. "To enter without properly acclimating can mean serious complications or death. It would appear the Vagari are on their way to us."

"No! They're sending in their little spies!"

Will jolted severely when Kamryn suddenly swept by him and pointed to the minute disturbance of small waves within the force field. "But if they know we're here, why are they sending in drones?"

His questioned seemed to fall on deaf ears, as no one spoke or even moved.

"How many, Kamryn?" Leonardo asked through clenched teeth.

"A handful. I would go after them, but I'd rather save my energy for Vagari at this point.

"Sounds like we all get to do that," Michelangelo muttered, drawing the nun-chucks from his side.

"Fearless, this is stupid," Raphael hissed, as though the enemy was listening. "We need to get outta here!"

"Wait." The blue-masked turtle had his head cocked, like he heard something no one else could. "Hold on."

"We don't have TIME to hold on!" the red-masked turtle argued.

Leonardo gave him a death glare. "Don't you feel it?"

Within seconds of the turtle's words, Will detected the dropping temperature seeping back into his skin.

"It's getting colder again," Leonardo asserted. "They're not done."

The following gale-force wind that swept across the force field with a loud whistle made the turtle seem prophetic. Everyone stood motionless as the day outside darkened once more, and the normalizing conditions plummeted.

"What are they doing?" Kamryn half-whispered. "This doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe they expected us to go down already," Donatello suggested thoughtfully. "They're clearly not interested in a fair fight."

Will took a few more steps toward Leonardo. "Then they'd rather us freeze to death?"

"Everything about this is controlled," the turtle returned, and glanced at the Elohim. "Guys, how long can they keep this up?"

The aliens shared a bleak look.

"Unless there is some kind of malfunction as with the cyclone, they can most likely continue much longer than our supplies will stretch," Bahri admitted.

Director Kelley came up to join them. "They have to realize they're walking a fine line. The difference between nearly freezing someone to death and killing them isn't that big, is it?"

The purple-masked turtle shrugged. "The old saying with hypothermia is that nobody is dead until they're _warm_ and dead. When you're dealing with cold-weather induced injuries, like cardiac arrest, the chances for being resuscitated are greater than under normal conditions. We don't know what kind of technology they have for reviving someone so...there's no telling how far they're willing to push us."

"Their ability to revive is significantly higher than any method your planet has discovered," Ghysis said solemnly. "I have followed some stories of recovery from those who spent several minutes in cold water-"

"Their stuff is better than ours, we all know that," Stewart butted in. "But where does that leave us?"

Leonardo shook his head. "Same place we were before the storm took a break, I guess."

"You need to get back to the fires," Marcus ordered.

Will had forgotten about the doctor in the heat of the moment, but now whirled to face him. "I want to see Jasmine when she's awake. Will you let me know?"

"It won't be up to me, Major, but I'll pass the request along."

Stewart mentally cursed the man while he walked away, and begrudgingly followed the others to the fire circle which had grown with the addition of Donatello, Michelangelo, Kamryn, and Director Kelley, and the Elohim.

"Okay," Leonardo stated decisively. "They're going to try waiting us out, which gives us a small advantage. It's more time to come up with a solution. Bahri, did a message ever get through to the Elohim's ship?"

"We have heard nothing, Leonardo, but the conditions are so poor, I did not expect to."

The blue-masked turtle took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "There's a way around this. There has to be. If we could even fool them into thinking we've gone down, when we actually haven't..."

"That plan would still allow them into uncomfortably close proximity," Alarid said. "With how many humans accompany you, I am sure the group would outnumber their extractors, but they will not hesitate to use weapons against the Earthlings. I fear such a ruse would see many of them killed."

The genuine concern in the alien's voice made Will stare at Alarid for several moments. He was prone to believe the turtles were the only thing the Elohim cared about, but now he wasn't so sure.

"I'd think this kinda storm would get them the attention they don't want," Michelangelo commented. "I mean, like no one on Earth is gonna notice the freak snowstorm in Venezuela?"

"Their goal is retrieve the terrapins, at any cost this time," Alarid affirmed.

"Why do you say they don't want attention?" Will asked.

"It goes back to their first fight with our kids, when two of them were taken," Leonardo told him. "They hesitated to leave the cover of the park. And after Kamryn crashed her ship, they high-tailed it out of there."

"But _why_ don't they want to be seen?" Stewart continued.

"My guess is that they would like to avoid the dispensing of certain weaponry," Ghysis said carefully. "They have the means to combat nuclear technology, but do not appreciate its impact on the environment. They are protective of Nature as a whole."

Raphael chuckled darkly. "What would they do if Earth amassed all their weapons in one spot, and threatened to blow them to kingdom come? Would that make 'em back off?" He shot Will a cocky look. "Think you could arrange something like that?"

The Major couldn't determine if the turtle was being serious. "Are we supposed to believe they'll feel threatened? Amassing our weapons in one place would probably be like waving a red flag at a bull!"

"I must agree with the Major," Bahri announced. "The action could have considerable consequences for your planet."

"I didn't mean it," the red-masked turtle said gruffly. "But I don't hear anyone else spouting ideas."

Michelangelo struck the purple-masked turtle's shoulder. "Darn, Donny, it's too bad you never got your cloaking program up. Being invisible would come in handy right now."

Donatello looked annoyed. "I wasn't anywhere near a prototype, Mike. It was only in a conceptualizing phase."

 _That_ got Will's attention. "Cloaking program?"

The genius shot Michelangelo another sharp glance. "It was only something I'd been playing with a few days ago, before any of this happened. I was trying to find a way to beat the heat sensors in the...environment we were inhabiting," he finished cautiously. "The glass panels we used to help escape your FOB aren't really a solution, but more of a distraction. I didn't have time to get anywhere on the individual units, so there was no point in bringing them up, Mike."

"What good is living if you never get to dream, Bro? Think about the fun we could be having outside right now if the Vagari's fancy sensors couldn't track our every move!"

"Actually, I doubt they can track you in these conditions," Ghysis told the orange-masked turtle. "Normally their sensors have a high degree of accuracy, but this weather would leave them blinded. Did you notice they could not even send drones to check on us until they had halted the storm?"

Leonardo jerked as if he'd been bitten by something. "You want to run that by us again?"

"In the same way that we struggle to communicate through the fierce weather pattern, the Vagari are helpless to employ their seeking technology for the duration of the event," Ghysis reiterated.

"Huh. That's very interesting." Leonardo sounded strangely casual.

Bahri groaned at once. "Oh no."

Will looked between the elohim and the turtle. "What?"

"I am familiar with this look. Leonardo, what form of suicide are we embarking on today?"

"Suicide?" Stewart focused on the turtle for an explanation.

"It is the terrapins' favored method for desperate situations," the elohim went on grimly.

"I'm starting to think that's the wrong word for it, since we never really die," Donatello offered.

"Can you think of another term to make me feel better?" Bahri requested.

Leonardo held up a hand to prevent anyone else from speaking. "This storm is because of us, because they want to get their hands on our family. Concentrated in one spot, they'll outlast us. Correct?"

Ghysis nodded. "Without a doubt."

"But if they lose us, what then?"

"How will they _know_ they lost you?" Alarid asked. "I think I see where you are going, terrapin, but what will it benefit anyone for you to leave the safety of the cavern?"

"We're not safe," he retorted. "It's an illusion. Our only hope for the moment lies in evading them, which they're giving us the ability to do, undetected. If we split up, it could create confusion, and give us more time."

Bahri sighed heavily. "The time for what?"

"To figure out _how_ to move against the Vagari! Look, this isn't rocket science, it's just risky. I don't want to put anyone's life in danger, but sitting in this cave and waiting for them to come get us doesn't work for me either. I'm not saying that leaving is the solution...but it might help us find one."


	85. Divide

Leonardo knew that leaving would be a hard sell on their allies, but he wasn't about to back down.

"This move goes against every shred of self preservation I have." It sounded like Luke was trying hard to steady his voice, but the turtle knew he was on the verge of exploding. The doctor had to realize it was a losing battle.

"Of course it doesn't make sense," he agreed. "That's why we have to do it. If we stay here, we're essentially waiting to die, or I should say, you are. Because that's all the Vagari will do to the rest of you!"

"But if we outnumber them-" Greg tried to cut in.

"Numbers don't matter, Heff!" Raphael shut him down. "Why don't you guys get it? We have to do something these aliens don't expect. It's our only shot for getting the better of them."

"I'm confused," Matthew admitted. "I thought the goal was to get the seven of you turtles off the planet, but that sort of statement makes it sound like you plan to do more."

Leo faced the Director stoically. "The first priority is to escape from the corner we've been backed into. After that? Divide and conquer."

"Divide?" Brandon echoed. "You really wanna split up?"

Leonardo winced, but then nodded. "I don't see a way around it. A group this size is too noticeable. In order to evade them, we need to shrink."

"That's going to make us more vulnerable," Katherine said quietly. "More likely to fail."

"What's the alternative?" Don asked her. "Wait here and freeze? Let them come back, and do whatever they want with us and you guys? We don't like this any more than the rest of you, but there haven't been other viable options."

"By dividing, we're also forcing them to break up their resources," the blue-masked turtle added. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but there's only one ship and crew out there, right?"

"For now," Alarid confirmed. "But there are also teams of extractors preparing to come after you, and a move like this could force the Vagari to call for help."

"But assistance would take time to get into position?" Leonardo challenged.

"We may have a 'window', as you call it, but it would not last very long."

"Which is why we have to move fast! The first mission is to confuse them, and force Vagari to spread out searching for us."

"Vagari aren't lacking for drones," Kamryn said weakly. "They have all the help in the world to hunt you down."

"But isn't it true that the drones aren't as accurate as their thermal scanners?" Donny asked the aliens.

"In one sense, yes," Ghysis allowed. "The drones are primarily concerned with heat, whereas the thermal scanners on board the ship break down the specific body chemistry."

Bahri's sudden chuckle caught Leo's attention.

"What's funny?"

"The certain inefficiencies of a few of their machines is slightly humorous."

Donatello caught the elohim's sleeve. "What do you mean by that?"

"The drones are capable of performing a full body scan, but they are simply not _programmed_ to break down the composition of a life form. They record and transmit information back to the Vagari, who in turn process readings on their end, and decipher results. But since their intelligence is filtered through the drones to start with, if the machines choose to pass over objects or individuals in their path, then Vagari do not see them either."

"I'm not sure I follow you," Ezra spoke up. "You say the drones are capable of detecting us in minute detail. Why would they 'choose' to pass over us?"

"I am saying that the drone's tendency for relaying information is not based on the Vagari's decision, but rather an algorithm which is designed to recognize who they are trying to locate. Their primary concern is on heat, which works particularly well in the terrapins' case, since their naturally occurring temperature is lower than a human's."

"Why is that any reason for laughter?" Will wondered suspiciously.

"Because if it is possible to confuse the drones, to make the terrapins seem worthless to follow, then the Vagari cannot use them to their full advantage."

"Okay, but how do we do that?" Mike blurted out before anyone else could.

Leo's eye ridges rose when Bahri smiled.

"Liomi?"

Marcus gasped. "The extract? Could something like that work?"

The elohim shrugged. "I have no idea. It is a fact that the extract raises their core temperature significantly. Especially if it were applied _after_ their bodies reached a normalized range. It could make them seem warmer than the drones' intended targets."

"How much do we have?" Leo asked at once. "What's the duration of a dose?"

Alarid shook his head. "We have not experimented with intentionally raising a temperature above normal, Leonardo. I expect it could work, but as for how long you would _remain_ in that range...We have no way of determining such a thing."

Don folded his arms with a far away look. "If I messed with the parameters of my scanner, and adjust the acceptable temperature gauge higher...I bet it would give me an alert any time someone dropped below the new norm."

"It would require constant communication between groups," Leo said to himself. "Don, can you start making your adjustments now? We need to figure out exactly how much of the extract we have, and where to head from here."

"I don't think we can afford to split up this way, unless you're actually willing to vacate the planet," Will said pointedly.

"We have to deal with the existing Vagari, Major. As far as what happens after...We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Leonardo answered, distracted by the way aliens separated from the group.

The hushed unintelligible tones between Bahri and the Legatus made it seem like the elohim was filling them in on the discussion in progress.

The blue-masked turtle turned to face Donatello, who was still standing by. "Go make your adjustments," he repeated. "We'll figure out the logistics of splitting up, and get back together before we leave."

"Jasmine is in no condition to go anywhere," Stewart mentioned. "That could change later, but for the moment, she's incapacitated. With respect for your plan, Leonardo, I believe the men and myself would serve a better purpose where we are along with her."

"What do you mean?" Olivia called from his left. "You don't want to move?"

"Keeping a large concentration of bodies in one spot could mean it would take the Vagari longer to notice you missing, right?"

"But what are you trying to accomplish?" Jake ventured. "Isn't it still possible they'd take you out just for existing?"

"My bet is, they'll catch on that their prize has disappeared before that happens, and scatter to correct. Our part is to help the illusion stay alive long enough for the rest of you to get some distance between us."

Leonardo shifted uncomfortably at the idea. "You're talking about intentionally standing in harm's way. They could very easily destroy your entire group."

"They want to kill everyone!" Will declared. "As for me, I command my own men, and none of you have any right to tell us what to do. We're staying."

Alarid raised a hand timidly. "Liran said something similar, although he does not understand your words, human. He believes that the Elohim and Legatus staying behind would be beneficial to the ruse."

"Are we supposed to abandon all of you?" Mike was incredulous.

"No," Stewart retorted. "You're supposed to take your shells out of here, and either get off the planet or go through with this insane attempt to beat the aliens at their own game! If you're going to do it, it needs to happen sooner than later, before those fire brick things run low. That's when we all stand the chance for freezing to death. Vagari won't bother reviving any of us."

"No, they wouldn't," Leo said slowly. "So that leaves the seventeen of us, minus your troops, Major, the Elohim, Legatus, and Jazz..."

"You better make it sixteen," Bran replied in a low voice. "I'm not leaving Jazz like this."

"You don't think I'd do everything in my power to protect her?" The Major seemed offended.

Brandon stared the man down. "I _think_ if we're coming this close to death, I'd rather be beside the woman I love. I want to help the turtles too, but..." The conflicted man trailed off.

Leonardo stretched a hand around his shoulder. "Go with your gut, Bran. If it tells you to stay, that's what you should do."

"Not what I wanna do," he murmured. "I don't want any of you out of my sight."

"That can't be helped," the turtle said apologetically. "Things are already in motion, and we don't dare slow down. We're going to break into groups, figure out some supplies and how to divvy up the extract, then the rest of us _have_ to disappear."

* * *

Mike was looking forward to taking on the blizzard as much as he enjoyed ripping off a longstanding band-aide. _But the quicker you get it off, the less you gotta obsess over it. Shell, this would have been so much easier if we'd packed for the Arctic. Doc won't ever let us leave the house without a winter wardrobe again._

Although they weren't outfitted for the elements, the storm itself had a limited radius. _All we have to do is get outside the "ring of death" and the danger of freezing goes down massively. It doesn't change the fact that we've got alien bounty hunters searching for our shells, but we can deal with that later. I wonder what this storm has to look like to their meteorologists down here. They're probably going out of their minds. Just hope they don't decide to send their people into it._

Mike rubbed the recent injection site in his forearm while simultaneously grinning. Don's last action before they'd been separated was to pass on the "super hero" gene to him, Raphael, and Olivia. While it was slightly disappointing not to feel an immediate difference the way Leo and Donny had, the knowledge that they could _all_ reproduce the cell excited the orange-masked turtle beyond words.

 _Too bad it can't protect us from freezing, but we've got a fix for that._ Mike shifted the straps of his backpack, which was currently worth more than its weight in gold. Then he stepped out of the crevice in which he'd been taking temporary refuge with Nate, Greg, and Shunshi. "That's all the breather I think we have time for. Everybody holding up okay?"

"I would rather keep moving than take any time to stop," Shunshi said.

"I wish we could tell how big it is," Heff muttered.

"Well, we've already come..however far," Mike told him uncertainly.

Greg tapped the screen of his phone. "About a mile and a half. Alarid estimated the radius of this thing could be as much as _four_ miles."

"But they wouldn't have a reason to expand that far," Nate offered. "If they figure they've got us trapped in that cave, why expend the energy to make the storm bigger? In the middle of the white out, we can't see the other side, but it could still be closer than we think."

Michelangelo nodded approvingly. "Good point, Nate. So chin's up, skis on, and tally ho!"

Greg snorted. "If only it were that easy. Are you two sure you're feeling okay?"

Mike wasn't positive how to answer the question. They'd taken their first dose of the liomi extract before leaving the cavern, but he already felt the cold as if it had absorbed to the bone. "I'm not sure, Heff. I'm freezing, but I don't feel like keeling over."

The younger orange-masked turtle ventured a couple feet ahead of them in the accumulating snow, shielding his eyes against the wind. "Do you think we can stop talking for a little while and focus on what we need to do? I don't want to be the boss of anyone, but we're not making the progress we should have."

Mike tried to wink at the teenager, but snow blinded the one eye which remained open. "You can't fight your calling, Nate. Go ahead and crack the whip."

Nathaniel didn't respond to the bait, but chose to start moving instead. Michelangelo fell silent while taking up the position behind his son, and resisted the urge to grasp his shoulder. _He's fine. Nate doesn't need me to get overprotective. It's one thing to look out for each other, and something else to second guess everything he does._

Their pace was hampered by the combination of a steep decline, violent wind which barely let up, and the complete soaking of inefficient layers, which only made them more inadequate. Mike bit back the urge to complain, refusing to speak any more negativity into what was already an impossible situation.

 _That, and my kid might have to chew me out. I can't force Nate to scold me in front of Greg and Shun. He'd probably go through with it if he had to._ The mental image made Michelangelo snort under his breath. _Under better circumstances, it'd be fun to see what Nate would do, but now's not the time to push his buttons._ His private chuckle was interrupted by the teenager suddenly halting.

"What's the matter?" Paranoia had the older turtle reaching for nun-chucks, though there was no enemy in sight.

"I thought I saw light!" Nate had to raise his voice to be heard over the gale. He glanced over the edge of the path they were descending. "I'm telling you, we're close to the edge of this thing!"

"Then lead on, _Chokkan_." Mike intentionally reverted to the teens' nickname for his son, and gave Nate a small nudge.

When the teen picked up speed, Michelangelo's nearly frozen limbs trembled at the extra effort required to keep up and not lose traction on the hill. He threw a look over his shoulder to check on Greg and Shunshi, but couldn't make eye contact through blowing snow. "You guys okay?"

"We're right behind you! Keep going!" Greg bellowed back.

The urgency in the man's voice made Mike want a closer look at him, but in the time he'd hesitated to check on his friends, he'd already lost track of Nathaniel. He followed his son's tracks as rapidly as the elements and stiff muscles allowed, and his heart stopped when footprints appeared to end close to the ledge.

The orange-masked turtle scoured the area further down the trail, and looked left and right anxiously. "Nate?" Desperation surged when he peered over the edge of the path and called out his son's name louder. He was on the verge of hurling _himself_ off the ridge to find him, when a green hand shot back into view.

Mike dropped low to catch Nate's wrist, and wrestled him over the edge of the cliff. "Are you all right? Are you okay?!"

"Dad, it's fine! We're barely a dozen feet off the ground!"

"What?"

"C'mon! I'll show you."

Michelangelo caught his breath when the teen disappeared over the ledge again, but let it out with a gasp as he pursued him. He experienced the sensation of descending through a cloud, and for a couple seconds, dreaded how he would land. In the next moment, he sprawled into damp grass, and rolled part of the way down a hill before managing to stop.

Mike tried to jump to his feet, but his legs were uncooperative and heavy from being so cold. He felt infinitely better when he spotted Nate, and the teen gave him a sheepish smile while motioning to the impressive mass of clouds lying only a few feet above their heads.

"I'm gonna get Greg and Shun. Be right back," Nathaniel assured him.

The older turtle took the opportunity to concentrate on breathing in the warmer air, and closed his eyes for a beat as the sunlight reintroduced feeling to his skin. When he reopened them, he alternated his gaze between the lush green surroundings of the hillside, and the threatening storm assaulting the mountain.

The effect of crossing the barrier produced an experience akin to what he imagined it would be like to enter the wardrobe and go into Narnia*. Mike massaged his legs to encourage circulation and satisfied himself not to move while waiting for the others.

He heard Shun's shout first, and shot a knowing smile over his shoulder.

"I see why you listen to this guy." The Asian young man nodded at Nate.

"Yep. My kid knows what he's doing."

The teenager laughed. "I followed the light, Dad. Have you tried calling anyone?"

"No. I was kinda busy enjoying the sun and trying to get feeling back into my legs."

Greg was staring at the screen of his phone instead of the green expanse spread out around them. "Mike, Don doesn't like your temperature. He wants both you and Nate to take a quarter of the first bottle."

"Seems excessive," Mike complained. "Don't we have to space the extract out?"

"Right now, you need to get your temperature regulated, and then elevated. Do what he says."

Michelangelo tugged off the straps of his bag and dug out one of the Elohim's flasks. He started to offer it to Nate, but his son motioned for him to go first. He obediently downed the required amount, and passed it to the teen. The older turtle peered into the bag at the pouch Donatello had loaded with a couple of ready-to-use formulas, and the parting gifts from the military before looking up at Greg. "You guys gonna take anything?"

Heff's gaze lifted from the phone to take in the view, and he stripped off his drenched jacket. "I think Shun and I can catch up on our own. Let's get _you_ two doing better, and then we can be on our way."

"On our way where?" Shunshi asked. "It was never established what we were going to do."

Nate handed the extract back to Michelangelo. "We don't have a destination in mind, Shun. Need to stay out of sight. What do you think of those trees, Dad?"

Mike stared at the wilderness at the bottom of the hill upon which they were perched. "It's a nice place to start, but you're supposed to be _giving_ direction, not looking for it."

"Everyone should have input," Nate said innocently, and then blinked several times. "Anyone else feel like they're dreaming?"

Greg nodded in slow motion. "Just another day in the life of mutant ninja vigilantes."

Mike cocked his head. "We've had worse days."

The man stretched out beside him. "Let's not tempt the fates, shall we? Hurry and warm up."

"You know I can't control it like that, right?"

Shunshi snickered. "Greg-san enjoys telling people what to do, even when he does not know what to do himself."

Greg scowled at the young man. "Just because I didn't want to jump off a cliff-"

"Hey, guys?" Nate interrupted. "Maybe we could catch our breath for a little while or something?"

Mike chuckled. "Time to shape up, Greg. The other 'fearless' has spoken."

* * *

 ***Narnia belongs to C.S. Lewis.**


	86. Push

Luke was beyond irritated, not only because they'd taken action which was ridiculously risky, but that they'd already managed to safely exit the "storm zone". Jayden's smug expression was almost too much to take, but addressing him felt like it would make it worse.

"Have you connected with everyone?" he asked Donatello. The doctor had been trying hard not to read the screen of his scanner over the turtle's shoulder, while mentally kicking himself for allowing _his_ machine to die.

"They're good, Doc," the purple-masked turtle told him. "You can have a turn if you want." He held out the scanner to the man.

"No, too distracting," Luke muttered. "I think I'm anxious enough."

"It's gonna be okay," Don assured him.

"You don't know that."

"The rest of us are still trying to believe it," Katherine chided him.

He sullenly refused to meet his wife's gaze. "I don't want to be negative, but it's hard to escape the obvious."

"What's obvious, Doc?" Jayden turned to face him again. "You figured we'd freeze to death the minute we went outside, but here we are."

"You wouldn't be so cocky if it wasn't for that alien extract!" The words came out much more bitterly than he intended.

"Doc, we have experience with liomi," Donny said quietly. "You don't have to worry about side effects."

"Do you honestly expect me to like something I have no control over?"

"Control is an illusion, remember?" the burly teenager boasted.

"Your attitude better be an illusion too," Luke retorted.

A warning glance from the older turtle cut short Jayden's snort.

Kat hooked an arm through Luke's, and it had the effect of immediately relieving some of the tightness in his chest. He breathed deeply in an attempt to alleviate more, and focused on Don again.

"How does Jazz look?"

"Okay from here," the turtle returned. "I'd rather see her with my own eyes, but she appears stable."

Kat shook her head. "What do you think she was doing? Donny, Jazz didn't say where she was going?"

"Just that she'd be back, but...she was messing with her phone at the time. I bet she went in search of a signal."

Luke growled in frustration. "That didn't require wandering off. She knew better than to go anywhere alone."

"Just in case we had a massive snowstorm in the tropics," Jayden suggested.

The doctor gave the teen an evil eye. " _No one_ should be alone, regardless. I don't even like splitting up as small as we have!"

"We know you don't like the situation, hon," Kat pointed out. "But would you rather be at home? It's where I wanted you to be."

"Nice to know I'm not the only one who has to be protected," Jayden commented.

Luke resisted the urge to tell the young turtle to shut up, barely.

"Would you knock it off, Jay?" Don requested, more placidly than the man would have. "It's time to find some cover. Everyone feeling okay?"

"You know we were never in as much danger as..." the doctor started, but wisely stopped himself before he could go off on another tangent. "I'm fine. Are you okay?" He glanced at Katherine.

The woman nodded. "A little sunshine works wonders. I can't imagine how anyone on Earth is going to explain these events." She cast a look over her shoulder at the storm raging in the background. "Part of me wants to take a video for posterity's sake, and the other part is still praying we survive the rest of the day."

"We're on track to do that," Donny said firmly, tucking his scanner into the pouch which crossed his plastron. "It should provide me warning if anyone drops below 98.6 degrees. It's all a guessing game per how long the liomi will keep us elevated."

"Which is partially the reason I don't like this," Luke reiterated, then winced. "I'm sorry. I've made myself clear, so I'll stop beating a dead horse."

"You could try taking in the view." Jayden pointed to something which the man couldn't see yet.

Luke trotted to the teen's higher vantage point, but found himself still obstructed by trees.

"Through there." The sixteen-year-old indicated an area to the west, then grinned down at him. "Want me to give you a boost?"

"I _want_ you to shut your mouth."

Jayden had the nerve to snicker. "How have you made it through their other missions, Doc? I swear you're about to have a heart attack."

"Don, would you get your kid please?"

When the older turtle's cuff across the back of his head succeeded in startling his son, Luke couldn't help laughing. "It serves you right."

"Dang, I'm only trying to lighten the mood a little," Jay grumbled. "If everything's going to Hell anyway, we might as well do it with some humor. I don't want to die from an anxiety attack before the real fight even starts. Does that mean I'm not taking anything seriously?"

"You're pushing it too far, Jayden," Donny corrected. "Hush for a little while, and let's get our bearings." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We're getting closer to the Caribbean sea, if the air is any indication."

"That's _all_ I was trying to show him!" Jayden declared.

Donatello shot the teen a smile which struck Luke as a peace offering. The two turtles led the way further up into the tree line. It wasn't until they reached a small break in the foliage that the man caught his first glimpse of the ocean, and shot the young turtle a thumbs up.

"It's pretty cool," he told Jayden. "It would almost be exciting, if it weren't for everything else."

"For a guy who's never been anywhere, it's still exciting," Jay said dryly.

"You can't say that anymore," Katherine replied impishly. "You get to call yourself a world traveler like the rest of us."

"Hope I get to call myself an _out_ of this world traveler."

If Donatello heard the youth, he pretended not to.

 _That's one discussion I don't want any part of. But we have to make up some ground first, before the turtles can even think about leaving our atmosphere._

The sight of the brilliant blue Caribbean filled Luke with a sense of awe, but he was left with lingering terror in his gut. "What's the plan?" he forced himself to ask. "Do you think Leo has one?"

"Nothing concrete, though I bet he has a few ideas. Step one is evading them, which we're already doing, followed by confusing the drones. The next part will depend on how they react to losing track of us."

Kat gripped Luke's arm harder. "Do they have the power to level the mountain range?"

Don shook his head. "I don't know. I can't tell you anything about their 'powers', except that they're clearly not omnipotent. Our kids already escaped them once."

Jayden shrugged off the comment, fists clenched angrily at his sides. "I had nothing to do with escaping. If it'd been up to me, we probably _all_ would have disappeared."

Luke swallowed with regret. _I think I prefer him giving me a hard time, at least if he's sort of enjoying himself._

"Your uncles and I didn't fair too well against Lendano either," Donny said faintly. "But both events are in the past, and we can't do anything about them. It's a better use of time and energy to be where we are."

"You think Jonin has a real method?" Jayden sounded so serious, Luke straightened up to hear the response.

"There hasn't been time for planning or intel," Don admitted. "We're probably going to be winging this, but that doesn't mea-" The older turtle cut off with gasp.

Luke's gaze went wild in search of danger, but one glance backwards revealed what had silenced his friend. The raging intensity of the snowstorm had ceased once more. Normally he would have considered that a good thing, but his heart dropped at the thought of the Vagari moving in for a closer look.

Donatello snatched his tablet and then handed it to Jayden so he would have both hands free for his phone. Instead of making a call, Luke could tell the turtle had brought up a text field.

"What are you saying, Don?"

"Telling everyone to get another dose of liomi down, before the drones are out in force. I really hope splitting up was a good idea." Donny lowered the phone, and pointed to the bag Jayden was toting. "C'mon, Jay. We have to take our medicine too."

The teen popped open a flask and obliged his father before handing the container over to him. "Is it working like you thought it would?"

"It wasn't my idea," Don said. "But yes, our core temperatures are hovering higher than normal. We need to keep it that way."

"A little more motion would help with that, right?" Jayden suggested.

"I want to stay in the trees for now." Donatello gave a parting glance to the ocean. "It's awesome, but we'll stand out like sore thumbs in the open."

"What's so bad about being a sore thumb?" Jayden asked. "We've been different our whole lives, and it never did us in before."

The teen's logic was almost believable. This time it gave Luke a reason to smile instead of getting irritated. _I'd much rather see his humor intact. Makes me feel as if we still have a fighting chance. I'd like to hold on to that for a while, even if I'm only fooling myself._

* * *

Bahri's heart was racing so hard, he half expected it to give out due to stress. The moment the storm ceased for a second time, he immediately exited the cavern to activate his com-link. He understood the part the soldiers wanted to play in carrying out the appearance that no one had gone anywhere, but _his_ idea revolved around getting in contact with the Elohims' ship.

 _I hope they are within range for me to connect. There is no telling how long this relative "peace" will last. I have to take advantage of it!_

Bahri's eyes roved constantly, as though he would be able to pick out minuscule drones before they saw him. _It is no use to think about them. Even if the rest of us end up dying here, I must make certain the others know what is happening so they will return to get the terrapins._

 _"Haim, can you hear me?"_ Bahri waited an anxious few seconds, but heard nothing in response. " _Haim, I need for you to hear me – please!"_ If desperation alone could force the message to be conveyed, the elohim knew he would have been successful.

 _"I have you!"_ The ecstasy in his friend's reply made Bahri's heart leap too. " _Bahri, I have been trying to raise you for hours! The interference was so great, I began to fear it would not be possible!"_

 _"We have run into a significant problem, Haim, which is why you must let me speak-"_

 _"Wait, Bahri, there is something I must tell you too!"_

 _"Haim, we are under attack. Vagari have located us, and the terrapins have fled in four separate ways. They will not evade them forever! You must come this direction, at whatever cost. Even if you are seen by the humans, it would not be as disastrous as the enemy managing to capture any more of them."_

A long silence preceded Haim returning with a much lower tone. " _We are on our way. But it will be easier to evacuate them if everyone is in one place. If it is necessary, we will not wait for acclimation."_

Bahri gasped under his breath. _"No, do not do it, Haim! Losing your entire crew will not aid us in returning to Zuhur. We need_ all _your technicians in order to make the jumps!"_

 _"I concur, but we cannot allow them to be taken, Bahri. We are coming."_

 _"All right. I will try to get the terrapins to gather in one position, though, I do not know where we will go. What is it you needed to tell_ me _, friend?"_

 _"We received word from Zuhur. Bahri, Ghyath and Shukri live!"_

 _"You are_ certain? _"_ The hand grasping his communicator drooped, and he almost lost hold of the link altogether.

 _"I spoke to Ghyath myself! They were prisoners inside Central, but they escaped, along with the terrapins' young ones. They are free, Bahri, and assembled at Cri Drojen!"_

The elohim tried to raise the link, but hesitated as tears of relief hit him hard. Bahri covered his mouth to contain the sob which accompanied them, and heard Haim calling out to him.

" _Bahri, are you there? Did you hear what I said? We are not finished. Do you understand this?"_

 _"Yes,"_ he managed. _"I am simply...overwhelmed. This is unexpected."_

 _"This is_ hope _, Bahri; precisely the opportunity we prayed for. You have got to reunite the terrapins, and we must return to Zuhur with haste."_

 _"I will do so. That is...I will try to get them to cooperate. Are you certain the Vagari ship is alone?"_

 _"Yes, but I also know they detected us. I regret that our presence probably alerted them to your location."_

 _"It was necessary, brother. We can do nothing while stranded here. I do not know what will happen in the next few minutes or hours. The attack is definitely coming. I pray you get here soon."_

 _"You can be sure of that. We are also forced to keep an eye on the solar activity coming from their star."_

Bahri's brow creased. _"Solar activity? What are you referring to?"_

 _"We have been lingering in proximity to Mars, and picked up an unusual amount of flares from their sun. I cannot account for what it means, but it appears a serious storm could be brewing. It may have a significant impact on both Earth's atmosphere and our ability to intervene."_

 _"Come quickly, Haim, but do not skip the acclimation. Will you continue to monitor the solar activity as well?"_

 _"For our own safety, we are leaving probes behind to keep us informed. We will be there as soon as possible."_

 _"El protect you!"_

 _"And you, brother."_

Bahri dropped his hand a second time, staring at the link within his palm. The magnitude of emotions rocking his mind were overpowering him. He felt like both laughing and crying, while simultaneously shaking a fist at the unseen assailants hunting them. The revelation that two of his dearest friends not only lived, but that the terrapins' children were rescued also made him want to shout. Instead of doing any of those things, he turned and ran back to the cave.

"Brandon! Human, where is your phone? I need to reach Leonardo _now!"_

 _"_ Why, what's happening? What's wrong?" The man grasped his shoulders firmly, nearly shaking him.

"I made contact with the ship, and they are on their way! More importantly, our people heard from Zuhur. The terrapins' young ones are freed and Ghyath and Shukri live! _They live!"_ Bahri turned his head toward the bewildered Legatus, and repeated the news for their benefit.

Brandon jerked out his phone, but the Major nearly ran him over before the elohim could take it.

"What are you talking about? What does this all mean?"

"It means the resistance is alive on Zuhur, and their children are _safe_. Excuse me, Major, but I have to contact the terrapins."

Brandon shoved his phone into Bahri's hand. "I hit Leo's speed dial! Go outside where you'll get a signal!"

Bahri raced out of the cave, and waited for confirmation of connection to the satellite. He jogged few feet up the path for a stronger signal, the pain in his back barely registering for the joy overtaking his spirit. He cried out in gratitude to the Light when he heard the device ringing.

"We saw that the storm quit. What's happening up there, Bran?" Leonardo answered without pleasantries.

"Nothing yet, Leonardo. This is Bahri! But I have other important news to share. Our Captain Haim received word from Zuhur concerning your children, and reports they were rescued!"

"Are you for real?" There was an anxious yet hopeful quality to the terrapin's voice which demanded an immediate answer.

"I would not lie to you about it, Leonardo."

"I know you wouldn't, but I never anticipated you saying _that_. They're definitely safe?"

"For the moment, they are likely safer than we are. We also learned that Ghyath and Shukri are alive." He took great pleasure in the cry the terrapin unleashed, dearly wishing he had the same freedom to do so.

" _Yes!_ Yes, yes, yes! Oh shell, I have to call the others!"

"Leonardo, wait! There is more yet. Our ship is returning, and we must prepare to get all of you off the planet. It would be easier to accomplish if you are together. I do not know what you are planning, but..." Bahri paused at the parting of clouds, and a familiar space-pod which descended at a rapid pace.

"They have sent extractors, Leonardo! They must know you fled, and are seeking you out urgently! For them to make such a bold move in the light of day means they are desperate!"

"How much time before your ship arrives?"

"They are only traveling from Mars. The trip is rather short, but they still must wait for acclimation. Haim offered to forgo it, but if we do not have the necessary technicians to perform the jumps, we will not be able to outrun the Vagari. We will be challenged to do so as it is."

Bahri held his breath when the clouds broke a second time, and four more of the small ships dropped into view. "Leonardo, there are at least five teams hunting you! They appear to be ignoring those of us on the mountain for the moment, but I cannot say if it will last."

"Okay. I'll get in touch with the others, and we'll figure this out. We'll make it work – we have to! Take cover in the meantime. Don't hang around out in the open. I need to hang up so we can get to work on this, but keep me informed on everything you're seeing and hearing. Thank you, Bahri!"

"I did not do a single thing, terrapin."

"That's not true, not one word of it! You kept going when there wasn't any visible reason to. You sacrificed yourself and your body for my family. God as my witness, we're getting back to Zuhur, and we're going to make _everything_ right! So you hold on to hope, and don't give in to fear. I don't know how we'll make it out of this mess, but we've come way too far to quit now."

"I agree, Leonardo." Dread warred with new found hope while he watched the small silver ships fan out across the valley, but he couldn't give in to it. He _wouldn't_.

After hanging up the phone, Bahri could no longer contain the most raucous shout that had ever left his mouth. He pointed to the descending ships as though each could somehow hear him. _"You have not won yet! By El, you are not GOING to!"_


	87. Spotted

The way Raphael was currently feeling, he almost _welcomed_ the idea of one of the extractor teams trying to drop in on them. The news about the kids being rescued and Ghyath and Shukri's miiraculous "resurrection" was so buoying, it didn't seem like anything would be able to take them out.

The older turtle downed half the extract left in the first bottle and then passed it off to Olivia. The relief in his daughter's features alone made Raph feel like he could fly. _The burden was so much heavier on her than I realized._ It wasn't until her spirit transformed before his eyes that he realized the depth of the inner anguish she'd been suffering.

"Why are you still bothering with the extract?" Jake puffed from behind them.

Raphael immediately slowed. In the heat of the moment, he'd almost forgotten about their civilians. The red-masked turtle halted entirely to give Marcus a chance to rest, but then finally took notice that the asthmatic wasn't struggling to regulate his airway.

"You okay back there, Marc?" he called uncertainty. "I'm really sorry. I got excited, and I wasn't thinking about ya."

The man nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. A little paranoid." He glanced overhead nervously. "I'd like to catch up with the others."

Raphael cocked his head. "How are you fine? I've been pushing you like crazy for at least a mile, and you're not...um...you're kinda..."

Marcus laughed unexpectedly. "I'm old? A little sickly? You can say it, Raph. It doesn't hurt my feelings."

"But seriously – _how_ are you okay?"

The doctor returned with a small smirk. "How do you think?"

The red-masked turtle stared at the man in confusion for a few moments, before the obvious answer occurred to him. "Jayden ought to start charging for his blood. Kid could be a trillionaire."

Marcus tapped his shell. "Luke was worried about my meds holding up, and being stuck in the wilderness. Made me take the plunge the night we fled the Tower. And It's not just Jayden anymore. The genes coming from Don and Leo are identical, and you're going to start reproducing them too, if it follows the same pattern."

The idea both thrilled and frightened Raph, if he was being honest. Dealing with a gene which had been developed by one of the most evil creatures they'd ever had contact with was disconcerting, but the benefits were hard to argue with. _Particularly the one standing right in front of me._

Asthma had been a lifelong struggle for the dark-haired doctor. The man had personally done so much for the red-masked turtle, it was extremely gratifying to watch Marcus be able to exert himself without difficulty.

"You deserve it, Marc."

The man shrugged. "Deserving doesn't have much to do with anything, but I definitely appreciate it."

"I'm still curious," Jake mentioned. "Why are you guys taking more of the extract if we're running from their pods? I thought that stuff only confused the drones."

"Jake, we can't _see_ the drones," Olivia reminded him. "Doesn't mean they aren't out there, helping the extractors in their search." The twenty-year-old glanced at her father. "Are we honestly going to jump ship?"

Raphael shook his head. "There's no concrete plan, Liv. Can we enjoy the fact that your cousins are free of those maniacs for the next few minutes, without wondering what the shell we're gonna do next?"

"I _am_ enjoying it. But I'm still worried about what Kamryn said. With us gone, what's to stop the Vagari from unleashing all hell on Earth? It's been their intention from the start, Dad. Our family is basically a perk."

He sighed inwardly. "I can't deal with it yet – none of us can. We gotta take one step at a time, because it's all we can handle."

Raphael brought up the mapping software built into his phone, which was fixed on Donatello's location. A simple sweep of his finger gave him the option of tracking any of his brothers, and seeing their progress for the rendezvous. _Would have been a shell of a lot easier to stick together to begin with, but how was anyone supposed to know what was gonna happen next?_

He recognized it was time to get moving again. With phone in one hand, he continued leading the charge to cut back across the hillside. Getting to where his purple-masked brother's team was currently hunkered down would require another two mile jaunt, but now that he knew Marc was up for it, he felt great to continue.

Raphael had only taken four strides, when Olivia snatched his arm so hard that he reached for his sai.

"No, Dad, there!" she squeaked, motioning to four figures on the hiking path above them, gripping metal rods which resembled ski poles.

Normally the idea of strangers getting a good look at them would give Raphael reason for serious concern, but at the moment, the humans were the last thing he was worried about. "What are you gawking at?" he called. "Pick up your fancy walking sticks and get the shell off this mountain! I ain't playing – you're all in danger!"

The people merely looked perplexed, and nowhere near as frightened as Raph wanted them to be. One of them yelled something back which sounded distinctly Spanish, so he turned to Olivia.

"Would you put the fear of God in them please?"

Liv took two steps forward and rattled off a sentence which had the strangers dropping their poles, and sprinting the opposite direction.

Raphael whistled with approval. "What'd you say to them, Liv?"

"I told them the mountain was going to erupt."

He snorted. "This ain't no volcano."

"It's a little more believable than aliens, isn't it?"

"When you're staring down one of us? I don't know about that, Kouen."

Olivia grimaced helplessly. "We can't protect these people, but maybe we can get them out of harm's way for today."

Raphael winced too. He wasn't okay with abandoning Earth to the Vagari's whim any more than his daughter, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. All he could accomplish at that point in time was running, so he started back up the trail, heedless of the possibility of coming across any more hikers.

The sound of something speeding overheard drew the turtle to look up rapidly, but the craft kept going. It still left his heart racing, and made him want to hightail it back to the heavier woods. _Yeah, where's your bravado now, shellhead? One little ship has you wanting to turn tail._

"I'm gonna take a wild guess that was one of them," Jake blurted out.

"No joke, Sherlock. What was your first clue?" Anxiety made Raphael sharp.

"Well, it was flying pretty low, and it didn't look like any plane I've ever seen," the young man retorted. "But it also missed us, so there's that."

Raphael shook off the tremor the flyover produced, and hoped the others didn't see it. He felt Olivia drawing in closer behind him, and realized Jake and Marcus had done the same thing. _Okay, so I ain't the only one freaked out by the ship, but I can't let them sense it._ "It's only a couple more miles to get to Don. Some of the terrain's rough, but we've got this, guys. We'll stick together, and we're gonna be okay."

He took a couple of deep breaths, and started moving again. The freedom of traveling in broad daylight and not caring who saw them was both liberating and ironic in the face of everything they were dealing with. It was also slightly entertaining when they trotted up behind another group of potential pole vaulters. Raphael tracked around them with a casual wave. Their gawk-eyed gazes almost made him laugh out loud.

"Hey. Mountain's gonna explode. You might wanna get off it!"

Olivia followed behind him with a Spanish translation in case they didn't understand, and then swatted his shoulder. "You going to steal my line for the rest of the day?"

"It's effective. Ain't that what matters?"

"I think your face is effective enough."

He chuckled over the burn. "You ain't got much room to talk on that count, Liv."

"No way, she's much cuter than you," Jake argued. "Not that I've ever tried to judge you from that angle, Raph."

"Better if you don't, kid," the older turtle returned dangerously, but then laughed again while witnessing the fleeing humans. _This has to rank up there as one of the weirdest days we've had yet. The stories people are gonna walk off this mountain with will be hysterical. Wish I had a chance to hear what they tell their friends._

He heard Olivia laughing too, and shot a smirk over his shoulder. "You picturing how they'll describe what they saw out here?"

"That, and wondering if they honestly think the mountain will erupt."

Raphael snorted and faced forward again, just in time to catch a sharp burst of light, as if the sun had exploded before his eyes. It was the last thing he saw before the world went dark.

* * *

Jazz was utterly confused by the actions taking place around her, and had a feeling it wasn't just the effects of a head injury. She wasn't happy when the aliens chose to leave the cavern, nor that the rest of her family was somewhere out there in even worse danger.

Brandon was crouched protectively at her side, but he was also so distracted by watching the entrance to the cave, Jazz managed to sit up partially without him noticing. She would have gotten further, if not for the shooting pain in her temple.

"Jazz, would you chill? You're not supposed to be moving."

"Brandon, things are going to pieces around us. Do you think I can ignore it all and go back to sleep?"

"I get that you can't ignore it, but there's nothing you can do either."

"I wanna know what the Green Berets are doing. Get my dad, Bran. Now." She left no room for negotiation in her tone.

Her husband didn't try to argue this time; he simpy got to his feet and headed for the hub of activity behind them. Brandon returned a few moments later with the stoic Major in tow.

"I know you're feeling a bit better, Jasmine, but you still have to rest," Will ordered.

"I can rest when I'm dead. What's going on? What are your people doing?"

Her father's steel gray eyes panned between her and Brandon. "We're creating a distraction."

"For what purpose?"

"To give your friends more time for _whatever_ they're doing out there! We're being ignored for now, which on the surface, is a good thing. But for the long run? We have to make sure they succeed at any cost, even if that means..." He didn't finish the statement, but then picked it back up. "I'd rather deal with the problem while it's _one_ ship, as opposed to dozens or hundreds."

Brandon folded his arms with a curious look. "How do you intend to deal with the problem?"

"I'm not stupid enough to believe we can take them out, son. All I'm talking about is diverting attention for a few minutes, or however long we can hold on."

"Dad, what are you gonna do?" Jazz sat up, breathing through the spasm that took her leg with the motion.

"We're taking a position outside to set up a special arsenal."

Brandon peered at the men behind them. "What arsenal?"

"They're not a fan of nuclear weapons, right? How would they react to seeing one assembled?"

"You don't have chemical components," Jazz accused.

" _They_ don't know that."

"Let me see if I understand," Brandon said slowly. "You wanna take all your men, and set up some fake device to fool the Vagari into attacking you? How long do you think you can last?"

"No clue. Hopefully your friends will have the time to do something." The Major wheeled around like he was leaving.

"Wait a minute!" Jazz called after him. "Do the others know you're doing this?"

"I owe them no explanation, just like none of them asked for my input, and never have. Everyone's future is on the line, Jasmine. It's a little bigger than my men and me."

"You'd lead them to their deaths?"

"Dying is never the goal, but we'll do what's required to get the job done. They signed up for this, Jasmine. They knew what they were getting into."

" _No one_ signed up for this!" she declared angrily.

"You're not going to stop us," he informed her, and turned as if walking away again.

"Fine! Go out there and die! I never had any say in this family anyway."

The man stiffened and looked back. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"My whole life was ruled by choices, _your_ choices. You always acted like you were the only one affected by them, when the opposite was true! But that didn't matter, none of it did, as long as you kept climbing the ranks."

"Jasmine, I don't have time for this," he said more quietly. "I'm going."

The woman's fingers closed around the only object within reach, which happened to be an empty flask. She hurled the container as hard as she could, and watched the bottle careen across the cavern. It collided with the back of the energy field, creating a static effect that startled the woman.

"Jazz, I'll talk to him," Bran told her. "Maybe I can change his mind. There's a cha-"

She threw up a hand to stop him, still staring at the projected energy field. "Bran, bring me that pillar."

"The what?"

Jazz turned to indicate the narrow tower-like structure nearest to them. "I need that. Bring it here."

The man didn't appear to want to touch the alien technology, but gingerly grasped the pillar and carried it over to her side

"Can you lay it down? I have to see the display."

"For what?"

She gave him a hard look, and he obeyed. Jazz ran a finger over the mounted screen and squinted at the array of numbers, stats, and alien words she couldn't decipher. Among the phrases, however, she recognized some of the terms she'd seen before.

"Jazz, what are you doing?"

"It's similar," she said to herself. "Like looking at it on a smaller scale. If I can keep at least one pillar active, and then get the others equalized toward their individual direction..."

"Jazz, what are you doing?" Bran said louder.

"Brandon, I think I can set these up again."

"It's already working where it is!"

"Yes, but we need to move it. Don't you think the soldiers would last longer with a protective barrier?"

The man caught his breath. "Are you sure you can do it?"

"About...70%," she admitted. "I understand the basic words I need to be concerned with from what Kamryn taught me last time. Don't you remember on Zuhur-"

"Yeah, the two of you 'equalized' the one vector; whatever the heck that is. But this sounds more like starting from scratch!"

Jazz resisted the urge to shake her head. "No, the pillar closest to the entrance, I think we can leave it where it is. It should still be near enough to get a projection after setting up the others outside. That way, I'll have an original example of the needed ratios to refer to."

Brandon dropped his head in his hands. "You're serious about this?"

"Deadly serious. They're about to throw away everything to try and save the world! We've got the tools to give them a better shot of surviving, and I want to use them!"

He shot a concerned glance to the Major. "They might not cooperate."

"They don't have to, Bran! You've got to help me up."

"There's no way I'm doing that."

"Brandon. End of the world as we know it."

The man groaned loudly. "Should have known we'd be committing suicide too."

"Absolutely. Now help me up."

"I'm going to get flak for this, you know. Doc is going to chew me out for a year."

"Because that's what we really ought to worry about. " She gave him a wry smile while he wrapped an arm around her waist, and then decided to pick her up.

"What are we doing?" he asked with resignation.

"We need to move the other three pillars outside, and go forward from there."

"You're the boss, Jazz."

He'd only made it a couple of yards with her when the Major charged up behind them.

"Where are you taking her?!"

"If you're hell-bent on dying for the world, _I'm_ gonna try and keep your people around a little longer," Jazz said stubbornly. "We've moving the pillars out, and I believe I can get them set back up to project the energy field for you."

Will gaped at her. "You're not going anywhere near this!"

"Yeah, I am, Dad. If there's the slightest chance it could save lives, I think it's worth it. Don't you?"

"In theory, yes, but this is the _alien's_ equipment we're talking about! You're brilliant in your own right, Jasmine, but you don't know anything about energy fields."

"That's where you're wrong. I could tell you why, but I don't have time either. Bran, if you would keep going, I'd appreciate it."

Her husband obediently carried her out into the sunlight, and set her down by the side of the entrance. "I'll start pulling the other pillars. You might wanna try calling Donny. He could have some...suggestions." Brandon handed off his phone to her before going.

Will scowled down at her. "You're only doing this because I wouldn't listen to you."

"That's fairly obvious. If you listened to me, I wouldn't HAVE to try and save your lives. Just like if you'd _listened_ to me back at the Tower of David, you wouldn't have been shot multiple times."

"This is completely different."

"Not from where I'm sitting. You've never listened to me in your entire life, and I don't expect you to change now. But if you think I'll let you fade out as some unsung heroes who died to save the world, you're wrong!"

"Jasmine, I was prepared for the eventuality-"

The buzzing of Brandon's phone made Jazz cut him off rapidly. "Hello?"

She was met only by heavy breathing on the other side, and a muffled voice she couldn't quite make out. Jazz looked down to confirm who had called, and spoke up after him. "Jake? Jake, what's going on? Where are you?"

"They're not here. We've looked and looked, and they're not here! Can't find anyone, they're all gone..." His rambling sounded dazed, and immediately put her on guard.

"Jake, slow down. Take a deep breath, and tell me what's happening."

"Who did I call?"

"It's Jazz. What's happened?"

"I don't know what's going on, but they're not here!"

"Who isn't there?"

"Olivia, Raph, they're gone!" He choked on the words. "We went down, something happened, and...and...When we woke up, they were gone!"


	88. Track

"...In case you've forgotten about your homing beacon, I haven't, Leo! I can tell you're not trying to catch up with us!"

Leonardo was having a hard time coming up with a convincing excuse for not meeting on the fly for his purple-masked brother, so getting off the phone had become priority number one.

"I don't know what you're doing right now, but _we're_ waiting!" Don continued. "Could you please give me an idea of what's in your head?"

"Donny, we're in a bad spot, and I can't keep going at this rate. I'll call you back."

"Leo, I swear, if you hang up-"

The blue-masked turtle disconnected before he had time to think about it and shoved the cell back in his belt. His first urge upon ending the call was to pick up speed again, but the ragged breathing of the man behind him overrode the compulsion. He shot a quick glance to the Director.

"Matthew, you really don't have to do this."

"I'm well aware I can't keep up with the rest of you, Leonardo. If you want to leave me behind, just say so!"

The turtle winced and fell back to jog alongside him. "I don't want to leave you behind, but you have to admit this is insane, even for us."

"Oh, what else is new? If I'm going out, it may as well be with a bang."

"I'm trying not to think that way."

Kelley gave him an incredulous look. "Is that why you wouldn't tell your brother what we're _really_ doing?"

Leonardo was caught and he knew it. "We can't risk all of us being captured. If we fail, they still might have a shot."

"I don't agree with leaving them in the dark."

"You don't have to," he said calmly. "I don't like it either, but at the moment, we need options..." Leo trailed off while searching the distance for Kamryn and Ezra. He couldn't pick them out among the trees. That _I don't like._

Snatching out his phone, he activated the app Donny had installed to produce a high-pitched sound only the woman would hear. It was the best way to get her attention without literally shouting. He pulsed the button a couple times before movement ahead confirmed her presence.

Kamryn doubled back toward them with annoyance. "What are you doing? Do you want me to hear the drones, or not?"

"Yes, I want you to track them, but I still need to see you," the turtle reminded her.

The woman huffed. "We need to move faster."

"We _need_ to stay together," Leo corrected. "Where's Ezra?"

"Waiting on us!"

"I know I'm weighing you down!" Matthew exclaimed. "You can ditch me, all right? I won't take it personally."

"Only way we're leaving you behind is if you don't want to go," Leo retorted. "Once again, you don't have to do this."

"For cripe's sake, I'm in! All the way in! How many ridiculous things do I have to do to prove that?"

The turtle was about the apologize, when Kamryn's hand grazed his shoulder.

"Leonardo."

She didn't have to say anything else; the way Kamryn froze told Leo everything he needed to know. He stood stock-still and raised a hand toward Matthew to warn him to be quiet too. The turtle's gaze fixed on the woman who slowly turned around and crouched lower to the ground.

Kamryn inched a few paces to the East, at the same time as Ezra came running out of the forest.

"Would anyone like to tell me-"

Leonardo waved madly to cut him off, and the Irishman seemed to catch on to Kamryn's posture. No sooner had Ezra held his ground, than Kamryn took off like a shot. The blue-masked turtle allowed the woman to take the lead, but he wasn't going to let her escape his line of vision.

He stayed back a couple yards to give her more room for hunting, and waited hopefully for success. Leo lost sight of Kamryn briefly when she careened into a thicket, and nearly jumped in after her. _Just give her a minute. She doesn't need anyone to hold her hand._

The turtle planted his feet and began counting seconds, nervously waiting for the woman to make some sound. When he detected a rustle through the brush marking her return, he knew it was only because of her ecstasy that he heard her at all. The woman's smile was triumphant, even though Kamryn didn't know what he wanted the drone for.

"Did you get it?" Ezra cried out.

She held up one fist. "It's intact, like you wanted, Leonardo."

Leo grinned. "Nice work."

"Yeah, it's great," Matthew agreed. "Now what are you going to do with it?"

"Don't you mean, what are _we_ doing with it?" he replied impishly.

"Fine. What are we doing with it?"

Leonardo accepted the tiny probe from Kamryn and gripped it inside his own hand. "We're going to play telephone."

"To what end?" Ezra wondered. "What do you intend to say to any of them?"

"I don't think it matters too much, as long as they're incited to come after me."

Matthew grunted under his breath. "You mean 'us' again, don't you?"

"That's the reality, but not the one they're expecting. If you want out, it's still an option."

The Director glared at him. "Tell me to leave one more time, Leonardo. Or, you could focus on whatever this cockamamie plan is, and kick it off before your _brothers_ decide to track you down."

Leo swallowed at the possibility of Matthew being correct. He opened his palm and gripped the drone between two fingers. While he examined the tiny object for the best vantage point, Kamryn reached over to correct the minuscule lens.

"Thanks," he muttered, and waved for the others to stay back. Taking more one deep breath, he spoke directly to the probe he was handling.

"I find your methods to be inadequate and sad. The fact that a race as advanced as yours is using such cowardly weapons to track us down and beat everyone into submission instead of facing us like _real_ warriors, it tells me who you really are. But then again, I'm not addressing fighters. You're only little errand boys, who have already failed numerous times.

"As a ninja we have nothing in common, and quite frankly, I don't have anything to say to you. However, for the sake of my family and the planet I care about, I will deign to communicate with your kind. I'm ready to negotiate terms for you to leave Earth's atmosphere. If you have any shred of boldness, I'm inviting you to come meet me.

"We probably aren't going to see eye-to-eye, but I don't want to let the people of Earth go down without a fight. You could send any number of storms to finish me off, I'm sure. But at the same time, I harbor something which is more valuable while I'm still breathing. If you need time to think, I get it. When you're not used to doing anything yourself, taking the first step is a challenge. But I'm waiting here, so...come and find me. I won't stay all day."

Leonardo closed his hand around the drone and intentionally crushed it. Then he shot Kamryn a smirk. "Think they'll take the bait?"

"I would say yes. But as for what they'll do with it? It's anyone's guess."

* * *

Ujagar was too elated to be irritated by the haughty tone of the invitation to meet one of the terrapins in the flesh. _It is more work to round them up one by one, but it makes little difference. Two already are detained, and the third won't be far behind._

 _"Quoh-Ujagar, we have an incoming transmission,"_ Bek-Mirza announced on his right.

 _"Put it on speaker."_ The Quoh looked at the screen to the left of the coordinates he was tracking: the last known location of the drone which delivered their quarry's message.

 _"Quoh-Ujagar, I am pulling Isar off this pursuit. I trust you are capable of handling this terrapin creature on your own,"_ the Josaad challenged.

Ujagar nodded confidently. _"We are on track to intersect the coordinates, Josaad – Chakor. Have you found something more interesting for Isar to chase?"_ A smile escaped the vagari with the suggestion.

 _"I can't fathom the madness of these creatures to believe they can oppose us. With but a flick of my wrist, these mountains would be reduced to ash."_

 _"You speak truly, Josaad, but we still need to gather the rest of the legendaries, don't we?"_

 _"Positions three and four are actively engaged hunting heat signatures. Position five will return once the two terrapins are delivered, but I don't want you to wait to move on this bold one. He is ripe for the taking."_

 _"I agree completely, Josaad, but may I inquire as to Isar's mission?"_

 _"I have assigned him to the human cretins amassing at their original location."_

It wasn't the answer Ujagar anticipated, and he couldn't hide his confusion. _"Why are you paying them any heed at this time?"_

 _"Their activity is suspicious, Quoh, and I'm trying to avoid the type of failure which was already committed. I don't need to tell you can't afford another disaster."_

 _"No, Josaad."_ Ujagar swallowed nervously. _"But this time is different. No matter what Earthling may see us, it doesn't matter."_

 _"Just get the terrapin to which you were assigned. When it is done, I will have another task for you."_

 _"We are on our way, Josaad-Chakor. I am signing out."_

Ujagar didn't normally feel pressure of this type from the Josaad he'd served under for nearly a decade, but he wasn't surprised by it. _We must finish things properly this time, else we will certainly not be given another opportunity._

 _"I have a good lead,"_ Bek-Pavan mentioned from behind him. " _The temperature is slightly elevated, but his chemical signature is sound. It's one of them."_

Ujagar smiled. _They were clever enough to outwit some of the drones, but those are mere machines. We will gather up this one and the rest in no time. We may break many rules in the process, but I honestly think the Vaga will care little, so long as we retrieve the legendaries. Our goal is so close now, I can almost see it._

 _I don't understand why Chakor thinks the humans are worth pursuing, but that will be his responsibility to explain, if necessary._

 _"How far out are we, Pavan?"_ the Quoh asked.

" _Estimated arrival is four minutes."_

 _"Have you scanned his surroundings? The Josaad found the terrapin's manner worthy of suspicion."_

 _"I have nothing else in the immediate vicinity, Quoh, but I am continuing to search outwards."_

Ujagar had just noticed how quiet his other Bek had become. _"Mirza, what are you studying?"_

 _"The text which the Vaga provided. From what he gleaned off the young terrapin, this one's behavior is not that unusual when you consider their background,"_ Mirza volunteered. _"The peculiar dedication is practically a religion in itself. Honor factors heavily into their ninjutsu belief system, and it's clear they expect similar behavior from us in return. What was it the Vaga's pet said upon meeting Muhsin_ _?"_

 _"We don't fight fair."_ Ujagar chuckled at the memory of the statement. _"What is the point of fighting fair if it would allow an opponent to win?"_

 _"None that I can imagine, Quoh-Ujagar,"_ Mirza answered.

 _"Take the controls, Bek-Pavan,"_ the Quoh encouraged. _"I am going to make ready some tools. It's unlikely we'll need all of them, but we can't make any mistakes."_

Ujagar sifted through an array of extraction devices. He held on to the _scutica_ for his own, and double-checked the setting on an energy binder. He picked out two more instruments for his men and released a deep breath as Pavan directed their pod to land on a hilltop overlooking the valley.

Amidst the sunlight streaming in through crystalline windows, he saw the figure of the lone terrapin creature, waiting. As much as he wanted to lunge off the ship, Ujagar sent another glance to Bek-Pavan. _"One more scan of our surroundings, please."_

He hesitated in growing anticipation, hopeful for the Bek's answer.

" _His is the only signature I detect on the ridge, Quoh."_

Ujagar nodded grimly. _"He may be alone, but we will treat him as a threat. Keep your eyes open, and be prepared to apply force. Open the hatch, Mirza!"_

The Bek activated the door from his side, but wisely allowed the Quoh to exit first. He projected a calm air, in spite of the way his heart quickened upon setting foot on the planet. The vagari let none of his nerves be displayed as he closed the distance between himself and his much desired target. He moved slowly, actively fighting the urge to rush the creature.

The blue-masked terrapin didn't move as he approached, and also had the nerve to smile. "So you _are_ capable of showing your face."

Ujagar gazed down upon the curious alien. "We would have gladly met you face to face days ago, had you chosen not to run from us."

"We didn't know what we were dealing with then."

"And you believe you do now?" Ujagar sensed his men flanking him on either side, and it grounded his boldness.

"I understand what's at stake now, which is why I chose to make contact with you people."

"It was kind of you to reach out," the vagari said mockingly. "Now I would like you to please keep your hands in my sight, and then you may kneel."

"I'd rather stand, if it's all the same to you."

"That's not a request, terrapin." He nodded, and the Beks on either side of him brandished _lampsi_ and _vronti._

It was unlikely the terrapin knew what the weapons were capable of, but the manner in which they were displayed convinced him to slowly obey. The creature kept both hands over his head, but managed to look unconcerned.

"Is this standing operating procedure for negotiations where you come from?"

"Vagari don't negotiate," he told him smoothly. "But I'm grateful for your cooperation. You could have made this easier on yourself days ago."

"I don't actually want to negotiate either," the terrapin admitted. "Truthfully, I only need your ship."

Ujagar laughed while fitting the energy binder over his arm. "And once you had the ship, what would you do with it, terrapin? You are making for an amusing day."

"I couldn't do much, but I can't speak for everyone else."

"To whom do you refer?"

The terrapin gave no answer, but Ujagar didn't particularly care. He selected a remote from the pocket of his tunic and pulsed the energy binder to 80%. The legendary instantly pitched forward, unable to maintain his balance on his knees.

"Thank you for calling," the Quoh told him solemnly. He holstered the scutica and picked up the creature, hefting him easily over his shoulder.

He pointed to Pavan to get back onboard the pod first, and handed their new prisoner over to him. The softest of growls escaped the hampered alien, but the sound didn't make Ujagar flinch.

 _"Get him strapped in."_ The Quoh settled into his own seat, and tapped out an updated status of the mission for Josaad-Chakor on the small screen to the right of his chair. _"What is our estimated time for return, Bek-Mirza?"_

 _"We will be within range of the ship in about fifteen minutes. Do you prefer to take the controls, Quoh?"_

 _"I will finish it, yes."_ Ujagar fired off the report to his superior and hit the button to close the hatch. The door had no sooner sealed, when a peculiar sound made the Vagari jolt in his seat. The repeated tone was both jarring and annoying at the same time, making the Quoh spin to seek out the source.

 _"What is that? Pavan, what are you doing?"_

 _"I don't know what it is, Quoh!"_

Ujagar's face darkened as he patted down the legendary. He withdrew the device off of him, which was still emitting the irritating sound. _Some form of communicator, no doubt._ Without hesitation he dropped the object and stomped on it as hard as he could.

He turned around with satisfaction, only to find the screens in front of him flickering oddly. He brow creased as he tested out a couple of buttons, but rather than restoring reception, the displays went dark.

 _"What is happening, Pavan?"_

 _"I can't...I don't know, Quoh. It seems as if our instruments are hindered, but I can't detect the source. I have nothing on the thermal scanner either..."_

Ujagar impatiently withdrew his personal com-link, but detected no usable signal on the radio source. _Something IS blocking us._ He rapidly depressed the button to open the hatch and ducked through the door to get outside.

Mirza followed, calling after him. _"Is it anything like the interference the drones contended with days ago?"_

 _"How can I answer the riddle of what is blocking the frequency when our channel itself is lost?"_ Ujagar was certain the hindrance could be removed, but didn't appreciate the delay. More than anything, he wanted to locate the source of their difficulty, but it was more important that their mission be completed. " _It doesn't matter. We are leaving this place."_

 _"We can fly without all our instruments,"_ Mirza offered weakly. " _But we are essentially blind."_

 _"Better to be blind than held up on this miserable planet. Interference or not, I am ready to be off this rock for good. It's been far too much trouble than it's wor-"_

The loud report of a weapon cut the vagari off and made him spin to look back. He laid eyes on an inconsequential-looking human brandishing his own miniature firearm.

"Very bold, human, but it doesn't serve you well to attack someone who is so much more powerful than you."

"Didn't help your buddy much!" the man retorted.

It took a second for the vagari to realize his counterpart was no longer beside him. Eyes narrowed in a flash while he rapidly withdrew his scutica and cast the line faster than the man could have expected. He was within inches of his target when an odd weapon intersected with its course.

Ujagar only had a moment to be surprised by the appearance of the ungainly pick ax, when sharp nails were wrapped around his throat and tearing out his larynx before he had an opportunity to scream.


	89. Chance

***Around this time, you may be tempted to believe this was all by design, particularly the breakdown of who is on Leo's team. But it couldn't be further from the truth. Usually I have _some_ kind of plan coming into disaster, but on this occasion, I had nothing.**

 **Literally nothing. The madness, the fumbling around, changes of direction...all me having no clue what was happening next. As uncomfortable and cringy as it may have come out...that's life.**

* * *

Donatello couldn't remember a time when he'd been happier to hear a phone ring. His tone, however, failed to convey his joy. "Kelley, what the _shell_ are you guys doing out there?"

"Don, it's me."

The purple-masked turtle was met by an unexpectedly ragged version of his oldest brother's voice. "Leo? What's wrong? What happened? If you don't level with me, I'm hunting you down. Screw the Vagari – what you really need to be worried about is me!"

"Slow down." A little more authority entered with Leonardo's reply. "I'm fine – got a little drained is all. Ezra and Kamryn said it shouldn't take _that_ long to bounce back."

"What. Is. Happening?"

"We acquired a ship."

There were so many things wrong with the statement, Donatello couldn't form an intelligible response.

"We're going after Raph and Olivia," Leo continued stronger.

"Not without us! How did you 'acquire' a ship, Leo?"

"There was a ruse, some luck, and the disrupter on Kelley's phone was fairly effective. I'll tell you the whole story if we survive this."

"No, that isn't how it works! We're a team. You don't get to strike off on your own!"

"Don, there's no time, and we can't afford for the Vagari to figure out what really happened down here. I'm fairly sure they don't know we commandeered a pod, so this is probably our best chance to get to them without being detected. We're about to take off. I'll call you again when I can."

Donatello's grip felt like it was crushing the phone. "You planned it this way. I should have known you were up to something when you claimed Ezra and Kamryn!"

"Do you think I planned for Raph and Liv to get taken too? I didn't see this coming any more than you! But we're in the right position to act, and that's what we're doing. Meanwhile, there are still three teams of extractors out there, and a fourth one could be on the way back as we speak."

"What do you know about their teams?"

"Two of them are actively searching for you, and the third...I think they've zeroed in on the soldiers. The Green Berets are up to something, Don. Have you talked to them?"

"I've been a little preoccupied with _you_ , Leo! Since Kamryn knows how to fly that thing-"

"Both she and Ezra can handle it."

"Then it should be nothing to swing around and pick us up. Don't do this alone!"

"I'm not doing it alone. Stay alive, and try to check in with the Major. Whatever they're doing, it's getting the wrong kind of attention. If our attempt doesn't work, you're free to do what you think is necessary."

"Thanks for permission! How would you respond if the roles were reversed?"

"Then I couldn't stop you, any more than you can stop me. I have to go, Donny."

"I swear, if you hang up on me again-"

"We're in the middle of doing something crazy, Don. I don't have time to argue with you. Bye."

His brother was gone before Donny had a chance to interject anything. He cursed before realizing too late that everyone else was intently listening to his side of the flabbergasting conversation.

The purple-masked turtle threw his hands in the air with frustration while descending back into the crevice of their hiding spot. "They got a ship! He won't tell me how. They're chasing after Raph and Olivia."

Donny sent another concerned glance to a shaky Marcus and Jake. Neither of them were injured, but wrangling coherent speech from them about the attack was difficult. The young man in particular refused to relax for a single moment. _I don't know what to do, or where to go. Hiding in a hole can't be the best use of whatever time we have left._

"We need a trap of our own!" his orange-masked brother declared. "Seriously, if they pulled it off, why couldn't we?"

"I don't know how they pulled it off," Don countered. "But Leo seems to think the Vagari don't know they took it."

"Are we supposed to wait here for something to happen?" Jayden demanded. "If Jonin is doing his own thing, doesn't that give us the right to go off the rails too?"

Don gave his son a wary look. "It's not about rights – it's about the most effective course of action. Leo said there are at least three more ships out there, and a fourth could be returning. He also said at least one of them is fixed on the Green Berets."

"What do they want with them?" Shunshi asked.

"They're a diversion," Luke announced bleakly. "Bran texted me back. They want the Vagari to perceive them as a threat."

"Why would they do that?" Greg fumed. "They're gonna get themselves killed."

"They're trying to buy us time..." The blond doctor faltered.

"Time for what?" Jake's voice cracked with the question. "We're only sitting here!"

"We can't do anything about the other team," Nate said calmly. "But there's still a chance to work together with everyone else. Like it or not, they're trying to fight this. We may as well cooperate."

Jayden grunted in irritation. "How do we do that?"

"By being there to back up the Green Berets," Nate suggested.

"Wasn't the reason for splitting off to make it harder for the enemy to track us to begin with?" Kat inserted.

"Yep." Donatello nodded toward Nate with a flash of understanding. "But the point isn't to entirely avoid notice anymore. It's to keep their eyes on _Earth,_ so they're more likely to miss whatever in God's name Leo and his team are doing." Anger surged with the knowledge that they _had_ to play along with a move he was opposed to.

"It's a good thought," Marcus replied. "But how do we stop them from getting their hands on _you?_ "

"Confusion," Nate said. "We already threw their drones off for a while. Can we come up with a way to confuse the sensors on those pods?"

Don's eyes widened with the sudden realization of what Leonardo had told him. _He said the disrupter on the phone was effective..._ "Guys. I'm not sure how the technology was applied, but it sounds like they were able to successfully use the transmitter pulse on one of the phones against the extractors. I could see it working in the short run, since it disrupts the wave lengths their machines are using. But it probably won't take long for them to combat what we're applying. I'm thinking minutes, at the very most."

"It still sounds like an option," Nate returned. "You think it's possible to interrupt their scanners _and_ communications?"

"Maybe," he allowed. "I can't tell you anything for sure."

Luke cleared his throat. "Are we about to try something that might have zero impact inside a war-zone?"

"Doc, I want the rest of you to stay here," Donny told him. "There's no reason for everyone to be in harm's way."

The man sighed. "As if we're really safer? Don't you see it, Donny? We can wait around to be discovered and end up screwed, or we can try to do something. I'm leaning toward the latter, because twiddling my thumbs until I die sounds boring. Even if the pulse _doesn't_ work...it's better than waiting around."

"Doc, that's the best thing you've said in days!" Jayden chortled.

Donatello was tempted to give his son a sharp look, but the teen's unbridled enthusiasm strangely lightened his heart. "If we're going all in, I need to text Brandon and see how we can coordinate with the military. The Elohim and Legatus might have some advice to offer on proceeding with the pulse too."

Even as the words left his mouth, the purple-masked turtle thoughts were dwelling on their missing family members, and the madness his brother was attempting.

"Ojisan?"

Don blinked at the nearness of Nate's voice, and glanced guiltily at his nephew for catching him spacing out.

"We need to move. Can you call Bahri? If we don't do something pretty quick, we'll be letting those men go down for us."

"We won't," Donny said firmly. "Will you make sure everyone is set to go? I'll head up to call them."

Donatello climbed out of the hole back into the light of day, and looked in all directions. He didn't see anything, but there was no possibility of detecting the drones without Kamryn's highly sensitive hearing. _Leo can say he didn't plan this, but him ending up with the people who could pilot the ship_ and _speak the language is highly suspect. Only piece that doesn't quite fit is Kelley._

He winced at his own assessment of the Director. _His heart is in the right place, though, and he's far from worthless. I just don't know what he or any of the rest of them are going to do against a ship full of Vagari._ Don had to separate himself from the conjecture, because otherwise, he was going to lose his mind.

Katherine's phone was left behind as a back up for those in their original location, and Brandon had given it to Bahri when the aliens announced they were taking off too. Don mashed the woman's speed-dial, and waited for the elohim to answer.

"Are you safe?" Bahri asked predictably.

"Yeah, but we're probably not gonna be. The Green Berets are setting up a distraction which is going to get them killed. We have to do something fast."

"What is Leonardo planning?"

"He's not with us, but we're moving forward, and hoping the built in pulse feature on our phones can cause some disruption in their technology. I know they're a lot more advanced than us—"

"But they still must operate on _your_ radio spectrum," Bahri pointed out. "They are limited by the same constraints with which you have to deal. If you are capable of negatively impacting their ability to transmit, they will have a harder time tracking you. I do not know why I did not think of it before-"

"Because everything they have seems so much bigger and better. But when broken down to the individual pods, they're more vulnerable, aren't they?"

"I expect they are. Their ship, on the other hand, is much more powerful."

"Yeah, well, we're not dealing with it yet. I know your plan was to meet back up with _us,_ but it makes more sense for you to return to the military, since we're heading that direction next."

"Where _is_ Leonardo?"

"Bahri, you really don't want to know."

* * *

Will had never felt as vulnerable as he did standing on the edge of the cliff, waiting for death to barrel down on them. _Probably wouldn't bother me much if I was the only one, but the fact that all these young guns have to go to waste, it's a shame._ He cast a glance over his shoulder at the erected rocket launchers, and could only guess how the aliens would respond to the unfamiliar weapon.

 _It probably won't intimidate them, but that isn't the purpose. We're only supposed to be getting their attention. Judging by the circles their pod is taking, we have it._

Part of him was fascinated by the small ship, regardless of the danger it represented. Will had spent so much time in the company of aliens and mutants, that by this point, they almost felt normal. Seeing the space-level technology prowling around them had the effect of bringing everything back to reality.

He sent a glance to where his daughter was taking furious notes from one of the "pillar" displays, and could only shake his head. _Jasmine already admitted she can't read their flipping language. I don't understand the point of messing with the force field. Why get anyone's hopes up that it could help us? We're beyond that kind of salvation, but if we can do_ anything _to slow down the hoards, it has to be worth it._

Stewart tensed as the ship made another slow pass, and bit his tongue to keep from ordering his men to open fire. _I don't want to start the battle to end all battles, and we don't have an unlimited supply of Javelins. Not at $75,000 a pop._

 _"_ No, the other one, Bran. I need _Zanj!"_

The Major watched the broad-shouldered man carry Jasmine to another pillar, and sighed while he strode over to join them. For her part, the woman ignored him and focused on the impossible task.

"Jasmine, you shouldn't be out here." Will tried to temper his recommendation with real emotion, as opposed to coming across as an order she would immediately dismiss. "This is no place for you."

She didn't even look up. "You don't know anything about my place. You've had nothing to do with me in years, and even before that, you distanced yourself as much as possible."

The statement baffled him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't expect you to. Can we pick this back up later though? I'm busy right now, in case you didn't notice."

"I appreciate what you're trying to do, Jasmine. But I would rather you get back under cover."

"You think I'd live longer by staying in the cave?" She snorted while making adjustments to characters on the screen. The symbols meant nothing to Stewart, so he assumed they were probably meaningless to her too.

"I don't think you're safe anywhere near here, but I'd feel better if you took some precautions."

"I don't care what makes you feel better."

"I know you don't, but that doesn't mean..." Will's last word hung in the air along with the startling golden flash, which spelled instant disaster in his mind.

But rather than conjuring fire or carnage, light solidified before his eyes, and spread sideways to meet the other pillars. When all four had been lit, brilliance expanded outward in the shape of a dome. The sight was much more impressive than when it had merely encased the front door to their cavern, especially since it was Jasmine who'd erected it.

Will was too shocked to speak for several seconds, until one of his men celebrated in the background.

"Wicked awesome, Jazz!"

The Major shot an evil eye at Campbell. "Her name is Jasmine!" It was one thing for his daughter and all her friends to disregard the correct moniker, but his soldiers weren't going to use the despised nickname right in front of him.

"Seriously, Dad?" the woman snapped. "We're about to be attacked, and you're harping on a missing syllable?"

"It's not just a missing syllable!" he retorted. "Not that you ever cared."

"I couldn't give a crap at the moment! I can't believe you'd waste your breath correcting someone with what we're up against."

Internally he knew she was right, but it only made him scowl harder. "Would it be wasting my breath to ask you to go inside again?"

"It wouldn't be in _your_ best interests."

"What does that even mean?"

A sound like a mini implosion preceded a streak of light colliding with their force field. The domed top shook and phased at the disruption, and the woman instantly turned her attention back to the pillar.

"You don't want me going anywhere," she stated forcefully. "Someone has to keep the shield up."

"How? What are you doing?"

"Realigning the vectors. Bran, I need _Rinh._ "

The man looked as clueless as Will felt. "Which is...?"

"East!" she barked. "I went over this already!"

"Then just tell me the direction without the wacko alien name!"

"I don't need your lip, Brandon, I need _help_. Can you get with it please?"

He muttered something indiscernible while gathering her in his arms again to take the woman to another pillar.

"The shield displaces energy," Jasmine explained, while typing something rapidly onto the screen of the display. "As long as the effects of the impact are staggered, the field should hold. But we can't afford to lose even one pillar, so all four of them have to be perfectly balanced. It requires minute corrections in numerical calculations every time-"

She cut off when another assault made the surrounding dome flash momentarily, and then swore. "North, Bran! North!"

Will jogged alongside while the man took her to the next pillar. "How do you know any of this? They had time to teach you?"

"No. I've done it before."

"Done what? Generated a force-field?"

"Well, not by myself, but I didn't technically do this alone either. South was already properly calibrated, so after we moved the other pillars, all I had to do was realign their algorithms to get them in unison, and we were in business."

" _How_ are you doing this?"

Jasmine looked up briefly. "I told you. I did it before."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"The turtles aren't the only ones who took a field trip," Brandon informed him.

"Field trip? Are you referring to their abduction?"

"You missed a lot in the last couple of decades, Dad. How do you think I know these Elohim?"

"You were kidnapped by aliens?"

Brandon chuckled. "It'd be easier to believe now, wouldn't it?"

Will stared at the pair, then focused on his daughter as if actually _seeing_ her for the first time in years. "How long ago was it again?"

"I don't feel like reminiscing at the moment," Jasmine returned, annoyed. "If you'd let me pay attention to the shield, we might live longer."

Will turned to Brandon, as it seemed he might get more out of the man. "How long?"

"We're going on about eighteen years," Brandon said. "We were there...maybe three months before the Nalikjan brought us home."

Stewart performed rapid calculations in his head, and the result had him bursting out in sudden laughter.

"What's so funny?" Jasmine sounded outraged. "You think this is a joke? The big brothers of the aliens who took us are about to kill everyone, and you wanna laugh about it?"

"No, no, it's not a joke," he answered quickly. "I finally realized what happened, that's all."

The other man gazed at him with confusion. "And it's funny?"

"No," he clarified. "Jasmine missed a court date that year. I remember, specifically because it had never happened before-"

"I was abducted!" Her voice was almost shrill. "It's hard to show up for court when some freaking alien has dragged you across outer space!"

"I get that now. At the time, I was so mad I couldn't see straight."

"What are you talking about? You were never involved in any of my proceedings to start with."

"I was involved in that one. What do you think happened when you didn't show? I got a knock on my door. Naturally, I didn't know where you were."

"Naturally," she repeated pointedly. "I'm sure you were quick to inform them that you're entirely too perfect to have fathered such a screw up for a daughter."

Will eyed the woman stoically. "I _should_ have told them that I didn't know where you were. Instead, I lied to buy some time and tried to find you myself. I was infuriated for years after that, especially since you ended up getting off without any change to your original sentence."

"Well, now you know the truth." Her voice wavered slightly, as though unsure. "You tried to cover for me?"

"Showed up when you finally came around for the hearing too. But then you pulled yourself out of it somehow, and I left."

"You went there to help me?" Her doubt was stronger this time, and it cut the man's insides like a knife.

"You didn't need me. Never have."

"I didn't kick you out of my life," she said stiffly. "It was the other way around. You've had all this time to ask what happened, and you just stayed mad."

"No, I only stayed mad for a couple of years, and then I moved on like you did."

"I had no _choice_ but to move on, Dad!"

He was trying to piece together a reply, when the sight of two successive shots fizzling across the golden surface of the force-field made him cringe instead.

Jasmine took a sharp breath. "West, Bran. Now. Dad, I need to work. I can't hash things out right this second, but if you honestly wanna have a go, hold that thought. Maybe we'll get another chance."


	90. Team

Leonardo was trying not to allow the others to realize how badly his strength had been drained, but the effort was futile.

"We didn't have to let it go so far." Kelley was gripping his wrist, as though searching for a pulse.

"Yes, we did," the turtle argued. "They had to think their mission was accomplished, so Vagari are none the wiser. We can't roll up to their space ship like we own it. They have to believe we're one of them."

"I wasn't sure you would ever push the panic button," the man complained. "I almost got the ball rolling without you."

Leo didn't think it was worth mentioning he'd barely been able to grip his cell phone at the time. "You did great. You're a natural, Matthew."

"I was desperate, or I wouldn't have gone alone with the madness to start with. How are we supposed to pull off any of this without _you?_ Are you positive we shouldn't have picked up your brothers?"

The blue-masked turtle grunted in irritation, and managed to sit up against the seat back. "Not for this trip. The Vagari didn't actually hurt me either, Director. The energy binder is more of a...deterrent. I already feel better than I did."

"Are you gonna be ready to kick some aliens' tails by the time we get to their ship?"

Leo had no idea, so he didn't answer. Instead, he watched Kamryn type something into a screen which retracted from the arm of her chair, while Ezra guided the pod from the helm. "What are you doing, Kamryn?"

"Vaguely updating the Josaad," she replied. "The Quoh's last transmission about capturing you went through, but Chakor tried to contact multiple times after the pulse."

The turtle stiffened. "Does he seem to suspect anything?"

"I told him there was an ambush which was contained, but that the ship suffered internal damage."

"Is that why you shattered the big screen?" Kelley wanted to know.

The woman motioned to the large bank of ruined panels above the controls. "I didn't want him requesting a face-to-face."

"Kamryn, are you..." Leo hesitated, not sure how to word what he needed to say. "Can you convince him the messages are coming from his man?"

"I lived among them for weeks, Leonardo. I know how his underlings behave, even those with a title."

"Can you come up with an excuse to find out where Raph and Olivia were taken? I don't want to be forced to root around too much."

"I'll simply ask where they're housing the terrapins."

The blue-masked turtle nodded, and tried to swallow the nerves constricting his throat. "We need to take inventory. Where do you stand on bullets, Director?"

"I have a few rounds. Didn't need more than one on that first Vagari, and those two took care of the rest." He pointed to Ezra and Kamryn.

The Irishman shot a glance over his shoulder. "We ought to make use of their weapons, Leonardo. They are effective tools."

The term made the turtle feel a little sick, but this time, the equipment wouldn't be turned against him and his family. "All right. Kamryn, what can you tell us about their stuff? I'm open to anything at this point."

"Don't you still have a couple charges too?" Kelley reminded him of the military grade explosives he was harboring in his bag.

"Prefer to keep those for emergencies."

Kamryn flipped a lever and spun her chair around. "The Vagari's tools are not complicated. I told you about scutica before, so you know it targets nerve endings. It is best used against one enemy at a time. As Ezra demonstrated, it is difficult to change the direction of scutica once it's in motion.

" _Lampsi_ affects sensory organs, overwhelming them in seconds. It has occasionally caused permanent damage, so it is not a first choice of theirs. The _vronti_ is a paralytic agent often paired with lampsi. From what Olivia described, it is probably the method they used on your children that first night."

Leonardo took a breath to steady his nerves. "We need you to show us how they work, and make sure we won't be shooting ourselves in the foot."

"Why should you wish to shoot yourself in the foot?"

"It's an expression, Kamryn." Leo caught Kelley grinning out of the corner of his eye, and cocked his head. "What are you thinking?"

The man snorted, and covered his mouth with one hand. "It's sort of funny, in a completely suicidal way. I mean, if this little team of ours pulls off something like this against advanced alien warlords...Well, it's the kind of thing they'd never live down."

Leo smiled grimly. "That's the idea. Get back on the communicator, Kamryn. We have to know where Raphael and Olivia ended up. Then you can show us what we're doing with their fancy gizmos."

* * *

The blue-masked turtle experienced an involuntary shudder upon his first visual of the lethal-looking space ship. _It's so much bigger than I pictured. No wonder they don't hang out in Earth's orbit much...Not that they're allowing satellites to pick them up currently._

He gazed around the pod, trying to read the emotions of everyone around him. _It feels wrong now. I wish I wouldn't have brought them, although, I couldn't have flown the ship myself. I would feel better if Don and Mike_ were _here, but I can't take that decision back._

In the minutes it had taken to climb to that altitude, Leonardo's condition had improved, but he still felt unsteady. He cursed the choice to allow the vagari to get the band on him. _But I can't take that back either._ Leo stared at his phone, and considered calling Donny again. It was already in satellite mode because of the lack of towers in the mountains, and there was no reason it wouldn't work from here either.

 _No, I don't think telling him anything else would help. Better for the family to know nothing. I hope they're all right down there..._

"Leonardo, we are summoned to docking station thirteen," Kamryn said.

"Do we know where the others are?"

"They haven't been transferred out yet," she replied.

Leo gave her a double-take. "Which means what? Are they still in the station? Like the one we're heading for?"

"The very same. It is Vagari protocol to stabilize a subject before imprisoning."

Leonardo caught his breath. "How badly do you think they're hurt?"

"I can't answer that, Leonardo, and to ask the Josaad...I fear he may question my motivation."

"No, don't. But are you saying all we have to do is get in there, and we'll have access to them?"

"They don't expect us," Ezra spoke up. "But just the same, it probably won't be easy."

"No, of course not." Leonardo rifled through his bag, disregarding the bottles of leftover extract, and picked out the pouch which housed three of his brother's formulas. Two were labeled as adrenal-heat, but the third was the one he'd been putting off applying.

"I have a temporary fix," he told the others. "An older formula of Donny's which should give me the boost I need. But it will also put me on a timetable."

Kelley caught his arm. "Not the Ziprolin."

"No, that got discoed after Doc's overdose. Too tempting to misuse. This is the old fashioned adrenaline. Quick burn now, big crash later."

Ezra looked concerned. "What kind of crash?"

"I hope you have the chance to find out. I'll wait until the last moment, okay?" Leonardo grasped the epi-pen in one hand, and the handle of the scutica in the other. Both fists clenched around the respective items while passing through the side of the ship into what looked like a tunnel. He noted the way Ezra took his hands off the controls and allowed the computer to direct them to the nearest "station", as Kamryn called it.

Without hesitation, he injected himself with the formula before the pod came to a complete stop. Leo knew what to expect from the overwhelming drug and minimized his breathing to both compensate for the rush of adrenaline, and prevent it from frightening the others.

After a few seconds of intense concentration to steady his heart rate, he opened his eyes to focus on everyone. "We have to work together and _stay_ together, so we don't inadvertently suffer the effects of these weapons while they're in use. Except for you, Kamryn, because you have to get to the computer."

The woman nodded. "I know exactly what to do, Leonardo. I read as many of the manuals as I could get my hands on during the journey. They didn't even question my organization of them, since they didn't believe I could do anything worthwhile . That was how I knew the way to release Bahri and the escape pods to begin with."

"Now you've got to seal the doors so nothing else can get in." Leonardo ceased gripping the arm of his chair and exhaled deeply so that his heart would continue to steady. He itched to draw his katana, but focused on the distasteful alien scutica.

The pod fell silent as it made contact with the base unit to which it adhered, and then rotated to the right. A strong sense of self preservation went against opening the hatch, but they couldn't wait out of fear for what lay on the other side.

"Everyone ready?" He received nods, and shook off another tremor. "Go for it, Kamryn. Don't hesitate, all right?"

From the way her eyes widened and then narrowed, he knew she was accessing her peculiar instincts. Leonardo heard a voice call out the moment the hatch was released, followed by footsteps. He was ready to respond, but Kamryn lunged out of the pod first.

The sound of acclamation transformed into one of surprise. The voice was cut off a second later, but Leonardo exploded from the seat to follow. There was no time to think or coordinate what they would do, but only to take out as many of the existing foes as possible, before they were over the immediate shock.

He hesitated long enough to make sure Ezra and Director Kelley were with him, before charging across the hangar toward the concentration of bodies in the middle of the room. He spied Kamryn's mad dash to his far right, but had to trust the woman to successfully implement her own mission.

Leonardo saw one of the vagari raising a gun upon their approach, and snapped the end of the scutica like it was a kusarigama. The action felt very similar, though the weapon was lighter. The tethered end wrapped around the alien's wrist in a flash. Leo depressed the button to shock him while simultaneously drawing a katana into the alien veering in from the left, and whipped forward with a crescent kick to another enemy. In one smooth motion he released the scutica's whip, spun his katana to dispatch yet another alien, and grinned into the face of an additional winged assailant trying to tackle him.

Leo allowed the alien to get close enough to deliver a powerful elbow strike to his attacker, and slid his katana through the vagari directly behind him like hot wax. In the adrenaline-fueled frenzy, he almost forgot about the others, until Ezra bellowed his name. The blue-masked turtle bounded backwards and lunged out of the way when he remembered what the men were setting off with alien weapons.

The fringes of the lampsi struck his vision and sent Leonardo crashing to his knees and covering his head to protect himself. At Kelley's panicked cry he shot upright, and saw both men running toward him.

"You got ahead of us!" Matthew accused.

"I know. I'm sorry – blame it on the adrenaline. My heart is still running on all cylinders."

He glanced over his shoulder to locate Kamryn, and noticed the woman facing three much larger opponents. He was _also_ distracted by a group of four Vagari running the opposite direction. "Matthew! You and Ezra go after those guys; I have to help Kamryn!"

By the time he turned back to her, he could no longer see the woman's compact frame or flailing braid, and it spurred the turtle to rapid action. He depressed the handle of the scutica hard to charge the voltage and cast it like a deadly fishing line ahead of him.

The moment it wrapped around the torso of the one bending over his friend, Leo flung his blade, using his entire body to project the katana in front of him. In the last moment he released the hilt and had the satisfaction of watching it impale the other attacker through his unprotected throat.

He kicked over the vagari still seizing from his scutica strike, and dropped the alien weapon while crouching beside Kamryn. "Are you all right?"

She nodded bleakly, jumping to her feet with less ease than usual. "Forgive me, Leonardo."

"For what? Needing help? Welcome to the club, Kamryn. Can you continue?"

She let out a small gasp. "The computer!"

"Go shut the doors down! I'll watch your back." He retrieved both scutica and katana, standing directly behind the woman while she studied the terminal.

"Oh, that's not good," she said. "They've already detected the disturbance."

"Kamryn, just shut them down, okay? Don't think about anything else."

"I can get us a little time with the fire-safety override, but it won't take them long to punch through, Leonardo! We only have minutes."

"And we'll use them! But we also need to locate the others." Leo maintained his position at her back, though his feet wanted to fly to find his family, and he was worried about Kelley and Ezra.

His anxiety jumped to a new high when he heard gunshots in the distance, and it was almost impossible not to run after them.

"They're locked, Leonardo!" Kamryn told him eagerly. "The fire mode takes longer to dismantle, but-"

He caught the woman by the arm, setting Kamryn on her feet. "I can catch up on the details. Are you okay to run?"

"Leonardo!" Ezra's shout carried across the hangar. "We have them! You've got to come!"

Kamryn didn't bother answering Leo's original question, but instantly sprang into motion. Leo easily matched her pace, and found himself smiling.

"If you're gonna stick with this group, Kamryn, you need to learn to follow occasionally."

The woman looked abashed. "My apologies, Leonardo."

"None needed. After you've trained with us for a few years? I won't overlook it so nicely," he teased.

The hopeful expression she returned with was filled with more life than the turtle had seen in days.

Leo darted over the bodies of several Vagari, noting the gunshots of at least two of them, in addition to the violence of Ezra's pick ax. The aliens were the least of his worries, and he didn't give them a second glance while bounding by them to join the men.

"I don't care, just get me outta it!"

Relief soared at the fierce tone of his red-masked brother, though his volume was hampered.

"Do you need a crystal?" Leo asked swiftly. "I haven't seen anyone with them."

Kamryn passed him and cut neatly between the two men. "The Crystal Network doesn't exist out here. I know how these things work, but I need a disc..."

The turtle went to his brother's side while Kamryn backtracked to dispatched enemies to search for whatever she needed. He braced a hand over Raphael's shoulder in an effort to calm him down.

"You're gonna be okay, bro. Kamryn knows what to do. We'll get you both out."

"Leo, get Liv! She hasn't answered me. I think those bastards really hurt her!"

Leonardo stepped over to the next gurney and peered down at his niece. Her coloring was paler than Raph's and the surface of her skin was a lot colder. He dug into his bag for one of the remaining shots of adrenal-heat, and decided to try raising her internal temperature.

"Olivia?" He tested her forehead hopefully, but she didn't respond.

"Leo, what's wrong with her?" The forlorn note in his brother's voice made Leonardo wince.

"I don't know, Raph, but she feels cold. I gave her adrenal-heat, and I'm sure the docs will deal with the rest."

"How in the shell did you get here?"

Leo smirked faintly as the woman returned with an object dangling from a cord, and inserted the crescent shaped item into a slot on his brother's restraints. She pulled out the "disc", and clawed off the first of the irons.

"They will open easily now," she told him.

The turtle ripped apart the remainer of the metal bands holding his brother down and looked back at Ezra and Kelley. "Will you guys get Olivia freed? I'll handle Raph."

The red-masked turtle swayed the moment he was partially upright. "Olivia!" He tried to jump off the gurney and only succeeded in collapsing.

Leo caught him and wrapped both arms around his shoulders. "Easy, Raph! You're too weak – you have to let us do it."

Raphael stared at the men handling his daughter like they were ghosts. "Where's everyone else?"

"We're it," he said briskly. "And we're getting out, immediately. You guys can take care of Liv together?"

"We have her, Leonardo!" Ezra assured him. "Are you strong enough to take on that brute?"

"I'll show you a brute when my legs decide to work again!" Raph shot back.

Leonardo chuckled while hefting his brother over his shoulder and led the way back to the same pod in which they'd arrived. The carnage in their wake was impressive, but there was no time to count the fallen Vagari. The pounding on the wall opposite them was enough to make his heart skip a few beats. _But the Vagari can't get in yet. They're too late, because we're out of here._

He headed for the still open hatch, and deposited his brother carefully in a seat.

"I dunno about this thing, Leo..."

"It's the same way we came in, Raph. Relax. We have professionals on board, and Olivia's going to be okay."

"She better be!" He growled.

It only took seconds for the others to pile in behind them, and Ezra to activate the terminal.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Kelley stated shakily.

Leo grinned over the seat at him. "You did good, Director."

"For an old man," he supplied.

"You did good _period_. And just think of the stories you'll have to never tell anyone else!"

Kelley shook his head. "I could write books on this week alone."

"It'll take a week to get back at this rate," Raph murmured. "Are we going, or not?"

"Um...there are two problems with that," Ezra admitted. "The first one being, the base of this unit doesn't appear to want to release the pod. Secondly, according to the computer, they've closed the port-gate. We can't get access to the tunnel."

Leonardo face palmed with a groan. _I_ knew _it was too easy._


	91. Sacrifice

Ezra stared blankly at the open hatch. It had only been seconds since he'd discovered that their escape was being cut short, but it felt closer to an hour. The Irishman fidgeted nervously in his seat, and finally cast a glance at Kamryn. He was surprised by the lack of emotion in her eyes. The man was further shocked when she suddenly stood up and climbed out of the pod.

He immediately followed. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to remember what I need," she answered softly. "One of the things I looked for in the manuals...I searched for a weakness in the general design of the ship."

"I don't suppose they have many of those."

"No, but there _are_ flaws we can exploit. The question is whether or not we can do enough damage, Ezra."

"Enough damage for what?"

Kamryn turned to face him. "To stop them. It could be done, if we attack the right point. We could cripple the ship."

He rubbed his eyes wearily. "Do you know what that point is?"

"In theory, yes. But if we don't have enough firepower, it's like...throwing stones at an asteroid."

"What's _enough_ , Kamryn? Leonardo has some military-grade explosives."

"I don't know what enough would look like, or how to save ourselves afterward."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're trapped here. We can't use the gate, and Vagari are swarming on the other side of that door."

"I don't understand why they haven't blasted through already," Ezra admitted.

"With us contained, they don't have to," Kamryn told him. "But they'll get the doors open, once the fire code is released."

"How long do you think we have?"

"Maybe long enough to take them down for good."

"But if we sabotage them..." Ezra hesitated. "We'll be bound to the same fate, won't we?"

She nodded with difficulty. "For me, it's a worthy sacrifice. But for the rest of you...it's not an option I wish to present."

"It may be the only course of action we have left. We've got to at least discuss it." He backed toward the pod at once.

"Ezra, don't just blurt it out..."

As the man ducked into the ship, he arrived in time to hear Raphael curse, and Leonardo's voice rise with whomever he was addressing on the phone.

"...I acknowledge that, but do you think you could help us figure this out? There will still be plenty of time to lecture me later!"

The Irishman watched Leonardo attempt to control the strain in his face.

"But you think it could work, Don? Yes, I know you can't be certain. I just want your professional opinion before we go wasting one of our only weapons."

Kamryn cleared her throat. "Leonardo? May I speak with your brother please?"

The blue-masked turtle handed her the phone, and Ezra wasn't shocked when she separated from them this time.

"Ezra, what is she doing?" Kelley asked.

The man considered avoiding the answer, but after a few moments, took the plunge. "She believes we may be able to sabotage the ship. Probably wants to get Donatello's opinion on proceeding."

Leo's eye ridges rose. "Sabotage the ship? With us still on-board?"

Ezra shrugged helplessly. "It's an option."

"An option for what? Going down with the Vagari?" Raphael scoffed. "Nobody signed up for that."

Ezra grimaced at the way the red-masked turtle clutched his daughter, who was partially draped over his lap. "I didn't say it was a good idea." He turned his gaze to Leonardo, and from his probing expression, felt he was considering the action.

The man's heart dropped at the idea of being forced to end it all there. _But it sounds much better than allowing the Vagari to get their hands on us, or more importantly, the turtles. If we don't do anything, that's exactly what will happen._

The blue-masked turtle rose without a word, and beckoned Kamryn to get back on the pod.

She came with intense reluctance, and faced everyone guiltily.

"Ezra already told us," Leonardo said. "What did Don say?"

"I explained the flaw in the capacitors, which causes them to leak after minor cracks," she said slowly. "If enough of them were damaged, the resulting energy can overload a whole sector. Bringing down the entire ship would require destroying _multiple_ sectors." She looked down to break eye contact. "He also told me you were discussing the possibility of blowing up the port gate."

"It was my first thought," Leonardo said. "But we don't know if it'll work, and it also doesn't solve the problem of being locked up on the base of this thing."

"I'm fairly sure I can break us out of the harness," Ezra volunteered. "Probably with a little elbow grease and an old friend." He tapped his pick ax.

"Don's not positive if the charges will have enough impact on the gate," Leonardo continued.

"He also couldn't be sure if we can damage enough capacitors to make a difference," the woman added.

"One thing is for certain," Leonardo said stronger. "We don't have enough ammunition to try two methods. We may not be able to pull off either of them, but we definitely can't do both. Accomplishing anything requires picking one or the other."

"You want us to choose between getting ourselves out of here, or trying to destroy the entire ship?" Kelley's voice shook with the question.

"I guess we need to determine which would have the greater impact and...what each option is worth," Kamryn offered.

"We don't need to think about it," Leonardo stated unexpectedly. "We'll take on the gate. The idea of bringing down the ship is admirable, but it's not the way to go with this trip."

"We're not even gonna talk about it?" Raphael interjected. "You decide, and what everyone else wants don't matter?"

"Of course it matters, but we don't have time for a debate," Leonardo asserted. "Kamryn, will you come with me please? We need to get charges planted on the gate. Ezra, will you figure out the best method for disengaging us from the base? Don't actually perform the separation yet. We need to time things out, so there's no room for the Vagari to determine what we're doing in advance. Then we'll probably be in for the ride of our lives."

"It's going to be pretty short if the gate doesn't come down," Matthew murmured.

"If I have to rip it apart with my bare hands, it'll come down," Ezra insisted, feeling relieved in the decision to pursue retreat. _I know Kamryn desperately wants to dispatch this threat, but I'm not sure the cost outweighs the reward. Especially when we can't be certain it would work._

Ezra had his own argument brewing if it was needed, but Leonardo's snap judgment made it a moot point. He climbed out of the hatch to watch the pair dash off into the dark unknown of the tunnel on foot, and then stepped over to study the metal base from which their pod was suspended. _The hook seems to be the most vulnerable spot, but the control panel might get the job done faster._ He glanced back and forth between the possibilities, and then brightened. _Or we could attack both fronts, to assure success. This isn't the difficult part. The question is whether they can get the port gate down before the hangar is breached._

The Irishman cringed and then scowled in the direction of the assaults on the nearest door. _I wish they'd show their ugly faces. Didn't have a chance to humble near as many as I wanted._

"What do you think?" the Director called.

"I'm positive we can break it." Ezra dropped back onto his seat. He was surprised to find the red-masked turtle appeared to be sulking. "Are you that disappointed we aren't trying to die, Raphael?"

The look he returned with was lethal. "Never said I wanted anyone to die, Ezra. But if we've got the chance to bring down these bastards from the inside, it seems like we shoulda considered it!"

"So you'd rather play the martyr too," Kelley suggested. "It's not the route any of us would choose, but I'm shocked Leonardo came to a decision so quickly."

"Sure that had more to do with us than anything else," the turtle grumbled, resting his head against the back of his seat with another curse. "I let them stupid Vagari get their hands on us, when I swore I'd die before anything..." He faded with a frightened expression. "What about Marc and Jake? Where are they? What happened to them?!"

"Easy, Raphael." Ezra bent over the seat to press both hands against the turtle, who was struggling to rise. "They're fine – they were left behind. Jake is the one who alerted everyone to what happened."

"They didn't kill 'em?"

Ezra shook his head. "Does that make you feel better?"

He nodded with a deep exhale. "Yeah, but I ain't gonna relax until _she_ wakes up." Raphael brushed his daughter's braided mask tails, and the Irishman couldn't help smiling at the tenderness in his touch.

 _The irony behind these hardened warriors is amazing. Such fierce love they possess, and yet, more dangerous than nearly anything else. Were we all up for the task, I'd gladly take on whatever enemies lie opposite that door, with my old friend Titus by my side. But we are not granted that sort of satisfaction tonight. The best I can hope for is the opportunity to get out of this in one piece, and set foot on Earth again._

 _And we will still have to figure out what to do about these blasted Vagari. There is no rest for the weary today._ He clutched his pick ax in his lap, prepared for the eventuality of either the door being broken down, or the necessity of attacking the base which currently imprisoned their pod. _I am sure Leonardo and Kamryn will be quick. I only hope they are fast enough._

* * *

Jayden nervously eyed the group of allies behind him. He no more wanted any of them going back up the mountain than he desired to cut off his own foot. _But leaving them behind on their own isn't an option either. We're stuck._

The heavy forest through which they'd been traveling was supposed to make it harder for Vagari to track them, but it made it more difficult for them to detect their enemies too. The sixteen-year-old was alert to random sounds, and paranoid over every shadow, particularly with what had happened to Raphael and Olivia.

 _We still don't know if_ they're _gonna be okay. This entire day needs a reset button. Better yet, make that the whole month._

The teen heard someone stumble, and glanced back in time to see Jake catching himself. Jayden hesitated in his step so the young man would have a chance to catch up, and tentatively stretched a hand toward him. Jake didn't shove his arm off, but he didn't seem completely receptive either.

"I'm fine," Jake said mechanically.

"Doesn't seem like any of us can be," Jay returned in a low voice.

"No, but what else am I supposed to say? She was right all along."

"Who? Liv?"

"All those times I wanted to tag along, every opportunity I took to bug her about helping in the background, she always said it wasn't a good idea. Last thing she got to do was prove why. I was never gonna be strong enough to back her up."

Jayden kept his jog to a slightly easier pace, though it caused them to fall further back in the group. "You're not weak, Jake. That's not what Liv was saying."

"I know what I am, and I know what I'm not, Jay. I've never fit in to this part of your lives, and Olivia tried to tell me a hundred different times. Now I'm here, she's...wherever, and we're probably minutes away from the end of everything. All I can think about is the massive waste of baggage I've been this entire time."

"You're looking at it wrong," the purple-masked turtle insisted. "It's like with my dad, okay? He's always tries to hold us back. They push me and Charlie as hard as they can in training, but when it comes time to perform, he doesn't want us taking the same risks as the rest of 'em. I hate it, but...I understand why, I think. At the end of the day, he wants us to be safe, and that's all Olivia ever wanted for you."

"Yeah, but you guys can actually keep up with them, whereas I...Well, I'm just me."

"There's nothing wrong with 'just you'," Nate piped up unexpectedly, and then grinned sheepishly for eavesdropping. "I've seen the way my cousin looks at you, Jake. You might not realize it, but that's a special thing."

The young man shrugged, but had nothing else to say.

"Our Jonin won't fail," Nate told him. "You wait. They're gonna get them out of there."

The helpless glance Jake gave the orange-masked turtle made Jayden want to keep trying to encourage him, but the sudden burst of wind over their heads stopped the teen in his tracks.

Nate stared at the treetops, bristling like he could see what was happening beyond them. He immediately reached for his phone, and held it up to show them the dark screen. "They've shut us down. The pulse isn't-"

"We've been targeted!" Donatello's shout cut the orange-masked turtle off as he raced toward them. "It was only a matter of time before they locked on to that signal."

Michelangelo was right on the older turtle's heels, and shoved his bag toward Nathaniel.

The eighteen-year-old accepted it, but looked puzzled. "What's this for?"

"They're the charges the military sent with me, Nate. Don's gonna hold on to his for now, but..." Mike paused, nudging his purple-masked brother.

"We can probably give the extractors a bit of a run-around if we stay in the rougher terrain," Donny went on. "It's harder for a ship to maneuver in this type of space. We could maybe come up with something else on the fly, but the Green Berets are still in danger." He glanced at Michelangelo nervously.

"Yeah, so the training wheels are off," Mike announced. "We're gonna give the Vagari something to chase, but you guys gotta try and help the soldiers."

"We're on it." Nate shouldered the pack without any more hesitation.

Jayden held his father's gaze steadily. "You sure? Cause with the phones down, we don't have the pulse, and we won't even be able to call you."

"I'm not sure of anything, except we have to try. We won't be able to communicate for the moment, but um...you guys got this," his father finished shakily, and then looked over his shoulder. "We head East!" he called to everyone else, but then his hand landed on Jayden's shell. "Just...do your best."

The teen impulsively cast an arm around his dad's neck. "It'll be fine."

"We'll look after each other," Nate assured them. "Jayden, c'mon."

He separated from his father with a little more difficulty than expected, but couldn't bear to watch the rest of their family head the opposite direction. "You think we got a shot?" he asked once the others were out of hearing range.

"We have to proceed as if success is inevitable."

"Dude, you sound like a fortune cookie."

Nathaniel directed a smirk at him. "Made it this far, haven't we?"

Now that it was down to the two of them, they put on a burst of speed to get up the trail. With the knowledge of the nearby pods Jayden was even more paranoid than before, but concentrated on trying not to think about them.

Nerves made him feel like rambling, but he kept his mouth shut while following closely behind his cousin. They were on a path which would lead directly back to their original location, and at their current rate of speed, Jayden knew it wouldn't take long to get there.

Jay nudged Nate's shoulder. "You got any idea what we're gonna do yet?"

"It'll depend on what's happening," Nate returned. "If there's some-" The orange-masked turtle gasped suddenly, and yanked Jayden out of the way of a small avalanche they narrowly saw coming.

"They're getting physical all right," Jayden hissed, flattening against the rocky mountainside. "Nate, what are we going to do?"

"We need to get the upper hand, so...looks like it's gotta be the high ground."

"We're not headed to the cavern?"

"Follow my lead."

Jayden wasn't about to argue with his tone of voice. Instead, he sprang after his cousin while he ascended the opposite side of the incline, leaving the path behind altogether. The ledges were challenging for the large turtle's feet, but he fixed his eyes on Nate, focused on keeping his balance, and scaled the side of the mountain hand-over-hand like it was a skyscraper.

The move didn't make sense to the purple-masked turtle, but he stayed behind Nathaniel, nonetheless. _Running back up the trail to meet them seems like it woulda been easier, but Nate typically knows what he's doing. He's got to._ It was hard not to think about family in the forest below and somewhere outside Earth's atmosphere, but he didn't need additional distractions. The sound of the assault on the hillside was freaking him out enough.

Nate pulled himself over the edge at the top, but didn't move any further until Jayden forced his bulky frame over the cliff too.

"What now, Chokkan?"

The older teen pulled off his pack while trotting through the rocky outcrop to get to the other end of the peak they'd ascended, and Jayden trailed after him. He tensed at the sound of repeated laser fire, and noticed the phosphorus glow of the energy field before arriving at the opposite side.

Nate gazed silently at the hovering ship, which was taking another pass of the protective dome encasing the familiar figures of the soldiers. The orange-masked turtle didn't speak for several moments, but then inclined his head to Jayden. "Are you ready for this?"

"You gonna tell me what we're doing?"

"We have to time it out right." Nate motioned to the small ship. "Goal is to end up there. I'll slice it open, you feed in the charges, and we're both off of it before the pod explodes or crashes."

His matter-of-fact manner made Jayden swallow. "Uh, sure. Doesn't sound...too hard."

"Grab the remote. To be safe, you don't need to set off the charges until we're out of there. All you have to do is plant them."

It definitely wasn't the first time Jayden had handled an explosive device, but the charges felt heavier in his grip than they should have.

"You set?"

"Yeah, Chokkan. I'll follow wherever you're-"

He didn't get to finish, because his cousin was already lunging off the cliff. Jayden didn't think – there wasn't time. He had the urge to close his eyes, but willfully kept them open while soaring through mid-air, and preparing for impact.

Upon colliding with the ship, he landed in a low crouch and kept his weight centered. Hearing Nate's cry, he turned carefully to find the orange-masked turtle's Arsiterite blade buried in the sloped roof of the craft, tearing through metal like tissue paper.

Jayden slid over to him and buried his hand in the ruptured outer hull for something to hold onto. He felt sharp edges slicing into his fingers, but ignored the sensation while using his free hand to hurl one of the charges inside, then followed with the other four. The spinning of the pod nearly caused him to lose his grip on the damaged ship entirely.

" _Jayden!_ " At Nate's shout, he realized his cousin still had the katana buried in the roof as a sort of anchor. "Your ono!"

The purple-masked teen caught on instantly, hefting his ax from the holder, then plunged it through the hull to create another handhold.

"Almost, Jay, almost! _Hold on!_ "

He had no idea what Nate was talking about, but waited for some sign of what he should do next.

"When I say so, you've gotta roll to your right!"

Jayden nodded with gritted teeth, hanging on to his ono for dear life as the ship accelerated sharply.

"Release, Jayden!"

With a mighty jerk he tugged his ax loose, and somersaulted the direction his cousin indicated. He was airborne for all of five seconds, terrifying moments which left the teen in fear of where he was going to end up. Then Jayden collided with the side of the rock-face so hard it took his breath away, and collapsed in a heap on the dusty ledge.

He heard a crash to his left, followed by a groan. "Jay, the remote!"

The purple-masked turtle searched his nearest pouch in a panic before coming up with the device.

"Punch it!" his cousin shouted.

Jayden did so with shaking hands, and pulled himself upright in time to watch the circling ship go up in flames with a massive fireball. A rush of oncoming footsteps had him snatching for his ono, before recognizing the alien forms of the Elohim and Legatus.

"Is your insanity hereditary?!" Bahri cried.

Nate popped up on his side. "Pretty much."

Jayden's laugh sounded a little maniacal in his own ears, and he fell back on his shell with a wave of intense relief.

"Are you okay?" his cousin pressed.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm great." He shot Nate a grin, and noted the gleaming blade in his grasp. "You remembered to bring the katana _with_ you this time. That's growth."

Nate rubbed his forehead with a nervous laugh. "Not a mistake I would make twice. Can you get up?"

"Dude. We just took out an alien invader and cheated our own deaths. Can I breathe for like two seconds?"

The grim look which came over his cousin's face made Jayden bolt upright, and he caught a glimpse of the two pods hunting their family below.

Nate shook his head. "It's not time to relax yet, Jay."


	92. Fly

Raphael found himself unintentionally glaring at his older brother the moment he and Kamryn reappeared. "How do you think _that_ went?"

The blue-masked turtle wasn't intimidated. "Won't know for a couple more minutes, Raph, so hold tight."

"Not much else I can do," he complained.

"Leonardo, I need your assistance," Ezra cut in. "I want to attack the base from two different points." The Irishman peered through the open hatch and nodded to Kamryn. "Take the controls."

"Are you sure you want me-

"Just be ready to get us out of here," Leo said firmly, and followed Ezra to the platform.

"You know how to fly this thing," Kelley stated obviously. "You did it before."

"Yes, I can fly it, but I didn't think he would make me..." The woman trailed off with a groan. "It'll be all right. This is going to work – it has to." She cast a glance at Raphael over her shoulder. "How is Olivia?"

"The shell if I know, Kamryn. I don't get why I'm...kinda okay, and she won't wake up. What did it to to Marc and Jake?"

"It sounds like they didn't take a direct hit. But this is also part of the reason they aren't supposed to use lampsi on you, if they can help it. The affects can be unpredictable."

"Kamryn, she's gonna be okay, right?"

It was clear the woman didn't know what to tell him. "I'm not an expert, Raphael, but from what I know about your kind? I believe she'll come back around."

A tremendous clash of metal almost sent Raphael up in arms, until he realized Ezra was the source. He waited in tense silence for something to happen, and was rewarded by their pod shuddering as though it had traveled over a rumble strip. The speed with which Leo and the Irishman dove back into the ship made Raph catch his breath.

"Are we loose?"

"Kamryn, go!" Ezra urged. "Get us out, _now!_ "

Raphael realized too late that he hadn't buckled in properly, and also hadn't secured Olivia. Leonardo flew between chairs to hook up the red-masked turtle's harness, and hefted the twenty-year-old into the jump seat behind him.

The blue-masked turtle was midway through the task when the centrifugal force of the small ship flattened him. Raphael nearly wrestled out of his seat belt to help, before his brother yelled at him.

"Don't move, Raph! I've got her!"

"Fearless, you gotta get strapped in too!"

"I'm a little busy back here!"

"Leonardo, we will be coming up on the gate in seconds!" Kamryn exclaimed. "You have to do this!"

"Got it!"

Raphael craned his neck backwards as far as possible to watch the older turtle roll upright and snag a small object from his belt. "You sure this is gonna work?"

"Nope!" He held up his hand to display the remote.

The red-masked turtle had the urge to vacate his seat once more, but his view through the crystalline windows lining the front of the craft allowed him to see the fiery reaction from the detonation front and center. The pod shook violently in the resulting shock waves, and Raphael grasped the arms of his chair harder.

"Leonardo, I can't see anything!" Kamryn bellowed.

"Fly straight!"

"But we could cras-"

"Just fly straight!" he repeated, dragging himself off floor and into the seat adjacent to Olivia.

"But if the gate wasn't destroy-"

Ezra's hand engulfed her shoulder. "Keep going."

A sound like a cross between a growl and a sob escaped the woman as her fingers never left the controls.

Raphael could feel external heat as the ship plummeted through the firestorm and cringed. It was impossible to know what to expect. He held his breath, mentally willing the craft to hold up in the destruction taking place around it. He heard Kelley mumbling something under his breath, but had no idea what the man was saying.

" _Taij-kliaa, jehce jou pah!"* (Light Bringer, draw me near)_

Kamryn's cry combined with the trembling ship left Raphael on the verge of panicking. "What are you saying?! Are we breaking apart?"

"No, Raphael! I can see the other side!" Ezra declared, pounding the arms of his seat excitedly. "Straight and true, _hamna_ , get us out!"

The red-masked turtle caught sight of the inky-blackness, and gripped his own seat harder. "Come on, Kamryn! Come on!"

The speed with which they approached the exit felt a bit out of control to Raphael, but he was more than happy to be hurtling _away_ from that place. When the pod raced through the end of the tunnel into outer space, all the tension in his muscles turned to jelly in the fraction of an instant. At that point, Raphael was grateful for the harness, as it was the only thing keeping him off the floor.

The woman broke down with another sob. "Ezra, take over the ship. Just take it!"

The Irishman tapped one of the screens and placed his hands on a second set of controls. "We are going to be pursued! Hopefully, they will not try to shoot us down. What do you want me to do, Leonardo?"

"Get us on a course back to Venezuela! Do you know how to set the coordinates?"

"They are still loaded from the Vagari's initial trip."

"Do ya see anything behind us?" Raphael interjected.

Ezra made an adjustment to the display attached to his chair. "Nothing on radar yet, but I'm sure they'll respond somehow."

"We can deal with that when it appears," Leo said dryly.

Raphael shot his brother another dirty look, suddenly free to be mad at him again. "That was insane, Fearless. What if the gate hadn't gone up?"

"Don was fairly sure it would work, or I wouldn't have tried that, Raph. Would you rather be stuck back there with Olivia?"

"No, but I gotta know the truth, Leo. If we weren't with you, and the only person ya had to worry about was yourself, are you telling me you wouldn't have tried to take down the whole ship?"

The blue-masked turtle stiffened at the accusation, but shook his head. "I still wouldn't have attempted to cripple the Vagari, Raph. Escaping was the right thing to do."

"Even with our family down there in trouble? You don't think stopping them in their tracks coulda been worth it?"

"Sure it would have been, if _their_ craft was the only problem. But this ship is only a symptom of a much bigger disease. Yes, we might have been able to stop them, and sacrificed ourselves in the process. But what would that have accomplished?"

"Oh, I don't know," Raph said sarcastically. "Maybe everyone we love would get the chance to see the light of another day?"

"Until the Vagari send someone else! What do you think, they're going to give up on us just because we take down one of their ships? That's very improbable."

The red-masked turtle searched for another comeback, but this time, he couldn't find it. "Why didn't you just say so?"

"There's a time and place for debates, Raph, and that wasn't it."

"I guess," he agreed begrudgingly. "But you still ditched our bros to come up here and do your own thing. You can't tell me you wouldn't bite their heads off for doing something like that."

Leonardo winced guilty. "I'd rather not think about it yet." He pulled out his phone. "I should probably update them though. The last time I talked to Don, he told me if we survived this, he'd kill me himself."

"That sounds counterproductive," Kelley said mildly.

Raphael smirked. "Ol' Fearless is in for it."

His brother's eye ridges rose. "You're welcome, by the way."

"You expect me to thank you before we even get back in our atmosphere? Might be pressing your luck, Leo."

"Whatever, Raph." The tired look his brother returned with was a little off.

"What's the matter with you?" Raphael asked at once. "Are you hurt or something? What are you hiding from me?"

"I wasn't hurt. I got drained. One of those Vagari slapped an energy binder on me during the 'live bait' portion of capturing the pod."

"Shell, Leo! How'd you do any of that?"

"Took some adrenaline. So I probably have...a little over two hours before I crash."

"Aw, great, Leo! Thanks for setting a time limit on us," he grumbled. "Are you gonna try reaching Genius again? Don't suppose you told him ya had to drug yourself."

"It didn't come up." Leonardo pressed the phone to his ear. After a few moments, he lowered the device and tried punching another number. His expression was so imperceptible, Raphael wouldn't have suspected anything, except for the way he stopped breathing.

"What is it, Leo?"

"Something's wrong. It isn't ringing."

"I don't get why it worked before."

"Satelite, Raph. I don't know why it wouldn't now, but I'll try again in a little while."

"Turtles," Ezra spoke up sharply. "I am getting something on radar."

Raphael huffed loudly. "We got a shadow? How many? Lay it on us."

"Only one," the man wavered. "But it's a mighty big shadow."

* * *

Liran eyed the expanse of the valley below them with more concern than he wanted to admit. _Something must be done about the remaining extractors. Their desperation is greater than I anticipated, and it will lead them to kill someone, even if inadvertently._ Having just watched two of the terrapins' young ones take down a pod with nothing more than courage and the Earthlings' weapon gave him an idea of his own.

 _"Bahri!"_ he called to the elohim. " _What do you know of the humans' arsenal?"_

Bahri threw a glance to the circle of erected launchers the Earthlings surrounded. _"They are fairly effective by Earth's standards, but they do not possess chemical components."_

 _"We do not need chemicals. We require something with which to bring down the pods. I need to know how powerful they are."_

Bahri gave him a worried look. _"The Vagari's armor is greater than their weaponry."_

 _"You do not_ know _that. Their pods are not designed for warfare, especially this variety. Vagari do not personally engage the planets and people they kill. They prefer not to risk the loss of life and property. At present, this company is breaking nearly every protocol in the Vaga's guidelines. They are not supposed to reveal themselves in such a public manner, nor use the pods for anything besides an escape._

 _"They were permitted to adapt them for extracting, but if Arzhan was aware of what is now taking place, he would be infuriated."_

 _"It is clear they are breaking rules, Hiryn, but what makes you believe the humans' weapons could have any effect? The only reason their military set them up was to draw attention."_

 _"The armor of their ships is designed to guard against energy and laser blasts, Bahri. While their shields can properly disperse that kind of attack, the physical blast of a_ rock-et launch-er _could possibly get through."_ Liran shook his head over the unfamiliar words. _"Will you not ask them? Every moment we discuss it, their danger grows."_

Bahri nodded, and dashed over to the commander of the humans. It only took seconds before the elohim returned _with_ the earthling. " _The Major is enthused by your idea that the launcher could have some effect, but our position is not ideal. We need to get closer."_

Liran smiled grimly. _"Then we will get the weapons closer. Lieasel!"_ He beckoned to his grandson hovering nearby.

The young legatus came forward, his shyness a little more pronounced in the presence of the human.

" _Lieasel, you and I will go. We will take the_ rock-et launch-ers _to the fight below."_

Once Bahri interpreted what he said for the Major, the human looked alarmed, and made a rapid reply of his own.

 _"He says that the_ Javelin missiles _must be set off by a professional, Hiryn. It is not something they can teach you in a few moments."_

 _"Does he have men who are bold enough for the task? We will bring them with us."_

Bahri repeated the request, and human glanced to the valley before replying. _"He will ask for volunteers from those who are proficient. He would prefer to go with you himself-"_

 _"If we are already carrying the weight of the weapons, I would prefer to take the lighter individuals among them. We have great need for speed and agility, and heavier burdens will make it harder to maneuver. Can you make him understand this?_

The elohim relayed the information, and the Major grimaced.

 _The love he has for his men is admirable. He is a true leader._

The human said something which sounded like surrender, and turned to go back to the others.

 _"What did he say, Bahri?"_

 _"He will get the men you need. Hiryn, do you think this stands a good chance?"_

 _"I would not suggest it for any other reason."_

 _"He invited for you to come test the weight of the_ launcher _."_

Liran waved for Lieasel to follow, and they filtered through the humans' ranks to get a better look at the tube-shaped devices. He smiled evenly when he saw the young terrapins, but had no idea what they were discussing so intently among themselves.

Bahri cleared his throat. " _They want to go with you, to defend their family."_

 _"But they do not know how to use this arsenal?"_

 _"They do not, Hiryn."_

 _"And Donatello's young one is more of a giant than he is a youth. Tell them their part is to protect those who remain here, Bahri."_

The elohim took a step toward the arguing terrapins and called for their attention. Liran noted the disappointment in the orange-masked one's eyes, though he ended up bowing his head in what seemed to be a sign of deference. The purple-masked one looked angrier, but didn't utter another word.

 _"Tell them we all have a part to play, Bahri, and they must allow us the honor of performing ours."_ Liran's heart ached with the longing glance the larger of the terrapin's gave the valley, and couldn't resist reaching a hand to him. _"You are one of the bravest creatures it has been my privilege to meet. I am so glad we intercepted that message, and got to see you face to face."_

Jayden gazed back at him without comprehension, and muttered something Liran could barely hear, let alone understand.

" _He asked that you save his family,"_ Bahri filled in.

 _"Tell him we are going to."_ Liran turned his head at the sound of someone else approaching, and surveyed the two young men the human commander had in tow.

The Major laid a hand on each of them in turn. "Rick Samuels. Chris Burrall."

" _We will protect them with our lives."_

The man nodded miserably at his translated promise.

 _"We should use a harness to be safe,"_ Bahri suggested. " _It will be easier to maneuver if you do not need to hold on to them, or they you."_

 _"True, but it will also be harder to separate them if we run into trouble."_

 _"If you run into trouble in flight...your fates are bound together. They understand this."_

He gave the young man coming toward him an encouraging smile. While the human was hooked securely through loops which were then cast over Liran's frame, Bahri stood between him and his grandson.

 _"Your communication will be limited. These men are aware of the necessary conditions required for deploying the_ missiles, _and will demonstrate ideal circumstances with a hand signal or a word."_

At the elohim's prompt, Chris held up his thumb while clenching the rest of his fingers in a fist.

" _This means they are good,"_ Bahri explained. " _If reversed, they are not prepared to proceed."_

 _"How do you say 'good' in their language?"_

Bahri repeated the English equivalent, and Liran tested it on his tongue a couple of times, then gave his friend a reassuring nod. _"Tell him we will get through this together, Bahri."_

Liran was rewarded by what appeared to be real trust in the young earthling's eyes. _I will accept that as grounds to move forward. Whether we can communicate or not, we need to make this work._

* * *

For Chris, flying produced the sensation of being in a dream. He was repeatedly tempted to look over his shoulder at his alien "transporter", to make sure Liran was still holding on to the sixty pound rocket launcher. He had a strong feeling the powerful-looking giant was capable of handling the weapon, but the importance of their errand made him paranoid, just the same.

"Good?" the alien intoned, a spark of amusement in his fire-rimmed eyes.

Burrall nodded, albeit shakily. "Yes, good."

The young man returned his attention to the rolling hills spread out beneath them, and caught his breath for the tenth time about how low the alien crafts were hovering over the trees.

"We don't need to be right on top of them!" Samuels shouted from his right. "Only have to find a good vantage point. Keep your eyes open, Burrall, we're looking for-"

"For something like that?" Chris pointed to a flat, scenic overlook, where three figures were already standing.

"Yeah, it'll do, after we get rid of _them_."

Burrall glanced backwards at the legatus, motioned to the spot they needed, and gave him a thumbs up.

"Good!"

The alien's repetition of one of his few English words struck Chris as funny, though he felt stupid for almost laughing at a time like that. He inwardly rehearsed what they would say to the civilians upon landing, and found himself awkwardly waving like there was nothing unusual going on.

One of the strangers rapidly punched the screen of his cell phone, but if his frustration was any indication, the device wasn't working properly any more than the turtles' had.

Samuels was somewhat less welcoming than he'd been. "Shoo, get out of here!" He waved his hand to dismiss the hikers like stray cats.

Chris snorted unintentionally while the men continued to gawk at them.

The Lieutenant tech scowled and yanked the rocket launcher off Lieasel's shoulder. He hefted the weapon and pointed it at the strangers. "You want some of this? Get out of here!"

Regardless of whether the men understood him, the threat was effective enough to get through. Burrall shook with inappropriate laughter while Lieasel freed him from the harness.

"That was so wrong!"

"Would you rather they die like the rest of us, Burrall?"

"We're not dead yet, Lieutenant. Why don't we try this?"

Chris stood back with folded arms while Samuels powered up both of the Command Launch Units, and used the scope to determine the distance of the ships from their position.

"Navigation will take over after we lock on. I'm thinking we ought to go for simultaneous shots, a single ship at a time. If one missile doesn't get through, maybe the other will," Samuels said slowly, and glanced up at Burrall. "Don't stare at me like you've never fired a Javelin. You scored higher on proficiencies than anyone else in the unit."

"This is a little different than the BST." (Basic Skills Trainer)

"No, it's not. It's exactly the same; at least, that's what you need to tell yourself. Now get down here and lock on with the CLU." (Command Launch Unit)

Chris stabilized the launch tube on his shoulder and swallowed deeply while flicking the button for missile tracking mode. The familiar track gates appeared on either side of his site view. He felt Samuels hovering over his shoulder, and looked back at him.

"I want to make sure we're taking on the same ship for starters."

"Why the same one, Lieutenant?"

"Because we don't know the best way to take these things down, Burrall. Since we have two modes to choose from, I want you to take direct path, and I'll do the top attack. Hopefully, one of us will get through. That will give us a better strategy for the second. You ready?"

He nodded more confidently than he felt. Burrall adjusted the track gates a couple of degrees until he felt a little more certainty in his gut. The young man activated the missile lock mechanism while Samuels counted down, and then pulled the trigger.

Chris was so surprised by the minimal back-blast of the soft launch missile, he nearly dropped the tube. At that point they could have taken cover, as the guidance system needed no further direction from them. Yet he remained kneeling next to the Lieutenant, both collectively holding their breath.

He had high hopes while watching the impressive flight path, and intense flash which erupted from their target almost made him pump his fist in victory. However, the brilliance was momentary. In the next instant, he saw the shape of a crystal sphere seem to encase the pod, and watched _both_ missiles careen harmlessly aside from the shield.

Despair took him at once, right before one of the deflected projectiles spinning through the air collided with the second ship. The flash combined with a satisfying explosion that made time stand still. Burrall stared in amazement at the craft which had somehow taken a direct hit from the out of control missile.

Laughter was the next response, and Samuel's arm came around his back while they celebrated the unexpected result. Their joy was short-lived as the other ship veered off course to pursue them.

The Lieutenant immediately dropped back on his knees and fired off another missile, which collided with the pod's shield, but did no apparent damage. The ship took what seemed to be evasive action, but then kept coming toward them.

"It's the angle!" Burrall realized. "It has to be! We need to put another spin on it!"

"We can't attain that kind of trajectory with a launcher, Burrall! That last shot was one in a million!"

Chris looked down at his launcher. "What if we created our own momentum?"

"With _what?_ "

Burrall took a step backwards to Liran, dragging the launcher over his shoulder. "Um...you fly?" He waved his free hand to indicate the alien's wings. "Like this?" Chris made a cork-screw motion with his arm, praying the legatus understood what he meant. Then he pointed to himself. "Me...ride? I shoot!" He tapped Liran's back, and ended by patting the launcher.

Liran looked puzzled, so Burrall repeated every motion, to the sound of two more missiles being launched in the background. There was an instant when fire-rimmed irises widened, and the young man knew the alien recognized what he wanted.

"Good," Liran agreed, and pointed to the harness.

Chris shook his head. "No, not this time. Let's go."

"Are you seriously doing what I think you were just charading back there?" Samuels yelled.

"Gonna try it, Lieutenant!"

"You have to get hooked up!"

"No. I need to do this from his back, and the harness would restrict his wings. I'll hold on, and I'm sure he will too."

"Neither of you will have both hands when it comes time to fire!"

"No time! That thing's coming back!"

"Why are _you_ going?"

"Because this was all I can come up with! If I fail, you have to think of something else!"

Samuels cringed. "I'll save the rest of my missiles."

Chris felt like he needed to say more, but the legatus was tugging his arm toward the ledge urgently. The alien took the launcher to hoist over his shoulder, and crouched down so the young man could climb on his back. He was concerned about impeding his wings, but the alien didn't seem to notice.

He looped his arms around Liran's thick neck, and willed himself not to strangle the alien when he leaped off the cliff. The legatus banked to the left of the approaching craft, and shot a glance to Chris as though asking for direction.

Burrall didn't know how to tell him to keep going. There was no plan in mind, besides trying a couple death-defying tricks which would probably be the last thing he ever did.

"Good?" Liran called.

"Okay, let's try it," he answered, much to the alien's confusion. "Good," he added hastily.

Without warning, Liran dove with a maneuver that made Chris fear for his life, before pulling up in a rapid spin. With one arm the alien gripped the launcher to steady it against his shoulder, and the other stretched around the soldier protectively. The motion left Burrall so dizzy and off kilter, he couldn't do anything except hold on for the first few seconds.

As all the air was sucked out of his lungs, he was _positive_ he was about to die. _But if this is it, I'm gonna make it count!_ With determination he stretched one hand out of the death grip around Liran's neck, and felt around for the CLU. The moment the display flashed to life, he saw the track gates perfectly aligned on the ship heading straight for them.

"GOOD!" he shouted.

The winged creature put forth one more spin, at the same moment as Chris locked on. He fired the missile from the launcher, and Liran's abrupt change of direction to avoid the enemy craft proved too much for Burrall's compromised grip.

In a flash the young man was in mid-air, without knowing if the Javelin was successful. He saw the launcher falling toward the earth out of the corner of his eyes, and heard the sound of a promising explosion. It left Chris with a brief moment to both inwardly rejoice and accept his impending fate, before he was snagged around the stomach so hard it knocked the wind out of him.

The alien gathered him against his chest as if he were a child, which due to their size difference, he probably looked like. Chris was still struggling to get his airway back while Liran patted his shoulder repeatedly.

"Good! Good, Chris Burrall!" He motioned wildly for the soldier to look down.

The young man glanced below in time to see the remnants of the pod crashing into the treeline. He went limp in the alien's grasp and blinked back the tears which almost rose. "We did it. We did it!" His voice soared when he found it again, and then he focused on the alien. "Thank you."

Liran merely beamed, but the expression was strangely cut short.

"What?" Chris asked at once.

The alien pointed toward the ocean this time, and Burrall instantly picked out the small ship racing over the water. The fact that it was heading for the valley gave him reason for concern, but the sight of the massive ship _following_ it made Chris gape.

"That's _not_ good."


	93. Finish

In the span of time it took Nathaniel to return to the peak, the monstrosity of a space ship seemed to strangely slow. The pod flying ahead of it looked absolutely minuscule in comparison to the alien craft. While the small vessel kept going, the "mother ship" only traveled as far as the bay inlet, and hovered there like it was trapped by a hidden force field.

A cry from Nate's left diverted his attention from the odd sight, then spinning to see the pod banking sharply. It appeared to be circling on a course that would collide with _their_ position. His body tensed for conflict while he made eye contact with his cousin, and then surveyed the Elohim, Major Stewart, and the handful of soldiers who'd followed him to the summit.

The orange-masked turtle started to tell them to take cover, but the chance to do anything before the pod arrived was short, and the bigger problem lingered over the ocean several hundred yards away. _It's as if they're waiting for something...but what? This has to be their big finale. I never imagined what it might look like._

He gripped his katana as the pod touched down on the mountaintop and backed against Jayden, prepared for a fight. When the hatch popped open, Nate was ready to do just about anything to protect those in current company, but was greeted by the familiar figure of an Irishman looking out of the ship.

"We come in peace!" Ezra called.

Nathaniel lowered his blade with a relieved chuckle, but then surged forward to meet him. "Where's everyone else? Are they al-"

Director Kelley waving him down for help gave the orange-masked turtle no chance to finish. "Nate, can you or Jayden assist with Olivia, so all Leo has to do is worry about Raph?"

The eighteen-year-old's heart sank when he ventured through the door and saw his prone cousin. He swallowed all the questions he wanted to ask, and gathered the red-masked female in his arms, then backed out of the ship to give the others room to exit.

Jayden was on his shell the moment he emerged. "Is Liv okay? Is she hurt bad? What about the others?"

"We're here, Jay; you have to let us out!" Leo called.

The purple-masked turtle lunged aside, and Nate followed him more carefully with Olivia. Nate was so occupied with making sure she was okay, he missed Bahri arriving on his right.

"Nathaniel, will you put her down for a moment, so I can have a better look?" the elohim requested.

Jayden dropped to his knees ahead of him, and Nate allowed his younger cousin to support Liv's head in his lap while he set her down.

"What do you think?" Nate crouched down while Bahri bent over her. "Do you know what's wrong?"

Before the alien could answer, Nate felt an unexpected shudder come from the rock underneath his feet. The motion was powerful enough to cause everyone to react at once, and Nathaniel shot upright as well.

"What was that? What are they doing?" Jayden's voice soared.

Nate turned to the other Elohim anxiously, and found Ghysis and Alarid fixed on the sea. Their expressions were impossible to read, but their posture was far from relaxed.

"We cannot determine that," Ghysis said over his shoulder. "It seems they are preparing to employ the disperser again, but we do not know what they are waiting for, or how an earthquake could factor into it."

"Shouldn't _we_ be doing something?!" Stewart was the first to speak what everyone probably felt.

"It's not always possible to act without information."

The sudden nearness of his Jonin's voice made Nate jolt, and whirl to face the blue-masked turtle. "Were you really just up there?"

Leonardo grasped his shoulder with a grimace. "I think we might have made it worse."

The orange-masked turtle shook his head. "They would have come here either way, after the pods failed."

"Yeah, but it would have taken longer." The force of his leader's frustration came out with the statement.

"Ain't no fault there except mine, Fearless," Raphael lamented. "I'm the one who couldn't keep our shells on the planet."

The utter exhaustion in his red-masked uncle's frame was impossible to miss, but when Nate studied Leonardo closer, he detected something wasn't right with him either. He wanted to ask his Jonin about it, but didn't get the opportunity before a bolt shot from the underside of the massive ship like lightning, and connected with the ocean in a white hot flash.

Nathaniel jumped as a deafening rumble made him cover his ears, and automatically scooted toward the rest of the group who was huddling up together. That was with the exception of Alarid and Ghysis, who remained watching from the edge of the precipice.

"Is there any way your ship can get here faster?" Leonardo request sounded resigned.

Alarid was the one who glanced back that time. "We have not been able to establish contact with them; not since Bahri spoke to Haim. If they were to emerge at this point, they would likely be destroyed by Vagari in moments."

Nate felt as if he was entering a trance while the light from the ship intensified and expanded, until it measured the entire length of the craft.

"At least if they kill us, it'll save my dad the trouble of going after you, Jonin," Jayden murmured.

"We should take cover!" the Major insisted, voice cracking with concern.

"There is no cover," Leo admitted. "The mountain is no refuge from that thing."

"Don't change the fact that we could _try_ something." Raphael's irritation was dampened by a general lack of energy, but his expression still spoke volumes. "I can't sit here and watch you give up."

"What do you want me to do, Raph?" the oldest turtle asked softly. "I'm not a miracle worker."

"Never said you were, but ya still-"

Raphael was easily drowned out by the entrance of a noise that reminded Nate of a giant fan. The orange-masked teen watched in astonishment while the shining brilliance beneath the ship began spin and convulse the surface of the waves. The overpowering sound was so great, he instinctively covered his ears for the second time. He vaguely heard someone yelling in the background too, but couldn't tell who was speaking, much less what was being said.

Within a span of seconds, he felt the full force of the incredible rush of wind the ship's spiral created, and bowed toward the ground to avoid losing his balance. The natural inclination was to bury his head too, and he couldn't resist the temptation at first. The effort of fighting with the air currents was too hard. He may as well have been alone on the mountaintop for as isolated as he felt from the others.

It seemed the worst was already upon them, until a burning sensation lit through his sinus cavities. It felt like breathing in fire, and left Nate coughing violently and searching for a deep breath that wouldn't come. The teen collapsed on his plastron, heaving for air in the midst of the convulsive coughing fit. The feeling of fingers grasping his arm distracted Nathaniel briefly from panicking and he fought to lift his head mere inches.

He couldn't see who was touching him, and had no power to rotate his neck. The mere act of rising partway against the wind was akin to pushing a locomotive up a hill. Fear for the others made him want to seek them out, especially Olivia, who was currently so vulnerable. However it was impossible to make headway against the hellish air current, or hear anything beyond the wretched wind.

The hazy glow of the spiraling "death beam" shone brightly against the sky that was darkening once more. The sight captured the teen and created an almost hypnotic effect which made it seem more like a dream. He stared straight ahead without blinking, in spite of blurring vision.

Nate wanted to close his eyes rather than see the product of what was unfolding, but the near trance left him helplessly frozen in time. Against the brilliance of the spinning beam, he saw what appeared to be a mountain range _behind_ the ship.

 _Mountain? No, they're hovering over the water..._

He desperately longed to clear his vision, but instead stared at the growing shadowy apparition, which he now assumed to be a trick of his mind. His necessity to breathe and the urge to close his eyes was growing with every passing moment. The ferocity of the wind increased yet again, now deafening even the thoughts running through his head.

To his beleaguered vision, it looked like the mountain was still growing too, as ridiculous as it seemed. No doubt it was a symptom accompanying how light-headed he currently felt. The further distortion of his sight led him to believe it would be over soon, though the orange-masked turtle had a terrible feeling it _wouldn't_ be.

The unholy wind was overtaken by the next phase; what Nate could only describe as the crashing of a thousand waterfalls. He only had a couple of seconds to dread what the Vagari were doing, when the glowing whirlwind was overtaken by the foaming "mountain" which enveloped both ship and beam, hiding them from view.

Within a few moments, the fire invading his lungs faltered, and Nate greedily managed to inhale one good breath. He wanted to take another, but was too captured by the wall of water approaching the coastline. _That's it then. It's their big finish._

Mentally he commanded eyes to close, but they remained wide while the flood descended. _Wish I'd called Reina earlier, before we'd lost the phones again. But telling her we were all probably about to die wouldn't have made her feel better..._

Nate cringed through a couple more gasps which didn't qualify as breathing, and anxiously watched the dark shadow of the tidal wave looming over the cliff. A thunderous _crack_ suddenly broke the paralytic spell which had taken his body, and he blinked rapidly as the wall of water split in two, and disintegrated right before still burning eyes.

The silence following the collapse was more shocking than anything he'd heard thus far. His immediate thought was to rise, but it took several seconds to work up the energy to get his knees underneath him. Nate gazed hard at the normal ocean waves in the bay below, too awestruck to speak.

The fingers still gripping his shoulder were the next thing he was aware of. Nathaniel turned his head to face his blue-masked uncle, and could only exchange a mute look with him.

"What did...how..." Jayden sputtered in the background, his voice raw. "Did they...?" It seemed he wasn't capable of producing a complete sentence.

"Did they do that?" Raphael piped up. "Bahri! Is this some kinda trick?"

The elohim was oddly the first to gain his feet. "It is no trick the Vagari would have wished for."

"What happened?" Stewart forced out the words with great effort. "Was it another failure of that machine?"

Leonardo laughed softly, but it built slowly in volume. "I told you I wasn't the miracle worker."

"But what does it MEAN? Did they do it to themselves?" The Major appeared on the verge of a meltdown.

Bahri smiled at the man. "It was no more of an accident than were pillars of fire."

"No one ever told me what the fire had to do with anything!"

"It is a story for another time, human," the elohim told him. "But now you will also be more likely to _believe_ it."

* * *

By the time everyone had reunited, Nate's legs no longer felt weak, but he still couldn't bring himself to say more than a couple words at a time. He'd been hanging around near his purple-masked uncle, merely to keep an eye on Olivia.

Jayden was currently braced against the cavern beside him, even though the orange-masked teen sensed he was on the verge of bouncing off the walls. _Jayden is playing it cool, because we still don't know what's going on with Olivia._

Nathaniel returned his attention to the back of his uncle's head, willing Don to speak up without being forced to bother him. His pointed gaze lasted for nearly a minute before the older turtle turned to him with a sympathetic look.

"Guys, it's all right. I told you, her vitals are registering near normal."

"Then why's it taking so long to wake up?" Jay demanded.

Donatello folded his arms with a sterner expression. "I want both of you to get something to eat, now. I told you to do it ten minutes ago."

Nate felt his cousin's eyes shifting to him, watching for how he would respond. _Which makes it impossible to disobey a direct order._ He straightened up from his crouch and gave his uncle one more imploring glance. "Tell us if anything changes."

"I won't keep it a secret. Get lost, you two."

The eighteen-year-old was still too worked up to stomach anything, but he didn't feel it was necessary to tell his Ojisan. Instead, he was drawn to the odd pairing of Alarid, Liran, Burrall, and the Major, mostly because of how loud Chris was laughing.

"Forget language training," the young man was saying. "What we need to work on is method acting. My charades were so confusing, it almost took three tries before anyone understood."

Nate smiled, even though he didn't know what the man was talking about. Jayden poked his shoulder, and pointed out the fire to their right. His own father was working on something which smelled like real food, but it didn't tempt the teen yet. "I'll catch up with you, Jay."

The purple-masked turtle shrugged. "Or they'll force feed you."

He nodded at his cousin to go ahead, and turned back to the alien/human circle in time to catch Alarid interpreting something to Liran. The legatus' mighty laugh could have caused a cave in if he wasn't careful, but the joy was refreshing after what they'd all been through.

Chris took notice of him and waved. "Nate, c'mere."

He was a little abashed to be caught observing them, and ducked his head slightly while going toward the group.

"Will you show it to me again?" Burrall requested.

The turtle was confused. "Show you what?"

"The sword that single-handedly took down one of their pods. I need another look."

"I didn't do anything single-handedly, and you took down _two_ pods."

"Didn't do that alone either, and it required a lot of luck and expensive weapons. Will you let me see it one more time? I really want another look."

Nathaniel drew the Arsiterite blade to oblige him and angled it to catch the nearby firelight. The murmured reaction from Liran had him turning it the alien's direction too.

"You never explained what it actually is," Burrall reminded him.

"It's forged from a material which is much stronger than steel. The alloy isn't only used for weapons by the Elohim, but also medical devices, among other things. My uncle Don's knee was reconstructed by their genius using Arsiterite too."

The Major stood for a better look at the blade. "I didn't examine your weapons closely after they were confiscated. If it was up to me, it would have taken years to figure out how special they are."

Nate lowered the sword. "It's not obvious from the first look, Major. You need more than a glance to figure out anything or _anyone_ connected to our group."

Will looked uncomfortable. "I've been such a horrible judge of your character. I used to pride myself on reading people, but now that it comes down to it, I'm not sure-"

The entrance of Bahri _running_ into the cave made Stewart cut off in a flash.

"What? What's wrong now?" the man exclaimed.

"We must prepare to leave at once," the elohim urged. "My people still require a few minutes for acclimation, but-"

"Bahri, what's going on?" Leo inserted.

The alien seemed entirely too nervous for Nate's liking.

"Are we still in danger here?" Katherine challenged.

"The danger is not limited to where we are, but the entirety of Earth's atmosphere," Bahri explained. "I did not have a chance to tell any of you about the solar activity."

Greg huffed. "What's that? Another gift from the Vagari?"

"No, it has nothing to do with them, nor would they bring it upon themselves. Our ship has been lingering in the vicinity of Mars for these last few days, and detected an unusually high amount of solar flares from your star. It has significance, because while the planet is protected from the harmful effects by your atmosphere, the same cannot be said of open space. It will have a tremendous impact upon technology, as well as-"

"What's the point, Bahri?" Leo interrupted.

"There has been an event this afternoon. A coronal mass ejection. We have very little time to waste. According to Hiram's projection, the flare is on a collision course with Earth."

"How long?" The Major moved toward the alien. "How long do we have?"

"It is difficult to be certain-"

"Ballpark it."

"The estimate fell between 27-32 hours."

Will cursed and immediately darted toward the entrance of the cave.

Nate had a moment to be perplexed before understanding dawned on him. _That doesn't give anyone very long to prepare._

 _"_ We have to get off the planet before we are not able to," Bahri continued. "Though the flares last for hours, the geomagnetic storms can last for days or weeks."

Leonardo hooked an arm through Bahri's, and grasped his cell phone with the other hand while he practically dragged him out of the cave with him. Nathaniel could only imagine what they were discussing. Part of him wanted to follow and find out, but he'd only taken a couple steps when Burrall caught up with him.

The young man was grim. "It's not over, is it?"

Nate winced. "No. This was only stage one."

"What's stage two? You guys getting out of here?"

"We have to go after my cousins and...deal with the rest of the Vagari."

"Sounds intense. This here seems like nothing compared to dealing with a lot more of the bastards." Chris looked down. "Sorry for not inspiring much confidence, but it kinda feels..."

"Impossible? Yeah, I'm with you there. But what happened today was impossible too, so who knows how we'll end up?"

"Am I ever going to see you again?"

Nate stretched a hand to his shoulder. "I don't know. I can't tell you what'll happen ten minutes from now, much less a couple of days."

"But if you come back, when you do," he corrected hastily. "Just because I'm not your warden doesn't mean you gotta avoid me."

The teen found himself grinning in spite of the uncertainty and stress which was nowhere near relieved. "You were never much of a warden to start with."

"I know. I suck at my job," he joked weakly.

"Chris, you don't suck at anything, especially being a friend. If I have any say in the matter...I'll see you again."


	94. Vent

The last few minutes had been a complete blur for Jazz. Her confusion reached an overwhelming stage that left her without words while she watched her father talk on the phone to at least three people over the course of fifteen minutes. She couldn't quite hear what he was saying from her position sitting near the entrance, but had asked Brandon to leave her there just the same.

Jazz's gaze bore into the man with as much intensity as she could muster with a head injury, mentally commanding her father to hang up the phone for a little while. She begrudgingly recognized the job he had to do, but it didn't change the separation which was coming soon. _More than one. First we're leaving them, and then more than likely, the turtles will be leaving all of_ us _. Not looking forward to them going, but even this parting feels different than I thought it would._

"Jasmine?"

She lifted her head from contemplation to find the man standing in front of her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Jazz stared at her father stoically for a couple moments. "Nothing. I just thought with the way things are, maybe we could have words of our own before we go."

Will looked beyond awkward at the suggestion, and it left the woman discouraged. _After all this, I thought maybe we could agree to disagree on some points, and find common ground on a couple others. I guess some things are too late to change._

"I'd like to talk, but I don't know if I can," he admitted. "Mostly because...it feels impossible to make it right. I'd rather hear from you, if that makes any sense."

Jazz snorted humorlessly, wishing she could walk away. "I have to do the talking? Why's that, because I'm at fault? Forget it. Maybe we can catch up again in another twenty years, if the Earth has that long."

"Jasmine, that isn't what I said."

"The heck it isn't. Why do I have do the talking, if I'm not the only one with something to be sorry for?"

"That's far from the truth, but like I already said, it seems impossible to correct my _own_ damage. I've lost too many years to believe things could ever be normal between us, or harbor any illusion about a relationship with grandchildren I've never known. I don't expect it, and I'm not asking for it. Right now, I want you to speak your piece, because it might be the last chance we have."

She glared at him steadily. "How do you want me to wrap up years of disappointment, abandonment and grief into a few words?"

"I'm not sure you can, but I wanted you to have the chance to get things off your chest. There's no point in holding it in longer than you already have."

"Who are you to talk?" Her voice rose unintentionally.

Will held out both hands warily. "I know I'm messing this up, but I'm not trying to. I don't want to waste the opportunity to hear from you."

"What do you want to hear? A few more excuses? A rundown of the life I lived without you? What? What do you want?"

"Why didn't you ask about James?"

Questioning Jazz about her brother nearly made the woman see red. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"He has everything to do with us, Jasmine. We never discussed his leaving, and then you were gone too-"

Through clenched teeth, she bit back the curse which wanted to explode. "Can you stop? You're making it worse. We both ought to just walk away and pretend none of the last few days ever happened."

"I don't want to do that, Jasmine."

"Well, I didn't want to give up on James either."

The man nodded with acceptance. "Okay, this is what I was referring to. Whatever you need to say, I'm prepared to take it."

"You're ridiculous, bringing him up at a time like this. I should have known you'd never admit to being remotely wrong about _anything_."

"Why don't you tell me how I was wrong?"

The fact that he was so calm in the face of her growing rage only made her angrier. "You forced me to quit! You made me leave him alone, and he left. James needed help, Dad. He needed help, and you couldn't handle it. Already had a messed up daughter. Adding in a traumatized son on top of it must have been more than your reputation could bear."

"Jasmine, I wanted to help him."

"But you didn't! You only isolated him more. I was getting through to James – it was making a difference."

"Between him _hurting_ you."

The woman paused for a long beat. "It wasn't that bad."

"He put you in the hospital."

"You and mom blew it way out of proportion, and I was the one who pushed him too hard to start with."

"There was never an excuse for him to put his hands on you."

"It wasn't his fault! His mind was jacked up. James, the real James, never would have hurt me."

"I agree with you, but it doesn't change what happened. I wanted James to get real help, the kind we couldn't give him. So I made arrangements, and had to give him an ultimatum. Either he was going into a program, or he would end up in jail."

"And he left! It didn't accomplish anything either of us wanted. James was all I had. There were no friends or real home, because you moved us around _constantly_. He was the only one who got me, or even tried to."

"Regardless of what you think, I was trying to protect you from him and help at the same time."

"It didn't work."

"I acknowledge that failure, as well as my general inadequacies as a father. I thought I was making a better life for you."

"Have you ever looked back, and wished you'd done anything differently?"

"Only about a thousand times, Jasmine. But please, go on."

She massaged her throbbing temples. "There's no time, Dad. We can't hash everything out in a few minutes."

"I guess I need to know if you still _want_ to. I've always assumed you blamed me for what James did, and I can't completely disagree. I told you not to push him anymore, but then I took action which directly led to him running away."

The woman dropped her hands in her lap and stared at her entwined fingers. Hearing him admit guilt over James produced a pit in her stomach. "I don't...blame you for his actions. But I wish it would have ended differently. I wish this could be different." She motioned between them. "But we're no closer to getting along now than we were years ago.

"I'm not perfect, Dad, but I've gotta tell you, I like who I am. I like being 'Jazz', though it's nothing but a disappointment to you."

"I've said and done some cruel things in these last few years, Jasmine. There are actions I can't atone for. But truth be told, I never had as much as a problem with you being 'Jazz', than I felt you simply weren't living up to your potential. Your choice of style, your attitude, it made most people judge and diminish you before they even knew your name."

"You think they would have looked at me differently if I called myself 'Jasmine'?" She laughed shortly. "What is it with you and that name? It's beautiful in its own way, but it never fit me. Why do you have such a problem with that? Why are you threatened by a nickname?"

"I'm not threatened," he stated defensively. "But it's not just a name. She was a person."

"She? Who are you talking about?"

Stewart turned slightly away with a sigh. "During the late seventies, I was involved in my first tour of duty in the Middle East. This was during the Iranian revolution. On the record, my unit was never there, but we had our own part to play in the background. We made some friends that weren't who we thought they were. But by the time we realized we'd been betrayed, it was too late for most of us.

"Maybe six out of the original twenty made it out of Iran, after a leak gave away our position to violent militants. And we only made it that far because of a teenager who stole the keys from her father's truck. She didn't speak a word of English, but that didn't matter. She understood the danger better than we did, because her dad was one of the men charged with setting us up.

"Didn't find out that detail until later, after we'd gotten to supposed safety. Came under sniper fire on the outskirts of the wilderness, and she was hit. I remember her saying sorry in this broken English...over and over. Her courage in the face of the men pursuing us stays with me to this day. That a little foreign girl would go so far to help strangers, defy her own family...I didn't know how to honor that memory, besides using her name."

"Why couldn't you tell me that before?"

"I'm not the sentimental type, Jasmine."

She ducked her head with a chuckle. "Dad, you named me after an Iranian girl who saved your lives, and died in the process. You don't find that sentimental?"

"I think it was a half-hearted attempt to pay for the mistake that cost her life. Never really got over her dying for us. It's probably why I haven't talked about it since."

"Thanks for telling me. At least it explains why the name means so much to you."

"There are many things I wish you'd done differently, Jasmine. But I never actually wanted to change _you_."

Jazz gave him a doubtful look. "I don't buy that."

"I wanted to change aspects of your behavior, but not you. It's probably way too late to fix our issues now."

"I don't know about that either," she said slowly. "But we can't resolve it here, so you're gonna have to take some phone calls."

He blinked in surprise. "You would keep in contact?"

"Earth isn't out of the woods yet, and neither are we."

The man shook his head. "I have no idea what I'll tell your mother about any of this."

"I already called her," Jazz mentioned. "Connected with her this morning. That's why I left the cave. We ended up talking for several minutes. I was wandering when the storm hit, and the rest is history. For some reason, it was much easier to talk to her than you."

He snorted. "I don't find that hard to believe. I'd rather keep you near me, but...I know you have to get back to your family."

"I need to see my kids. And then we have to deal with the guys heading out." The admission brought tears to her eyes.

Her father was visibly distressed by _her_ rising emotion. "I'm sorry. For everything in these last few days, and whatever else is to come."

"I don't want them to go, but no one's gonna tell them they shouldn't."

"I don't know that anyone can stop those Vagari, but it seems they would have a better shot than most. So you wouldn't go with them?"

"Oh no. Only reason I made the last trip is because we were all abducted. I'm a civilian through and through, even if I get sick of being treated like one. I don't have much to offer except occasional technical advice and support, and they have plenty of that on Zuhur."

"That 'technical advice' protected my men today."

"Shield would have failed eventually," she offered weakly. "It was just a matter of time."

"Give yourself some credit. For the record, I don't think there's anything wrong with you being 'Jazz'. At the same time, I hope you see some 'Jasmine' in there too."

"Hard to picture myself as the hero, Dad. But it's nice to know I have something to live up to."

His laugh startled her. "You've exceeded _my_ wildest dreams. I thought you were wasting massive potential. I know the truth now."

"What truth?"

"We're more similar than either of us want to admit, Jasmine. Difference is, I get payment and recognition for my service, whereas you and your family get nothing."

"It's better that way. The world can't handle the truth about them. And neither can the government," she finished emphatically.

"No fear. I have no idea what I'll tell everyone about today, let alone the last few, but your people will not come up."

The sound of incoming wind took Jazz's breath away, and made the woman struggle upright partially. The Major motioned for her to stay down while he lunged to his own feet and gripped the rifle still strapped to his shoulder.

Bahri rapidly exited the cave behind them and waved off his weapon. "It is my people," he assured them. "They have landed on the peak above us, and it is time to depart."

Stewart looked down with the most genuine regret Jazz had ever seen. She tentatively held out her arms so he could help her up and willingly leaned against the man for a moment.

"Please protect their secret," the woman whispered.

"I will. It sounds like my men are on board too, but I'll keep an eye on them."

A rush of feet made Jazz glance back, and she saw Donatello emerge with Olivia in his arms. The sight of the young red-masked turtle lifting her head made a tear spring to her eyes in the already emotional state. Liv seemed groggy, but the fact that she was awake encouraged her.

"We gotta head up," Don said apologetically. "Bran is coming to get you, Jazz."

She shared one more look with her father. "I'll call you when we get wherever we're going. Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"Our evac should arrive in about ninety minutes. Next few hours will be a whirlwind, but please _do_ call me." The Major fixed on Donny. "Whatever you're going to do, leave nothing on the table."

The turtle nodded. "We don't intend to. If we never talk again, I hope you can still forget you saw us."

"Couldn't if I tried, and I don't want to. Good luck with...everything." The man released a shaky breath, and pointed Jazz out to her husband, whose arrival she'd missed entirely.

Brandon mutely gathered her in his arms, and nodded to the Major. "Well, this could have gone worse. I'm not sure how, but just the same, maybe we'll meet again under less dire circumstances."

The probing look her father gave him seemed to be weighing Brandon's sincerity. "I hope I have another chance. Keep her safe in the meantime."

"I do my best," the man replied.

Jazz swallowed the threatening emotions and took a deep breath. "I'll call you, Dad."

"Please do."

Bahri cleared his throat. "I apologize, humans, but we really need to leave."

Will impulsively grabbed Jazz's hand and squeezed it hard. "I'll talk to you soon, if I can. There's no telling the disruption this solar storm could cause."

"Yeah..." she faltered. "I...I love you."

"I love you," he answered with much greater conviction than she'd delivered. "And I'm sorry, for everything I can't fix. I don't know what else to say."

"Dad..."

He took a step backwards. "You'd better go. Just go, you two. I think we'll be all right here until evac arrives."

Bran nodded. "Take care of yourselves. And don't forget you never saw _them_."

"I know we didn't. Now go, Brandon."

The woman nestled against his shoulder with a shiver while he moved to follow Bahri, and couldn't bring herself to say anything else. Brandon silently ascended the mountain trail for a couple of minutes before he spoke up.

"Are you okay?"

"No – but it is what it is."

He huffed under his breath. "Yeah. It's like we don't even get a chance to be happy before we have to worry about the next step."

Jazz grimaced. "Do you know how Olivia is?"

Brandon craned his neck to see the purple-masked turtle handling the teen ahead of them. "Donny doesn't seem concerned. I think the danger has passed on that point, at least. How are _you_ feeling?"

"Head hurts, leg hurts...This blood is gonna kick in eventually, right?"

"Takes longer for an impact when you receive a small amount," Don said over his shoulder. "Give it another day, and you'll probably be feeling a lot better. We could also get you a larger transfusion when we make it to Lotus Salvus."

Jazz cringed that he'd overheard her so easily, but then realized what he'd said. "That's where we're going? What about the rest of the family?"

Donatello hesitated so they could catch up with him. "They're chartering a flight as we speak. We'll beat them to North Carolina, but they'll make it down before the storm hits. We need the familiarity of a _home_ right now."

"I don't know where we are," Liv murmured. "Ojisan? Are we going to the car?"

"The ship, Olivia. I'm taking you to the ship."

"Oh. Does my dad know where I am? Because he'll have a cow if he doesn't."

Don maintained a straight face for his niece's sake. "Yeah, he knows. He's behind us, okay? I'll make sure he finds you on the ship."

"As long as Jake is there too," she said quieter. "I miss him."

"He wouldn't have it any other way, Liv."

"You don't have much time, do you?" Jazz didn't want to ask the question, but couldn't hold it in.

"Ideally, we want to be off the planet in about twenty-four hours. If we wait any longer, it could risk the ship's potential to leave our atmosphere."

"That's a really fast turnaround," Jazz mumbled. She knew the turtle didn't hear her, and the woman didn't want him to. She twisted her head to bury it in Bran's shoulder and barely contained the need to sob.

He gripped her stronger in return, but Brandon didn't say anything. _What can he say? Nothing. There isn't anything to make the situation better. Knowing Bran, he'll probably try to talk his way into going with them. It's too bad we can't all take the trip_ _. At least then, we'd share the same fate. But they'll never go for that in a million years. I'd be shocked if Don even lets Jayden leave the planet._

A shout interrupted her silent breakdown, and Jazz looked up to see two looming figures. After a beat of shock, the woman recognized the winged one from her _last_ brush with an energy field.

The elohim smiled a little sheepishly in the face of her surprise. "It is a wonder to see you again, human." Then his expression flashed grave. "We need to hurry. We are very exposed at the moment. May I help you with her?" he offered Brandon.

"No thanks, Haim, but if you'd get us out of here, we'd _all_ be grateful."

Jazz snorted unexpectedly. "This from the man who hates to fly."

"I hate this mountain more, and I'm ready to see our kids."

"Me too, Bran. We need everyone together, especially with what's about to go down." Jazz hated imagining that it might be the last time the family would be one, but in her mind, it was the only thing she could conceive. _This could end very badly. The separation is about to get real._


	95. Reality

The turning of the door knob was all it took to wrench Raphael from a deep sleep, no matter how his body craved it. The red-masked turtle groggily lifted his head, and in his confusion couldn't identify his environment at first. He blinked bleary eyes in the traces of light which entered from the hall, and fixed on a familiar silhouette. To his own shame, it took a couple of seconds to connect the shadow with her identity.

" _Kari_."

He lunged upright much too quickly and nearly pitched forward in the time it took the woman to shut the door and reach him. One arm wrapped around her waist while the other cupped her chin, as the turtle assured himself she wasn't a hallucination. Her own weight crushing against his plastron and the strength of the grasp nearly cutting off circulation around his neck further cemented reality.

Every ounce of pent up anxiety threatened to overpower Raphael while Karina clung to him without speaking, and then tilted her head to meet his hungry advance. He didn't realize she was crying until the salty taste of her tears mingled with their kiss, or the fact that he was trembling harder than the woman was.

Karina parted sooner than he wanted, regardless of legs which barely felt strong enough to support him, let alone both of them.

Despite the darkness, the woman seemed aware of it too. " _Tortuga_ , sit down," she urged. "I shouldn't have woken you, but-"

"You shouldn't have woken me? I'd have been pissed if you didn't!"

The woman hooked an arm through his, guiding him back to the edge of the bed.

"If you think I'm goin' back to sleep now, you're dead wrong."

"No, I don't expect you to, but you at least have to get off your feet."

His disappointment must have been incredibly obvious, because she immediately dropped at his side and placated him with another deep kiss that sent chills down his spine.

"I'm not going anywhere," she told him. "As long as you agree to rest."

His fingers strayed to the still fresh angular cut framing her face. Raphael couldn't bring himself to stop seeking the physical contact which grounded him from the sensation that she was nothing but a dream.

"Raph, I want you to lie down."

"Kari, I'm not an invalid. It's been days. So much has happened, and it ain't over-"

Her hand softly found his mouth to interrupt his near tirade. "I know. You've all been through hell. That's why you need to relax while you have the chance."

"I don't have the chance," he declared sullenly. "We've only got a few hours, and I don't wanna spend them _asleep_."

"How about spending them with me?"

"That's more like it, but I can't have you trying to knock me out. I'll have plenty of time for that while we're on our way..." The words felt like sandpaper on his tongue, and he hated admitting them. They'd just gotten through a massive trial, but a greater one still lay before them.

"I won't force you to go to sleep, but it wouldn't kill you to rest. I'm still not leaving."

Raphael hated giving in to lying down, but if he fought her too hard, Karina might be tempted to leave just to force him to cooperate. He sank back to his pillow and the woman settled in beside him. The soothing warmth of her presence huddled against him made the turtle feel like he _could_ go back to sleep, but he willfully kept his eyes open.

"Kari, did you check on Liv?"

She lifted her head slightly. "I got the rundown on her condition from Luke. I didn't want to interrupt her and Jake, so...I figured we could talk in person later."

Raphael stared toward the ceiling with a familiar sick feeling in his gut. "I swore I wouldn't let anything happen to her. But there we were again, completely helpless, and I couldn't do a darn thing. They could have killed her this time, Kari, even though they weren't trying to. Bahri said their weapon settings musta been too high to affect both of us this way, but..." he faltered, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"What, Raph?"

"I just don't know how we can pull any of this off, when I can't even hold my own against a little team of extractors. What does that say about me?"

"Maybe you aren't invincible? You'll always be more effective as a team? Or that the bad guys are huge cheaters?"

He sighed. "None of that makes me feel better. But we gotta keep going, either way." The turtle lifted his head again, seeking out the curves of her face. "Kari, you know my bros and I have to do what we have to do. There's sort of no choice where we're concerned. It might not be the same thing for Olivia."

"You guys haven't discussed taking the kids with you?"

"Only in the sense that Leo ain't making the decision for them. We have to make this call, Kari. So I need to know what you honestly think."

The woman was silent for several moments. "I don't believe it's actually _our_ call, Raph. Olivia isn't a little girl. She has the right to make her own choice, the same as you do."

"I don't get to make a choice."

"You could. You have the option to run away and hide. I'm sure that's what your alien friends prefer to do with you. But you choose to stand, and if that's where Olivia's heart lies too, no one has any right to stop her."

"I know that. But I still wish I could."

"I wish I could stop all of you," she said wistfully. "But it's not an option. So what are you going to do, Raph?"

He gazed at her mutely for a beat. "You want me to tell Liv it's her choice, and I ain't gonna stand in her way?"

"I want you to treat her like a member of your team, as well as your daughter. I want _all_ of you to protect each other the fiercest way you know how."

"But I can't protect her, or anybody else. I proved it again today-"

The woman startled him by clamping both hands on his shoulders. "Don't. Don't make this harder than it is."

"Not sure I can help it."

"Yes, you can. Don't turn today into another personal failure. You can't afford to be distracted, Tortuga. You can't go back. You can only go forward, with your family."

He grimaced. "Forward without the rest of ya."

"You don't have to talk me into not liking this, Raph. But the truth is..." Karina paused and shifted awkwardly at a soft tone emitting from her pocket. "I'm sorry. I asked April to text me about Belle. Just a second."

The back-lit screen illuminated Karina's face momentarily while she read something, and Raphael saw her smile. "Your baby doesn't want to sleep either, apparently. Would you like to see Isabelle, Raph?"

"Is that a trick question?"

The woman sat up to turn on a lamp, then tapped out a reply. "I almost brought her with me to start with, but she was half-asleep. I thought Belle might drift back off, but that stubborn streak reared its head again. Can't figure out where she gets it from."

His eye-ridges rose. "Yeah, me neither."

Karina smirked at him and headed for the door. Raphael braced on his side in anticipation of the the little turtle arriving, and grinned when April peered around the side of the open door with a sniffling Isabelle.

"Let me know when you want me to come get her," the redhead offered. "I'll summon you guys when dinner's ready, regardless."

"Dinner?" Raph echoed. "In the middle of the night?"

"You call it what you want," April said sheepishly. "We're not sending all of you off without a family meal. I need to get back to Victoria. She's trying to handle everything herself. But here's Belle, who I'm sure is ready to see-"

The little turtle's squeal canceled out the rest of the woman's sentence when her eyes connected with Raphael. He had the urge to leap to his feet again, but Karina reacted faster, accepting the baby from April. The redhead discreetly exited the room while the Latina carried Isabelle over to him and set the turtle down on the bed.

He sat up straighter against the headboard and stretched to retrieve the crawling baby.

"She's getting around a lot faster now," Karina offered. "I can barely contain her in one room."

A chuckle escaped Raphael as he cradled his younger daughter against his shoulder, and she babbled something which sounded closer to a string of real words. "Are you teaching her to talk too?"

"She's teaching herself. I've been too busy chasing Belle all over the place. I swear, she's done nothing but search for you and Liv."

He swallowed hard at the implication behind the innocent statement. Guilt was quick to overwhelm him with a powerful shudder. "Shell, I'm sorry, Kari. I don't want to do it to her or you. You both deserve so much better than this. Every time we turn around, we're abandoning the rest of you."

"That's not the right word for it. Every time you turn around, you're _saving_ the rest of us, and so many others who don't appreciate you or know you exist. The action you're taking isn't abandonment. It's the opposite! You give up your own freedom, happiness and security to defend everyone else.

"I refuse to let you feel guilty for it this time. I know you don't want to go, and I don't want to lose you either." Karina scooted back onto the mattress beside him and stroked a hand over Belle's head. "But this isn't abandonment. You're not willfully leaving us behind to go on some great adventure. You're setting off to try and save us. _All_ of us, for the millionth time. That's how I see it, and I'll make sure Belle understands too."

* * *

Regardless of how good the food smelled and the reality that Jayden had touched anything in several hours, he couldn't bring himself to eat. He pushed around the portions on his plate to make it _look_ like he was eating, while also preparing to surreptitiously get rid of it. The only thing preventing the purple-masked teen from rising was the amount of attention Nate seemed to be paying him.

 _It's getting annoying. If I didn't know better, I'd think Nate was doing it on purpose. Which he probably is._ Jayden curiously locked gazes with his orange-masked cousin, and Nathaniel nodded vaguely toward the kitchen.

The nearly imperceptible signal drove Jayden to rise, but he was surprised when Olivia beat him to the door. The red-masked female pretended not to notice him, and continued into the kitchen like she was on a mission of her own. The second the door shut behind them, however, Liv whipped around to face him.

"Okay, what's happening?" she demanded.

Jayden glanced between her and Nate, who'd just arrived behind them. "What's happening with _what?_ Are you guys planning an intervention on my shell?"

"No, Jay," she said impatiently. "What's going on with your dad?"

"He hasn't said anything," he answered stiffly.

"It's not good," Nate murmured.

"What? Why? How do you know?" the purple-masked turtle challenged. "Did he tell you something? Did _your_ dad tell you something? Why are you saying it's not good?"

Nathaniel steadied a hand against his shoulder. "Jay, you know your dad better than we do. What does it seem like he's thinking?"

Jayden dropped his dish into the sink so hard that he heard the plate crack. "How would I know? He isn't talking to me. He won't even look me in the eye, which means..." He hesitated, frustration deepening. "He's not gonna let me go, guys. I can see it from a mile away."

"Well, hang on," Olivia insisted. "Your dad is a rational guy. We have to come up with an argument he can't win. Between the three of us, we can fight his logic!"

The orange-masked turtle shook his head. "It's a good thought, Liv, but probably not the most effective course of action."

"Nate, we can't let him do this!" she argued. "We're a team – all of us! It isn't fair."

"It isn't about being fair. If you try going forward with that tactic, you'll lose."

The red-masked turtle scowled. "If you're with us, it'll still be three against one. We have to corner him before it's too late, and make Uncle Don listen to reason."

"Pushing him won't help," Jayden agreed sadly. "He made up his mind about this days ago, and I think it's too late to change it."

"Does that mean you're not willing to try?" Olivia's fist met the counter top. "Darn it, Kaiju, we didn't go through all of this for you to be left behind! Your twin is somewhere out there, waiting for you to show up. You're not willing to fight for her?"

Jayden's own fists clenched at his side. "I'd do anything to be on that ship, Liv. Do you hear me? _Anything!_ So why don't you try helping me, instead of acting like I don't freaking care?"

"No one thinks you don't care, Jayden," Nate said quickly. "Both of you need to take a deep breath and calm down."

"We don't have time to settle down," Liv negated. "If we're gonna do something, we need to act fast!"

Nate's blue-green eyes bored into the red-masked turtle sternly. "Arguing isn't the answer, not with us, or our family members." He turned back to Jayden. "It's true, your dad is hard to fight with when he's convinced of his own logic. But you're leaving a key player completely out of the equation."

"What player? Who could make a difference? Do you think Jonin would talk to him? Or...what about you? You're so calm, Nate. He might listen to an argument coming from _you_."

The eighteen-year-old shook his head. "I'm not the solution, Jay, and the answer doesn't lie with Jonin either, not this time. This is about changing your dad's mind, so there's really only one person you can count on for that."

"Who, Nate? Why are you torturing me when I clearly don't get it?"

"Your dad isn't the only one who has any say in the matter-"

"No kidding," Jayden cut in sarcastically. "There are plenty of others who could help, but Liv's the one actually willing to do something. Maybe I'll just have to do things _her_ way."

"Jayden, you're disregarding your best weapon," Nate said stronger. "Stop freaking out and go talk to your mom, before it really _is_ too late."

* * *

The purple-masked teen attempted to act natural while he exited the kitchen and sought out his mother. He tried to flash a normal smile every time someone made eye contact with him, but each expression felt faker than the last. Worst of all was when his dad accidentally glanced at him, and rapidly looked away.

Jayden ignored the manner in which he avoided him, and continued looking for his mom instead. He finally located her in the corner of the Great Room, sitting near the low-burning fire in the hearth. She was seated on the outskirts of a conversation, but the teen could tell her mind was nowhere near what any of their human friends were discussing.

Jayden quietly crossed behind her chair and nudged her shoulder. The woman snapped out of her daze at once, and he gave her a meaningful look while casually heading for the front door. He looked back once to make sure she was rising, and then went out to the porch.

The slight breeze was a little cold, but he ignored the uncomfortable atmosphere and waited for her to get there. The young turtle leaned against the wood railing and mentally rehearsed what he would say to convince her to help him.

"Jay?"

He was so caught up in thought, he didn't notice his mom joining him. Jayden turned to face her, and the apprehension in her eyes made him want to back down without trying.

"Jayden, what's wrong?"

The teen looked down at the porch, fixating on a loose board that should have been fixed the _last_ time they visited Lotus Salvus.

"Jay, tell me."

He looked up while releasing a deep breath. "Mom...I need your help. Dad isn't going to let me go. I know it, and you know it. Time is running out on this. I could argue with him until I'm blue in the face, but it won't accomplish anything. You're the only one who can change his mind."

The intense sadness in her expression made him hate himself for asking, but by now, he was desperate.

"It's not right," he continued. "I'm strong enough to stand beside them. I've proved it! My sister and cousin are out there, and I want to get them back. I can help, but dad's not gonna let me. You _have_ to do something."

"Jayden, I _want_ to help; I'm just not sure how. I'll talk to your dad, but I don't want to give you false hope."

"You can do this, Mom. I know you can."

"What makes you so sure he'll listen to me?"

"Because he always listens to you, Mom! You know he can't help himself."

"I don't have the faintest idea what you mean."

"How many times did he try and break up when the two of you first met?"

The woman glanced down. "I never had the heart to keep track."

"He tried to 'set you free' over and over, but where did you end up?"

"I don't see what trying to break up with me has to do with being overprotective of you, Jay."

"Don't you? The only reason the two of you made it, is because you refused to let him push you away. I need you to stand up for me now, and don't let him say no. Please, Mom. This is the most important thing ever. I can't stay behind this time. Will you do this for me? I'll beg if I have to."

Jenna ran a hand through hair falling across her forehead. "You don't need to beg. I'm telling you, I want to help. But I don't know if I can make any difference."

Jayden sighed softly, and looked over his shoulder at the early morning sky. It gave no evidence of the sun which would rise in another hour or so, but he knew she was probably the only solution time would allow. Still, the unfairness of what he was requesting stung him inwardly.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I know it isn't fair to ask you this. But I can't think of anything else." He sniffed as frustration and irritation melted into pure fear for the danger his sister and cousin were in, and dread of the journey upon which the others were about to embark. "If this is my place, though, I guess I have to accept it." When his voice cracked, he cleared it to help mask his emotions. "It's all right, Mom. It's not your fault dad loves me. Everyone should be cursed with parents who care so much.

"I'm grateful, but at the same time, I want to do exactly what they've trained me for my entire life. I want to be on the team that isn't afraid to sacrifice everything for someone else. But I shouldn't ask you to do this _for_ me. I'll talk to him myself, and whatever he decides, I have to live with it."

Her hand landed firmly on his arm. "Everyone sacrifices to be in this family, Jay. This burden isn't yours. It's mine, and I'll deal with it."

"I shouldn't have asked-"

"Jayden. I've got this."


	96. Persuade

Jenna hesitated much longer to talk to Donny than she wanted to. Internally, she realized she was wasting what precious time they had left, but working up the necessary composure to confront the conversation took a while. _If I approach this emotionally, it will only make matters worse. I still don't know what I can accomplish, but I owe it to Jayden to try._

She made another lap of the hallway at the bottom of the staircase, breathing deeply through the tears which were threatening. _I've got to stop this, now. How can I separate myself from what I'm feeling? I'm not a bad actress when I need to be, but Don will see through me. I have to be controlled, but believable. I've got to make him accept that Jayden coming is good for the whole team, and it would be easier to do if...I'm already on the same page._

It was simple to disregard her own feelings when it came to Jayden and his overwhelming desire to stand with the others. _But the only way I can sway Don is if this comes from me personally. As a mom, I don't want this. Who_ wants _to send away their baby in the face of such horrible odds?_

 _But this problem isn't going away, and it's not only about us. When soldiers go to war, it's always going to be bigger than they are. It doesn't make sense to hold Jayden back. From a purely tactical standpoint, they need all hands on deck. Jay has_ earned _the right to be on this team. If it was my decision alone, I wouldn't hinder him. I can't let his dad do that either._

The clarity of her position gave Jenna the ability to repress some of the overpowering sadness, and determination to act at once. Without any more hesitation, the woman jogged up the steps to get to the third floor laboratory.

The purple-masked turtle was already gazing toward the door when she arrived, as though he'd been waiting for her. "Hey. I was about to come find you. Thought you said you'd be right up."

"I meant to," she said honestly, "But I had to process a couple of things first."

He stepped away from the desk littered with the remnants of a last minute project on his scanner and reached for her hand. "I feel like there are so many things I need to say, but I don't know where to begin. At this rate, it could take hours...which we don't have."

"We've got to make the most of it," she agreed, choosing not to jump right into the topic which was most vital. "I know where _I_ want to begin, though. Don, I'm sorry for the mess I've been. It didn't help matters one bit. I should have been supportive even while you were gone, but I was so consumed with fear for Charlotte and then the rest of you...It was all I could focus on.

"While I was panicking, the rest of you were fighting for a solution, risking your lives...and I didn't have the heart to tell you how much I appreciated any of it. I'm sorry."

Donatello shook his head. "You don't owe me an apology, or anyone else. Our daughter was ripped away in one of the most violent attacks this family ever experienced. I think anyone would have reacted with fear."

"Calley lost her son, but she didn't check out on Leo like I did with you."

"Don't compare yourself with her – that isn't fair. No one else went through what you did with Yasir. I'm sure it influenced your reaction to the situation, and makes it that much harder to deal with."

She allowed the purple-masked turtle to pull her close, but didn't outwardly respond to his assessment. Keeping every emotion perfectly in balance was an act of willpower, but she recognized it could be done. _At least, until they're out of sight. Then I can fall apart without them being any wiser._

"I love you so much," Don continued. "I was never angry about the way you responded. I just wanted to make things better. I don't know if we'll be able to, but that's still the mission, Jen. I wish it didn't have to be this fast. I _need_ more time with you."

He was at _his_ breaking point; she could tell. _If I don't do something soon, he'll be too driven by_ his _emotions to be reasoned with._

Jenna didn't let go of his hand, but backed slightly away. "Time is a luxury we don't have, Donny. We need to use every moment we've got, so...I have to know. Were you planning on discussing Jayden with me?"

His shoulders instantly sagged. "I'm going to need your help, Jen. Leaving Jay behind will probably devastate him, but given the circumstances, I honestly believe it's the right thing."

"You don't want him with you?"

"I didn't say that."

"You don't think he can handle it?"

"I didn't say that either. It isn't about me or what I want. It's what's best for _him_. It would be so much easier if Leo had made the decision."

"So you wouldn't have to make it by yourself, without bothering to speak to me?"

Don gazed at her warily. "Well...no...and yes," he finally admitted. "It's going to hurt him, and I hate that, but I can't let my feelings get in the way."

"Donny, it sounds like they already are. Can you explain why you don't want him to go with you?"

He went to throw up his hands, but she held on to the one she'd been grasping.

"Why, Donny? I need to hear it. You're going to have to explain it to him anyway, so you may as well practice on me."

"I'm not...leaving with the expectation of dying. But the odds aren't in our favor, Jen. And our family is still exposed here at home. If Vagari came back, tried to take Isabelle, all of you are fairly defenseless."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but the rest of our friends aren't going with you. That leaves Timothy, Kat, Brandon, Greg and Sayuri to look after us, along with the entire medical team. Could they get us through another alien assault? Don, I don't know, but Jayden isn't the only force to be reckoned with in this family. What else?"

"The risk of the Vagari getting their hands on him is too huge! You don't understand what these aliens want to do with his genes, or how far they'll go to get him."

"Does the risk mean all of you are staying home then? You're each carrying the gene now, even if Mike, Raph and Olivia haven't had it very long."

"But he has the original," the turtle faltered. "They could do worse things to him."

"You don't really know anything though. The Elohim couldn't tell you what's happened with Charlotte and Tim."

"I know it was nothing good!" His voice rose, but then he winced. "Are you trying to tell me you think Jayden _should_ be going?"

"This isn't about me, any more than it is you, Don. I'm not doing anything other than preparing you for the same conversation you'll have to go through with our son. If you can't explain it to me, it will be that much harder with him."

Donatello wrenched his hand away from her and collapsed in the desk chair. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Donny, I need you to get real with me. You're giving excuses, but not the actual reason why. Stop wasting time, and tell me what's going on."

"I don't understand why I have to explain this."

"Because I'm asking you to," she returned sharply. "And Jayden deserves that much."

The turtle lowered his head over the desk. "I don't want to destroy him."

"He realizes that, Donny, and so do I. But I still need the truth. Why don't you want him to go?"

Don looked up helplessly. "It's not about me," he repeated. "I'm trying to do the right thing for everyone."

"But what's the right thing, Don? What about the United Nations?" He seemed confused, but she went on before he could ask questions. "You told me once that going in, you didn't ask for Splinter's permission to save me. But if he'd disagreed openly, would you have refused to chase me down?"

"This is different, for so many reasons."

"Why don't you want him to go?" she persisted. "Jayden isn't really a child. He's already dealt with these aliens numerous times, and recently proved he doesn't need you to hold his hand. You won't be able to protect him forever, Donny."

"I'm not doing this just for him, that's not why..." He trailed off with a far away look, and she immediately realized what was going on.

"Then who is it for? Me? Is that what all of it's really about?"

He shook his head, but refused eye contact.

"You need to figure it out quickly, Donny. Your son deserves to hear the truth."

"It's not that simple-"

"But it is. You're planning to hold him back, because you don't want to hurt me. _That's_ the truth, and the real reason you're rejecting him."

The purple-masked turtle gained his feet with a flash of anger. "I am not rejecting him! I'm trying to make sure you aren't left with NOTHING!"

Jenna bit her lip hard and refused to cry. "That isn't your job."

"Yes it is! It's been my goal from day one. Jen, I can't stand the thought of all of us disappearing and no one coming back. It's a definite possibility, more than any time in the past. I don't want that for you!"

She closed her eyes briefly and took another deep breath. "And I don't want this for him. I can't let you do it, Donny. It's not your decision to make for Jay, any more than it was Splinter's call for you to run into a crumbling United Nations. You've trained him. You've raised him. Now let him make his own choice!

"Haven't you considered what destroying him would do to me? You won't have to deal with the repercussions. I'd be left to pick up the pieces, which could probably never be repaired. Are you prepared to do that to us?"

The startled understanding in his eyes gave her enough hope to continue. Jenna silently went toward him and took both of his hands in her own.

"Your heart is in the right place, Donny. It always has been. But I need you to get out of our son's way, and stop trying to dominate _his_ decisions. No one did that to you. Don't you dare leave that legacy for him."

* * *

Olivia was getting to know every knot and groove in the hard wood floor of the Great Room extremely well. It was one of the only spaces in any of the homes they'd inhabited which could comfortably hold their entire family at once.

She was oblivious to most of the group discussions going on around her, though she wasn't _trying_ to shut anyone out. The traces of breaking dawn on the other side of wall-length windows told her their time together was drawing to a close.

For the most part, their allies didn't seem over-emotional, but it made her feel like they were merely putting on a good face for them. It also made it harder for her to lose it the way she felt like doing.

"Excuse me, everyone," Timothy announced suddenly over the other voices. "Victoria has requested the floor."

The red-masked turtle lifted her eyes to focus on the auburn-haired matriarch of the group. The normal smile the woman managed in the face of what was happening amazed her.

"I read something a couple of days ago, and I want to share it now," Victoria told them. "It's a poem by Mingo Kane, who wrote 'Scars of the Prophet'. If you wouldn't mind indulging me, I think it's appropriate."

"Go ahead, Victoria," Leonardo encouraged.

The blue-masked turtle looked incredibly rough. Olivia knew he hadn't recovered from the crash of the adrenaline, and couldn't help feeling bad for his current state, when she was already doing better herself. _At least physically._

"'Somewhere in the night, a quiet professional is waiting,'" the woman started. "'He does not care that he is tired. That his hardened body is sleep deprived. He is unbroken and vigilant in his task. Somewhere, this warrior is the final tripwire. He has trained all his life in brutal conditions day and night. This barren and desolate world is his home. He lives and survives by an ancient creed. Somewhere, this weapon of war will not ask, nor give quarter. He thrives on the mission and completing his objective. That he allows the taste of fear to motivate his actions. He is the final option.'"

Victoria paused for a long moment. "As you leave here in a few minutes, you already know our hearts go with you. If we were able, our bodies would too. But as painful as parting is, we have hope for you as well. If there wasn't hope, we wouldn't dare let you go. There would be no point in stepping out, if there isn't a chance of winning.

"We believe in you and this whole team, but we also have an unswerving belief in the One who orchestrated so many details behind the scenes. The source of your deliverance more than once in the last few days.

"Don't walk out of here guilty because you have to leave again. Go forward with the knowledge that we're proud of you, and our lives are infinitely better _because_ of you."

Olivia couldn't stand it any longer. She tried to muffle the sob which came up with her hands, but it did little to hide her from the rest of the group. The lanky arms which came around her only made the twenty-year-old cry harder. She gasped for air, for some semblance of control, but there was no getting it back.

The silence in the rest of the room only made her breakdown more awkward and impossible to bear. Lunging to her feet, she bolted from the circle and dashed toward the front door. Even as she leaped off the porch, Jake's voice called after her.

"Don't try to run! The four-wheeler's aren't gassed up! I'd never catch you."

She whirled around and swatted his shoulder. "Stop it! It's not funny, nothing is funny!"

"Liv, do you think everyone in that room doesn't feel like disintegrating? Just because they're holding it in doesn't mean you need to be ashamed."

Olivia was set to defend the necessity to be strong, but then couldn't see the point. Instead, she flopped onto the wooden steps and gave full vent to her tears. For his part, the young man didn't say anything, but allowed it to continue. The violence of the grief left her feeling drained and eyes stinging. When she finally leaned against Jake, it was for physical support as well as emotional.

"I hate this," she declared. "We shouldn't have to choose."

"No one should. But Vic is right, y'know? You can't walk away with a guilty conscience."

"It isn't just guilt, Jake. I don't want to leave you, period."

"Well, maybe I could tag along, as like...moral support. I'm not great at anything else, but I've got that part covered."

"You're a lot more important than you think, Jake. You're the only reason I held it together over the last few days. My cousins got stolen from under my nose, and it almost did me in."

"I wanted to help, but I don't feel like I did much."

"That's because you don't get how badly I need you. And I don't need _anyone_ that way," she finished fiercely.

The young man snorted, both breaking the somber mood and making it harder for her to scowl.

"I don't," she insisted. "Even when people do their best, they can still let you down. _I_ let others down constantly. Life would be less complicated if everyone only had to worry about themselves, and there wasn't such a high risk of disappointing someone else."

He smirked. "But I'm irresistible."

Olivia smacked his shoulder a second time, harder than the first. "For reasons I _still_ don't understand." Her dark look was too difficult to maintain as sadness washed over her once more. "I want you to know I'm gonna try to come back. I really am."

"You'd better. Someone has to keep me in line."

Her gaze fell to the grass. "I bet you could find another girl to rough you up."

"I don't _want_ anyone else to do that." Jake drew her chin toward him. "You sure you can't sneak me on board this ship? I don't take up much room, not compared to these aliens."

She answered him with a sigh and a soft kiss.

"So that's a maybe?"

Olivia was tempted to hit him again, but refrained. "Jacob Covey, you're just gonna have to wait for me to return."

"I can do that. I can wait. The question is, can you?"

She was utterly bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

"I've seen these Elohim, and they're not a bad looking bunch. What if you all save the day, and they want to make you their princess? What then?"

Liv hated herself for laughing at him. "I'm not cut out to be a princess, Jake."

"What about Xena? She's a warrior princess. You don't think mutant ninja royalty could be a thing? It'd be the most well protected kingdom ever!"

"I don't need a kingdom, Jake. I'd be satisfied to have a family with you."

His eyebrows rose. "Is that something we're actively trying for?"

"I'm not opposed to it. Are you?"

He shook his head vigorously. "I wouldn't mind giving it a shot, if you think we have time-"

A blinding beacon of light which cut through the perimeter of trees around the property didn't give Jake the chance to finish trying to seduce her.

Olivia grimaced, rising to her feet. "Too late, Jake. They're here. We need to tell the others."

She crossed the porch like she weighed a thousand pounds, and pushed open the front door to face her family. "We saw their lights. They're waiting for us."

The room went dead-silent for a moment, and then voices picked up again while the general shift toward the door began. Olivia took the opportunity to quietly approach her in-laws, and accepted Julie's quick embrace.

"We stand with you," the woman said. "We can't go where you are, but we support what you're doing, and your sacrifice."

"All of you have your own sacrifices," Liv murmured. "But we'll do our best to come back."

She glanced down at Scott and tentatively reached for his hand. "You guys have to keep Jake occupied. You know what he's like when he gets bored."

The man chuckled. "Truer words were never spoken. Olivia, you go out there and make sure they pay for this. All of them. Nobody messes with our family and gets away with it."

Something about his statement made Olivia dangerously emotional again, but she squeezed his fingers reassuringly. "They'll pay. We'll make them wish they'd never heard of us."

He laughed again. "Get some audio of it, if you can. I'd love to hear it, even if I can't see it."

Olivia went very still under a sudden revelation. _I wonder if that gene could reverse what the accident took from Scott? Has anyone else thought about it?_

"I'll give it a shot," she told him, even while rapidly scanning the room for one of their medical members. She needed to talk to them before walking out the door.


	97. Goodbye

Michelangelo eyed his oldest brother nervously while stepping onto the ship beside him. Experience had taught the orange-masked turtle that the negative effects from an adrenaline crash would dissipate given the opportunity to recover, but it still left him feeling uncomfortable.

He'd appointed himself Leo's unofficial "monitor" given the fact that Donny was hopelessly distracted, and Raph was still exhausted himself. Mike kept an arm around his brother's back and allowed him to set their pace. It left them at a shuffle that wouldn't hamper anyone else, since they were the last ones to board.

Mike grinned when Bahri came to greet them, though the elohim looked alarmed.

"Michelangelo, what has happened? How can he look so much worse than when we parted?"

"I _can_ still hear you," the blue-masked turtle complained.

"He barely had time to rest, Bahri," Mike supplied. "We told you about the adrenaline – it's fireworks up front, and then you come back down to Earth really hard. I only had it once, but it laid me out for about twenty hours afterward. He just needs to sleep it off."

"Could another transfusion not speed up the process?" the alien wondered.

Michelangelo shrugged. "They gave more to Liv 'cause it took her so long to come back around after the attack, but other than that-"

"We don't want to play with it," Leo's voice rose slightly. "There are still too many unknowns. And I need to sit."

"Michelangelo, I can help him, if you like," Bahri offered. "It appears you still have one more goodbye to issue."

The orange-masked turtle was confused, until he glanced over his shoulder to see Rebecca standing at the end of the ramp. "Uh...I'll make it quick."

He released his brother to the elohim, and trotted down the incline where the woman waited with a forlorn expression. He hadn't allowed Becky out of his sight since she'd woken him up earlier, and they'd already taken their time for a private parting. Mike wasn't sure why she'd followed him now, unless the farewell felt as insufficient to her as it had to him.

"Hey," he greeted softly. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry, Mikey, I...I just need one more."

"One more?" He was startled when the woman lunged into his arms with a measure of aggression she wouldn't normally display where others could watch, but he wasn't tempted to fight it.

The space ship blurred in the background and he experienced the profound sensation of floating while their kiss lingered. When they graduated to merely holding each other, Mike felt like he should say something. He longed to give her some assurance that she didn't have to be afraid, but couldn't find words that didn't seem hollow.

"I'll be waiting for you," she whispered.

It took a couple seconds to find his own voice. "I'll try not to let you down."

Rebecca shook her head. "I'm not worried. Mike, don't forget who holds the power, okay? Whatever you think is impossible, it doesn't matter. Because you shouldn't be standing here, but you are. Get every expectation out of your head, and prepare to have your mind blown all over again."

Michelangelo couldn't fake the confidence she conveyed, but he appreciated it, nonetheless. He gave her a mischievous smile while lightly twisting one of her curls. "You gonna blow my mind when I get _back?_ "

Becky pressed her cheek confidingly against his, and he was amazed how she didn't even blush. "That's a guarantee."

"Guess I better hurry then."

"Michelangelo," Alarid called tentatively. "Terrapin, our time is short."

"Oh, yeah." The orange-masked turtle pretended to care that he was holding up the entire company. _And I'm not even sorry._

He stole one more kiss from his wife, and she quickly let go of his neck.

"Go, Mikey. I love you."

Releasing her felt like tearing his heart in half, but he forced a smile. "Love you too, Jungle Girl. I'll see you soon."

He backed up the ramp so he wouldn't have to break eye contact with her, and in doing so almost ran into Alarid. "Sorry, dude. When the lady calls, you gotta show up."

Mike caught a quizzical look from the elohim, but the grin from the younger legatus behind him encouraged the turtle's swagger. "You guys should totally get one if you haven't. You don't know what you're missing."

Lieasel probably didn't understand a word he said, but the alien seemed to handle the viewing better than the abashed elohim. "Michelangelo good?"

Mike snorted at the alien's use of the word, but it felt appropriate. "Who's been teaching you English?"

The legatus shook his head cluelessly, but still beamed. "Good!"

Alarid cleared his throat. "We need to be seated at once for departure, if you would please follow me, Michelangelo."

The orange-masked turtle cooperated, but cast one more look at the ramp while it closed up behind him. He was surprised by the comforting hand that landed on his shoulder, but gave the young legatus a grateful look. _Who needs words to communicate?_

Walking through the entryway into the main cabin was less overwhelming than the first time he'd been on one of the alien space crafts, but it still left Mike with a deep sense of awe. Haim strode toward them the moment they set foot in the room.

"You have come, finally," the elohim declared. "Forgive me, terrapin, but I must insist you find a seat at once. The storm draws closer with every minute we linger."

"Sorry for holding you up," he answered, actually meaning it a little.

The alien's expression flashed apologetic. "I know leaving must be difficult, Michelangelo. I am sorry we cannot afford more time."

"It's not your fault," he returned. "But no more delays because of me."

Mike claimed one of the remaining seats between his son and oldest brother, who looked half asleep already.

"We are preparing to make a jump the moment we leave your atmosphere," Haim explained. "Masks will come out now. The design is a little different than what you are used to, but their function is identical. You have the opportunity to reassure your young one, should it prove necessary."

Michelangelo shot Nate a nod. "We'll be fine, bud."

"How's mom?" he asked cheekily.

The older orange-masked turtle rested both hands behind his head causally. "I'm hard to resist, Nate. What can I say?"

"Oh, please." Raphael scoffed behind him.

"I didn't see _your_ girl chasing you down, Raphie."

"Some of us know how to behave and not slow down the whole roadshow."

"So if Karina showed up at the last second, you wouldn't have gone to see her? I call bull."

"Excuse me, Michelangelo." Bahri inserted himself between the bickering brothers. "Would you mind if I help you get started?"

The red-masked turtle guffawed. "Even Bahri wants to shut your shell up."

"The jealously runs deep this morning, but that's okay. I can deal." Mike willingly leaned back against his seat so Bahri could equip him with a lighter weight version of the restrictive face mask than he remembered. "Is this thing smaller than before?"

He could no longer see Bahri, but had no problem hearing him. "Yes, but it's operation is similar. It produces the same sensation akin to sleeping, which will leave you more comfortable during each leg of the jumps."

"Does it still take about two hours every time?" Don's voice floated from somewhere in front of him.

"Roughly," the alien affirmed. "And the jumps are performed in the identical stages, with a necessary recharging in between each one."

"There a reason you're trying to get me to sleep first?" Mike pretended to pout.

"He wants to give the rest of us a break," Raphael called.

Mike felt the pressure of Bahri's hand on his arm.

"You will not go to sleep at once, terrapin. All of you will go together, but that is why masks need to be in place first."

"Yeah, but I still can't see anything," he grumbled.

"It does not stop you from talking," the alien pointed out. "But I do need to help set up the others, so if you would allow me to finish with you, I would be grateful."

"Are you sure you can't knock him out for us?" Raphael continued to rib him.

"I will send _you_ to sleep, if you cannot be kinder to your brother," the alien challenged, to which all of the kids and Michelangelo busted out laughing at once.

"You tell 'im, Bahri!" Jayden encouraged.

"When did everyone turn on me?" the red-masked turtle complained.

"No one's turned on you," Leo spoke up wearily. "But if you'd quit feeding into Mikey, you know he'd shut up faster."

Raphael snorted. "Thought you were _already_ asleep, Fearless."

"I wish I was," the oldest turtle lamented.

"I will start with you next, Leonardo," Bahri volunteered,

"Do you have anything to block out their arguing in the meantime?"

"Just ignore them the way you do me," Donny suggested with a hard tone that instantly got Mike's attention.

"Don, it's over. You're going to have to let it go," Leo answered evenly.

"I don't _have_ to let go of anything."

"All right, I say that's enough," Ezra's Irish brogue cut in before another word could be spoken. "I swear, the four of you are worse than the young ones."

"They're definitely worse than us," Olivia agreed. "And we get to be stuck within close quarters for how long?"

"It will take a few days to get to Zuhur, even with the jumps," Kamryn said. "Generating the power for each leap takes longer than traveling the distance itself, but it isn't so bad. I look forward to this journey much more than my last, especially knowing that hope goes with us, and is waiting there already."

Mike smiled broadly. "You gotta be excited to see Ghyath," he called to Bahri, sensing the elohim was still close by.

"Yes, I am eager to see him. I expect your brothers' desire for their children outweighs my own though."

"You're allowed to be happy for yourself too," Nate pointed out. "It sounds like you're due for some good things to happen."

"I pray for this trip to be routine and quick," Bahri replied wistfully. "For your sake, and mine."

"I hope you're equipped with some in-flight entertainment," Liv ventured. "You don't want to see Jayden bored. It's not a pretty sight."

"Look who's talking!" the sixteen-year-old retorted. "If you're that bored, we could finish the little wager we started back at the Olympic Park."

"You won one round, Kaiju. _One_ , out of how many losses?"

"Doesn't make you any less of a sore loser."

"Oh my word, can you put us all out of our misery?" Donny requested. "The sooner, the better."

Mike heard irritation in his brother's voice, but also identified an angry undercurrent which ran much deeper than the current squabbling called for.

"It'll be all right, Donatello," Kamryn soothed, before the orange-masked turtle could think of the fastest way to diffuse him. "We're going to get there."

Michelangelo pulled the edge of the mask covering his eyes so he could peer out at his brother. The frustration in the purple-masked turtle's face made the younger turtle cringe, though Don managed a smile for the woman.

"Yeah. We're on our way. I just need a little peace."

After a brief gap in which Mike expected Leonardo to speak, it was Bahri who took charge.

"Peace would not hurt anyone, after everything we have gone through in these last days."

Mike snuck a sidelong glance at the suddenly silent blue-masked turtle, and spoke up to Donatello. "Don, do you think you ought to check Leo's vitals real quick before we go?"

Donny turned toward them and snapped up the scanner from his side to interpret the readings from his implant.

"Donatello, is he all right?" Ezra asked. "He warned me the crash was mighty, but I didn't know what to expect."

After a few moments, Don nodded. "He should be okay. The rest is exactly what he needs. That and a giant kick in the shell," he added darkly.

"He wasn't the only one who deviated, Donatello," Kamryn said quietly. "Ezra and I were complicit in everything which took place. Do you want to hurt us too?"

"It's an expression, Kamryn. I don't want to hurt Leo, but I don't like what he did. If he'd been in our position, he wouldn't appreciate it either. You can bet there would be hell to pay if any of us had done it."

"Maybe," the woman allowed. "But this hardly seems like the time to be angry, is it?"

Don closed up his scanner and replaced it on his belt. "No. But I'm not over it yet. Bahri, can I have a mask please?"

Mike caught a guilty-looking grimace from Jayden's direction, and was immediately puzzled. _Boy, we're all in good spirits. We need to fix this before we get to Zuhur. Can't have the "chosen" showing up at odds with each other. Who'd be inspired by that? We've got a reputation to uphold and kids to show off this time, so that's gotta change. I'll let everybody get some sleep first, but if their attitudes are still bad later, I'll have to bring out the big guns._

* * *

Ghyath had high hopes based on the motion sensor which had been activated in the passageway, even though he couldn't see anyone in the darkness. " _Zylli_?" he called, for no reason other than announcing his presence to the one he believed to be hiding there.

"I'm not lost," a faint voice returned.

"Will you come out please, terrapin?"

Ghyath was amazed by the way the young one appeared out of nowhere, and tentatively entered the glow of his _kliom_ *. (torch)

"I'm sorry," Tim mumbled. "I'm sure I don't belong here."

"It does not bother me, terrapin, but your cousin is concerned."

"Charlie is always worried about me. It's standard operating procedure."

"Do you mind if I tell the others I found you, so she does not need to be anxious?"

Tim shrugged. "Nah, you can tell them. I'll even let you drag me back."

"That is not necessary yet." Ghyath tapped out a quick message on his communicator, and waited for confirmation before putting it away. "There is no hurry, Zylli. We can take our time."

"Why do you call me 'seer'? I don't have visions like that."

"You _can_ see, Tim. You possess extraordinary gifts, which are hard to appreciate for their intensity. But it does not mean they are not needed."

"We can head back, Ghyath," he replied evasively.

"I do not want to head back," the elohim said firmly. "I want to show you _Teinarakka_. It is not far from here. You discovered my favorite pathway."

Ghyath began to walk down the passage, and glanced back to make sure the terrapin followed. "I would find it odd that you located this place at all, were it not for your sensitivity."

"I didn't know there _was_ anything down here. It just felt...safer."

The elohim smiled knowingly. "Teinarakka means sanctuary, young one. You will like what I have to show you."

Tim said nothing, but he picked up speed to trail behind him. As they traveled downhill into the deeper recesses of the tunnel, Ghyath suddenly extinguished his kliom.

The terrapin halted warily. "What are you doing?"

"It will be easier to see this way."

"See what? Are we there?"

"No, not yet, but there are signs all around us." Ghyath drew the scimitar from his side and tapped the curved blade against the wall.

The reaction was instantaneous from the hidden reserves of the special mineral, which shone in a thin network of bright purple, giving way to darker blues. It glowed faintly for a few moments, and when the elohim struck the tunnel again, it continued to spread further down the passage.

Tim gasped. "What is it?"

"Unrefined Arsitine. It is reactive to the Arsiterite within my weapon."

"Arsiterite? Like the blades you forged with my dad?"

"The very same mineral, Tim."

"It's cool." The terrapin brushed the pulsing veins of light. "They look like spider webs. Charlie would love to see this."

"We can show her next time, terrapin. I would very much like to keep going." Ghyath had to glance backwards to make sure he was still with him, so silent were the youth's footsteps.

"When I was little, I used to dream about trying to use my dad's katanas," Tim offered unexpectedly. "They were always too big for me. I haven't thought about that in years. Why now?"

"I cannot tell you, Tim. But I am a firm believer that not all questions are meant to have answers."

"Well, then what's the point of asking them?"

"There are some things we are not meant to know, young one, and others which we will never understand on this side of eternity. Still other questions are asked in order to make you look deeper."

"Do you think it means anything? Dreaming about my dad's weapons and the impossibility of bearing them...It seems like a visual representation of never being able to fill his shoes. Not that I need to. I'm the youngest out of all of us, and Nate and Olivia are well suited for leading. I never even wanted to guide anyone."

"I saw you lead your cousin the night we escaped Central. She did not want to follow me at first, until you convinced her."

"That wasn't real guidance, Ghyath, more like...blind trust. If you recall, I needed more help getting out of there than she did."

"Were it not for your encouragement, I fear Charlotte would not have trusted us at all."

"Maybe not," he allowed, and then steered the conversation back. "But remembering those old dreams right now doesn't seem like coincidence."

"I find it dangerous to put so much stock in them, Tim."

"You're the one trying to call me a seer, but I'm not supposed to believe the evidence in front of my face?"

"Terrapin, you must consider the source of all things. I have no doubt that you hear from El with great frequency. But would you say that every thought or idea which crosses your mind and heart comes from God?"

"No. Not even close."

"That is the problem with accepting every emotion or vision as truth, simply because of the way it is presented. You remember a recurring dream in which you perceive failure, and suddenly, you are tempted to consider yourself weak. Do you grasp the danger of such thought?"

"Yeah, I mean...I know I tend to search for hidden meanings behind everything. But when something is so obvious, it's hard to brush off."

"What is obvious, Tim?"

"You want me to pick one thing?"

"It is somewhere to start."

"Okay, um..." The youth seemed to consider hard what he wanted to say, but the effort left him tongue-tied and abashed.

"It is all right," Ghyath told him. "Do not strain for it, my friend. I do not wish to 'put you on the spot', as your kind might say. I only want to lend an ear if it is needed."

"I'm grateful," he murmured, but said nothing more.

The elohim allowed silence to persist between them while descending to the subterranean level. Here the darkness was at its deepest, but for the remnants of the glowing tunnel behind them. He could just make out the glassy sheen of a pool, undisturbed in mirror perfection.

Ghyath went toward the water, and extended his scimitar to Tim over his shoulder.

"What do you want me to do with it?"

"Hit the rock, right there." The elohim motioned to the shadowed outline of a boulder.

"I don't want to dull your blade. I shouldn't."

"You will not damage the Arsiterite, terrapin. Do as I have asked."

With a soft huff the teen complied, barely exerting any force behind the blow. The motion created a ripple-like effect which began with the stone, traveled over the surface of the floor, and then emitted from under the water itself. The volume multiplied so rapidly, within seconds the entire pool was illuminated.

Tim stared on appropriately amazed, while Ghyath accepted his weapon back.

"Do you know, if you applied force from a weapon of _any_ other make, it would not produce this type of effect?" Ghyath offered. "Only Arsiterite, which is derived from Arsitine, can reveal the hidden deposits of the mineral. Nothing else lays it bare quite so easily.

"Yet the fact that the mineral remains largely hidden does not decrease its value or usefulness. It may be difficult to locate, but it remains more precious than any other natural substance found on Zuhur. It is without equal, yet so simple to overlook."

He felt Tim's gaze boring into him, though the terrapin didn't interject anything.

"That which is hidden can be infinitely worthwhile, Tim. But if it is never revealed, it is impossible to use. It makes a brilliant lamp in the darkest of places, but the real value of Arsiterite lies in its unbreakable state. It forges the strongest weapons and most reliable medical devices.

"While it remains hidden in seclusion, it is still a beautiful thing. But is not being used for its greatest potential. There is a time for all things to be laid bare, and though the process is not a comfortable one...It is yet liberating."

The terrapin focused on the luminescent pool, clearly pondering the meaning of his words. "That's probably true. But you have no idea what it will take to get there."


	98. Signs

Arzhan had watched the same footage about a dozen times over the course of two hours, but said nothing to the few experts and technicians who accompanied him. He had been angry and frustrated to begin with, but the understanding which slowly dawned transformed his mood.

The others, it seemed, assumed he was still too upset to attempt engaging him. Their part was to catalog the details from various feeds of the errant space crew and drones, combining them into a picture that could explain what took place.

The Vaga paced silently, aware everyone else in the room was nervously waiting for him to do something. _They expect me to yell or explode. El knows, if Chakor were here, I would strangle the life from him with my bare hands. There would be no words between us. I gave him explicit directions, which should have been simple to follow. Instead, he created a fiasco._

 _"There is clearly nothing left of the disperser,"_ Arzhan addressed the seated group of specialists and confidants. _"But we still have record of every action which was taken, up to the point of destruction. All of the information was backlogged, wasn't it?"_

 _"Yes, Vaga,"_ Kumne-Muhsin answered timidly, likely anticipating some anger to be taken out on him. _"We also have aerial shots from numerous drones of the tidal wave as it progressed. The event doesn't appear natural."_

 _"Speak to me of the earthquake,"_ Arzhan requested. " _The timing is not coincidental. By all appearances, the wave was caused by some misguided attempt of the ship's crew to contain our targets."_

 _"That is the most confusing part,"_ Crael – Quadir admitted. _"I have been over the exact algorithm they engaged several times. It was a combination of a windstorm with a simultaneous dispensing of serafine. The union of weather along with a chemical component seems like it would have been successful, if not for the interruption of the tsunami."_

 _"What was the point of adding an earthquake to begin with?"_ Arzhan demanded.

 _"That is precisely what I mean, Vaga. According to the key-log, their engineers didn't manufacture an earthquake. It had absolutely nothing to do with their team. And then, there is the curious way the wave ended._

 _"You must have noticed the manner in which it broke apart before going onshore. There is something incredibly odd about the entire situation. The advantage was in Chakor's favor. There is no reason for the encounter to have finished in such failure. It makes me nervous for what the presence of these terrapins will signify for our people."_

 _"I prefer for you to say what you mean, Crael,"_ Arzhan challenged. " _It will save time for me not to be forced to interpret what you_ aren't _telling me."_

 _"There have been a myriad of unusual disasters where these creatures are concerned,"_ Muhsin spoke up carefully.

 _"Do you think I'm not aware of that?"_

 _"I think perhaps...there is a chance...that the terrapins are not worth the trouble they could bring upon us,"_ his Kumne said quickly, as though to absolve the statement before it had the chance to sink in. " _It's a brilliant undertaking, Vaga, and completely revolutionary in some respects. But the odd obstacles we are facing makes me wonder if a long term solution can be attained."_

Arzhan shook his head. " _You have eyes, but see nothing. None of you understand the significance of these events. This is not a matter of mere convenience, or finding a faster way to complete our goals. We are_ finally _on a track to implement a program which will permit us to remove a threat without damaging Nature itself. Yet none of you want to look beyond what is right in front of you."_

 _"No one doubts the implications of the gene, Vaga,"_ Banr-Sadhu told him. _"But what is the solution for the unnatural hindrances with which we are faced? When dealing with this sort of opposition, isn't it natural to question if this is the right direction to travel?"_

Arzhan gave the Banr a thin smile. _"I don't blame any of you for missing the point entirely, but I ask that you not force me to explain this more than once. I see nothing unnatural about opposition to the disperser, a weapon I have abhorred from my childhood. When I ascended to Vaga after my father, I promised myself the dispersers would be phased out, and eventually eliminated altogether._

 _"Now we are on the verge of being able to do it, but your fear of moving forward complicates the union of our spirits. I am not surprised by such strange happenings of these last few days. With many of you hesitating to do what you_ know _is better for Creation as a whole, it seems Nature is communicating a message back. The destruction must cease._

 _"That is how I interpret such events such as the super-cell imploding from within, an untimely earthquake, followed by the even more impossible intersect with a tsunami-"_

 _"And the solar flares?"_ his Crael spoke up suddenly. " _Do you believe they also factor into this?"_

Arzhan was annoyed to be interrupted, but as Quadir reinforced his point, he allowed it. _"It is one more piece in a puzzle that didn't fall into place by accident. We are being corrected, Embilh*. If we don't wish to fail, we must take action to alter our course." (counsel)_

 _"What action is necessary?"_ Muhsin asked.

 _"It will quite possibly be the most difficult task we have undertaken in centuries, Kumne. We have to wait."_

 _"Wait for what?"_ Quadir wavered. _"The solar storm to be finished? Someone to locate the terrapins yet on Zuhur?"_

 _"The rest of them are currently on their way to us,"_ Arzhan answered coolly. " _I am sure of it. If we have but a little patience, they will be within our grasp."_

 _"We haven't seen any data to indicate where the Elohim ship went after it picked them up in Venezuela,"_ Muhsin admitted. _"Were you told differently, Vaga?"_

 _"I don't_ need _to be told, because I have enough insight to understand what is taking place without relying on outward senses,"_ Arzhan said sharply. " _A handful of them performed a suicidal maneuver to retrieve the two terrapins Josaad managed to extract. It tells me, without any doubt, that the legendaries will take whatever risk they deem necessary to rescue their family members. We don't have to capture all of them. For our goal to be accomplished, we only require one."_

 _"I humbly beg your pardon, Vaga, but the task with which we're charged can't be achieved by an individual,"_ Sadhu said haltingly. " _We need all of them."_

Arzhan sighed. " _You still have no sense. If we possess one of them, the rest will follow. It is so much simpler than you choose to recognize."_

 _"It still requires us to catch them, which is proving more difficult than it ought to be,"_ Muhsin grumbled.

The Vaga chuckled. _"As irritating as they are, the fresh challenge is good for us all. Let me ask you, Kumne, did you ever make contact with our wild 'friends'?"_

Muhsin nodded. _"I left word on Eovis, along with your coordinates, but I can't say if they will take the threat to heart."_

 _"We will have to show them how serious we are. Have the planet surrounded."_

 _"But, Vaga, it is highly unlikely that those on another world have any idea where the terrapins hide."_

 _"They may not have personal knowledge of them, but their allies on Zuhur are another matter entirely. If you lean on their race, they will reach out to their brothers, I guarantee it. If an act of force is necessary to convince them, I will authorize the use of the dispersers. But from the beginning, I prefer to create a shadow which will overwhelm Eovis._

 _"We are better than this, brothers. That is why we must find a way to use the gift of dunamis. Every other option is being stripped away. Should we continue to try and use the dispersers in the long term, I expect similar failures to occur. It is now time to stand up and protect that which has been under our care all along. Are you with me, or not? I require an answer."_

Kumne-Muhsin rose without hesitation. _"I stand behind you, Vaga-Arzhan. Forgive my confusion and doubt concerning these terrapin creatures. They are truly a gift, too great to ignore."_

Arzhan nodded. _"Earth will be dealt with, but not in the same fashion as we have dismantled so many others. We will perform the perfect union between dunamis and our technology. The people will fall, but the beautiful land which has long been under their control will not have to suffer because of them, or be damaged on our part._

 _"In the meantime, enact the blockade of Eovis. Let its' inhabitants know how much danger they're in. I assure you, the young terrapins currently hidden on Zuhur will be revealed."_

* * *

Charlotte was encouraged by the fact that her cousin had willingly emerged with a little coaxing on her part, though he hadn't said more than a dozen words since being out in the predawn atmosphere. _Tim has never been a huge talker. He can't help being preoccupied with everything going on around him, but for once, I wish he could take a morning off._

"Do you think Ghyath would take us down to Sanctuary later?" she asked, simply to engage him. Charlotte was interested in seeing the place Tim briefly described the night before, but also motivated to get him talking.

"If I asked, I'm sure he would. I...um...I didn't mean to upset you, Charlotte."

She gave him a sidelong glance. "I asked you not to disappear without a word."

"Yeah, I know, but..."

"But I'm not your mom, so I don't get to tell you what to do?"

"You're definitely not old enough to be my mom," he said, grasping at humor.

"Tim. I'm trying not to ask a lot of you, okay? But I need you to help me out a little. I know you've been through hell, but you can't keep shutting me down."

"I'm not...trying to."

"I know that too, or I'd kick your shell for worrying me with the disappearing act. It wouldn't be so bad if I could see everything the way you do, and automatically sense if you're okay. When I'm left with nothing but questions, I won't be satisfied to let it go. You can have space any time you want it. Tell me to get out, inform me you're running off, something. Anything besides vanishing into thin air the moment I step away."

"I'm sorry. I never meant to..."

Tim trailed off suddenly, causing Charlotte to stop short in her stride. "What's wrong?" She followed his nervous gaze to where it rested on a winged alien frozen across from them.

Tariq ducked his head with a mumbled apology and instantly went the opposite direction.

"Tim," Charlotte ventured softly. "You said that vagari was okay."

"I believe he is, Charlie. But there are a lot of things we don't know about him."

"Does he bother you?"

"Not...necessarily. He's more confusing than anything."

"I want to go after him. I have questions of my own, itoko. It wouldn't bother you?"

"No, but we better catch him before he disappears."

The purple-masked turtle sprang after Tariq so fast, the alien whirled as though under attack. Both hands rose to shield his face before he realized it was her.

"Terrapin. You startled me."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to catch up before you got away."

He made brief eye contact with her, and then looked down. "I have been trying hard to avoid you. I apologize. I didn't know you would be out here this early. I confess, it is the only time I have been venturing forth myself."

"Tariq, you haven't done anything wrong." _That I'm aware of,_ she added inwardly. "But I have a couple questions, and I think things would be less awkward between us if we got to know you a little."

The surprise in his face was genuine. "Why do you want to know me?"

"You can help us understand," Tim added, appearing on Charlotte's left.

The vagari was slower to look at the blue-masked turtle than he had been Charlotte. "There is not much to say where I am concerned. I don't know why I am even here."

"Why don't you _tell_ us why you're here?" Charlotte requested.

"I am here because Ghyath talked me into following them, and I still feel it was probably a mistake. I am comfortable with no one, nor can I accept there is room for someone like me."

"But you weren't always this way," she persisted. "You believed in everything the Vagari adhere to, didn't you?"

Tariq nodded. "I did. I was very committed to their ideals."

Tim took a step closer. "Then why did you change? What was the turning point?"

"It was Ghyath," the alien replied. "He was the one."

"Did it have something to do with the miracle?" Charlotte remembered vividly the conversation the two had exchanged while Ghyath talked the vagari out of killing himself.

"It was not the miracle that convinced me, but Ghyath's willingness to share the event."

She crossed her arms, but couldn't help feeling intrigued. "Will you explain it to us?"

"All right," he agreed, inclining his head toward a single hanging lantern a couple of yards away.

Tariq headed for the light, and settled onto a flat stone beside it with the resignation of a man on his deathbed. "I was one of only two Nopfs charged with Ghyath's care. No prisoner is treated the same way where the Vaga is concerned. Each is approached individually, for a different purpose.

"He wanted to break Ghyath slowly. It began with cutting down his food and water rations to almost nothing, and then shifting days when slightly more would be allowed. After that, it would be restricted again. It was meant to remove reliability and conquer remnants of hope.

"Ghyath never seemed troubled by it though. It was very much the opposite. He would talk for hours on end to whoever might be listening on the other side of his door, and he also spent a great deal of time praying. I was able to ignore it for the most part. That was until a few days ago, when he confided in me that he was being provided for."

Tim's eye ridges rose. "Was someone else sneaking stuff in to him? And if they were, why would he tell you about it?"

"His claim was that the long-empty water flask in his cell was being renewed on a daily basis, and never stayed empty. Of course, I didn't believe him."

Charlotte resisted the need to shake him for information. "Then what happened?"

"He showed me the empty bottle at the beginning of my shift, and asked me to sit with him. He claimed he could prove the truth in his words. I was irritated by then, and simply wanted to shut him up. With a demand for silence as concession for my entry, I sat with him for those fourteen hours.

"True to his word, Ghyath didn't speak for the duration of my stay. But four times over the course of those hours, he drained the flask in front of me. And every time he went to take more, it was full as though it had never been touched."

Charlotte nodded, bewildered. "I guess sometimes seeing is believing."

"No, terrapin. The water is not what convinced me to follow Ghyath, although the miracle was impressive in itself. It was the fact that he revealed it to me. He was willing to sacrifice his only reliable source of life, in order to show me who El really is.

"Not One who is standing far off as judge, and rejecting those who fall short. But a Spirit who he says is nearer than our own breath, and intimately involved with those He created. Vagari believe in the Author of Life, but it is more in the sense that He was responsible for beginning everything, and we are charged with carrying on His work.

"Now I'm not sure what to think, but it is clear El still chooses to intervene in the lives of his creations. As for what that means for someone who has never loved nor actually served Him...I cannot say. I was dedicated to a cause, but I didn't know El. I still don't. I can't tell you why He allowed me to live as long as He has."

"Do you regret it?" Charlotte demanded. "Do you wish you hadn't turned Ghyath free?"

"I regret my own deception, and that which still envelopes those who were my brothers, terrapin. For when Vagari say they wish to protect the universe, that is what they truly mean. The Vaga honestly believes he is performing an important function which is cleansing Creation. I wish I could open their eyes, but I don't have that kind of power. I have barely enough faith to believe for myself."

"But you're here," Tim stated. "That means something."

"It means I must live with the guilt for the rest of my days. I still believe death would be better than that."


	99. Wrong

***Coming up on phase two. Don't worry - it's not as long as phase one. That will be a relief for some. If you're curious about where I am going next (after Dominion), check my Legacy of Loyalty Facebook page for an update.**

* * *

Staring up at the familiar sloped ceiling of the ship, Donatello felt a pang of loneliness combined with a general sense of déjà vu. _It's easy to explain. The last time I was in these conditions, Jen was with me. I don't wish she was here now. If I had it my way, none of us would be._

Some of the discomfort could have been banished by exiting the private quarters and seeking out the members of his family who were behaving more socially than he had for the entire trip. _But it wouldn't make me feel better really, not when my attitude is so crummy to start with._

In his heart, Donny recognized the injustice of trying to bar his sixteen-year-old from following them, but knowing he was wrong didn't make Jayden's presence easier to accept. It had been tempting to try and sleep the journey away, yet now that they were nearing the end, rest was next to impossible.

The desperation to see their missing kids was so acute, his stomach was tied in knots. _I can't wait to get to them, but it won't be finished. Retrieving Charlotte and Tim is only part of the battle. The bigger question focuses on what the shell we're supposed to do next, and how to do it. I hope Ghyath has some fantastic insight._

His excitement to see old Elohim friends was increasing too, which left him consumed by a bundle of nervous energy, anticipation and dread. The combination gave him the sensation of generally coming unhinged.

A knock on the door had the purple-masked turtle sitting up immediately, and casting both legs over the side of the bed. "C'mon in."

Jayden peered through the door once it was cracked, appearing much more hesitant than normal. "Hi."

Don got to his feet. "Hey. You doing okay?"

The teen nodded, solemness persisting. "They say we're like an hour out."

"Wow. It's gone by fairly quickly."

"Not for me," the young turtle countered. "Can we sit down?"

Donny returned to his perch without questioning the request.

"I just…I wanna get this out of our system before we land or anything, because it could be a huge distraction," Jay said quietly. "It seems like you've been hiding out this whole time, and there are probably a million reasons why. We're coming to the end though, so I can't ignore it anymore.

"I know you're ticked at me, and we have to get past it somehow. I can't apologize, because I'm not sorry I'm here. But I get that you're only trying to help me."

"Jay, I'm not angry with you."

"Really? Because that's not how it feels, Dad.'

"I'm not," he insisted. "I'm not mad at anyone. I'm upset in general, and for me, that translates into shutting everyone else out. And I'm wrong about all of it, including wanting to leave you behind."

"You do want me here? How am I supposed to believe that?"

"Jayden, you're not the problem, okay? You never were. I haven't had any reason to doubt what you or your sister are capable of. All I want is for you to have the chance to grow old, and hopefully live longer than I'm going to."

"Y'know, Dad…you spend so much time and energy worrying about everyone else, I don't get why you're not exhausted all the time."

"Well, I carry some special gene now."

"You're welcome." He cracked his first grin. "Bahri said we could probably learn more about it from Shukri."

"It'd be nice to get some real insight. I only hope it doesn't make things worse."

"Dang, Dad. Is pessimism gonna be your first reaction to everything?"

"The way these last few weeks have gone? Jay, I don't know what to expect."

"We're about to get them back. Isn't that enough to make you smile?"

"It should be. It is. But right now, I can't escape the question of what happens next."

"We just got through an Earth invasion. Nobody saw a way out, but here we are."

"Yes," Donny acknowledged. "But this is going to be a lot bigger." He paused for a long moment. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be a downer, I just don't know what we're going to do, that's all."

"I think we ought to enjoy getting Charlie and Tim back, and worry about everything else later. Haven't you heard of taking a break?"

"I've heard of them, but never been good at it."

"They say you should never stop learning, Dad. If you need some training, I could hook you up."

The older turtle snorted. "I appreciate the offer, Jay."

"Your brothers would probably like it if you made an appearance. Jonin seems to think you're still mad at him too."

At that, Donatello scowled. "He had no right to do it, Jayden. All Leo had to do was accept a little help, and the risk wouldn't have been near as great."

"You haven't ever acted alone in the heat of the moment?"

"You can't defend this, Jay."

"Are you issuing me a challenge? 'Cause I'm totally down for it."

"I'm sorry I can't 'get over it' as fast as Leo would like, but he has a history of doing this. Especially where I'm concerned."

"What do you mean, Dad?"

"He takes matters into his own hands, and doesn't give anyone else a say in what happens." The statement came out more bitterly than Don expected.

"Such as? Recent circumstances excluded."

Donny folded his arms, another example already in mind. "Easy. The 'great escape' from the Akiudo's ship. He and I were supposed to get out together. You know the story."

"Yeah. You made it off, and he didn't."

"Do you remember _why_ he didn't make it?"

"You'd already been hunted down by Akiudo."

"And he intentionally sabotaged a door to slow them down, while also stranding himself on their side."

"He sacrificed himself for you." Jayden shrugged. "Are you saying given the opportunity, you wouldn't have done the same thing? You've never compromised your own safety, to keep one of your brothers safe?"

Don opened his mouth, but there weren't instantly words to fill it. "I mean...yeah, but..."

"You guys have made an entire career out of sacrificing yourselves for other people, as well as this family. It's sort of the gold standard. I don't get how what Jonin did was any different. It wasn't like he was alone. He had back up. He had help from people who knew the alien technology.

"Why does this really bother you so much? Is it because he did it, or that he did it without you?"

"Did Leo tell you to come talk to me?"

"'Course not. Your brother doesn't think he needs anyone to speak for him. But Jonin is moping around, when he should be overjoyed we're almost there. I'd wager the reason _he's_ upset is because he knows you are. Dad, you're gonna get over it eventually, so what's the point in staying mad longer?"

Donatello's brow creased while he tried to think of a suitable reply. "I guess...there isn't one."

"See? I'm not so bad to have around. I even make sense from time to time."

"I never thought you were bad to have around, Jayden. I enjoy you immensely, but like I said, I want you to grow old and avoid some of the ridiculous mistakes we've made. I'm also thinking of your mom, believe it or not. She's been through a lot in her life, and lost many people she cared about way too soon."

The teen fidgeted with obvious discomfort. "But you can't protect her forever, Dad, no matter how much you want to. If we all hunkered down in a bomb shelter for the rest of our lives, we'd still die eventually. It's inevitable."

"That doesn't make it easier to leave her behind. Jay, all I want for her _and_ you are full lives that are worth living."

"What makes you think they're _not?_ "

Donatello had no chance to reply before there was another knock at the door.

"What's the password?" Jayden called.

The door inched open, and Bahri glanced inside uncertainly. "You have invented a password?"

"That's right," the teen answered. "You can't get in without it, Bahri, but you're welcome to guess."

"I cannot begin to imagine what you would choose, young one."

"Half the fun of having a password is listening to someone try and figure it out! Give it a shot, Bahri. Just one guess."

"Did you make it up, or your father?"

"Does that factor into your guess?"

"You are quite different people, Jayden. I am fairly certain you would not choose the same word."

"You'd be surprised, Bahri, but you're not getting in without trying to answer it."

The elohim's perplexed gaze indicated he wasn't sure whether to take the young turtle seriously or not. "I suppose if I had to venture a guess between the two of you, it would probably be... _mellon*_."

Jayden chuckled, while Donny was taken aback.

"You learn quick, Bahri!" the younger turtle declared.

"'Speak 'friend', and enter'," the alien quoted proudly.

"You speak elvish now?" Don interjected. "You never mentioned it was one of the languages you studied."

"That line is only from the movie your son requested. Does an entire elvish language exist?"

Donatello nodded. "More than one. Tolkien created languages before he wrote his stories. Quenya and Sindarin are so complete, some call them legally stated tongues. He actually constructed the grammar and vocabulary of at least fifteen different languages."

"That is amazing. I confess, seeing the films leaves me curious about the books"

"You'd love them," Jayden assured him. "It was simply faster to watch the movies on this trip."

Don nodded. "He's right, Bahri. Especially with your appreciation for details, I think you'd enjoy reading Tolkien's works immensely."

"Jayden spoke of them so fondly, I'd already decided I would read them, given the opportunity."

The purple-masked turtle smiled at his son. "It definitely crosses age barriers. No reason it can't cross planetary ones. Now, are you here for a reason, or did you only come to chat in elvish?"

"Oh!" Bahri smiled a little sheepishly to have been driven off track. "My apologies, terrapins. I wanted to let you know we made contact with Cri Drojen."

Don leaped to his feet. "Is there any possibility of calling them back? I would have like to connect with Charlotte."

"It is not advisable," Bahri apologized. "Communications are sensitive to possible interception, so we have kept them to a minimum. Vagari are actively searching for your young ones still."

Jayden glowered darkly. "How about we pay them a visit instead?"

"Easy, Jay," Donny advised. "I understand the temptation, but the last thing we need to do is something hasty."

"I get it, Dad. But I want them to have something to remember us by."

"My bet is, we'll still have the chance," Don murmured, and looked over at Bahri. "So we're really close?"

The alien nodded. "With the anticipation I am experiencing, I cannot fathom how you feel. It will not be long. Would you care to join the rest of us?"

Donatello smiled at the diplomatic nature of the question. "That's why you really came, isn't it? To get my shell out of hibernation."

"I was not under the impression that you hibernated."

For a moment the older turtle wondered if the elohim misunderstood, but Bahri's bemused smile told him otherwise.

"I dunno, there are some winters when _I'd_ rather hibernate," Jayden offered.

Don chuckled. "You could turn sleeping into a full-time hobby."

"Just because you don't appreciate it doesn't mean I can't, Dad."

Bahri backed toward the door. "If you do not mind, it would be better to join the others. They are already strapped in for final descent, which will begin in another forty minutes or so."

Donatello willingly followed the elohim as he led the way through the corridor. He felt embarrassed when they emerged into the main cabin. He hadn't intended to avoid everyone for the entirety of the journey, though it was what he'd ended up doing.

He spied an empty seat adjacent to Leonardo, and intentionally headed for it. The blue-masked turtle gave him a tense glance.

"What's up?" his brother greeted.

"Hi, Leo. You look like you're back to your old tricks."

"Well, yeah. I felt better after I passed out for a few hours. Are you okay?"

"Less irritated, more anxious. Ready to get there."

"Me too. Are _we_ all right?" he added after another beat.

"I don't like what you did, but I'm not your boss, Leo."

"You realize I didn't have a chance to plan it though, right? We were reacting minute by minute."

"Yeah, I know. I'll try not to hold it against you," Donny finished lighter.

"I'll make it up to you somehow."

The purple-masked turtle's eye ridges rose. "How?"

"Give me some time to think about it."

"Good luck, Leo."

Kamryn leaned forward on Leonardo's other side so that Donatello could see her. "I was hoping you would come out before we landed."

He read the concern etched in her gaze and grimaced once more over his seclusion. "Sorry I disappeared. I shouldn't have done it, but please don't take it personally. Leo can, but not you," Don couldn't resist adding with a smirk.

The woman laughed, and it sounded relieved. "I didn't believe you were truly angry, only troubled. It seemed like the wrong time to bother you."

"You could never bother me, Kamryn. I'm sorry that I made you feel that way."

She shook her head. "I didn't have a chance to be hurt, Donatello. Your son kept us occupied with the movies."

"How many people did he introduce Tolkien to?"

"It started with myself and Bahri, but a couple more of the Elohim watched sporadically. Ezra came in a few times, and even Liran and his grandson saw the battle for Helm's Deep. I have never seen anything like them."

"They're good stories, Kamryn. I hope you enjoyed them."

"I did. And those animals, the horses, they were absolutely beautiful. I would give anything to see such a creature in person."

"If you come back to Earth, it could be arranged," Donny told her.

The woman glanced down the line of seats, as if checking if anyone else was listening. "Would you honestly let me stay?"

"Kamryn, that shouldn't be in question," Leo answered. "We wouldn't have turned you away in the first place, except for the risk our environment posed to your immune system."

"And the danger is significantly less now that we have a regenerating factory of cells to rely on," Don said dryly. "If this is what you want when the time comes..." He hesitated for a long moment. "I'm trying to be positive somehow, even if our chances seem so remote. But not admitting it out loud doesn't help anyone. We're all aware this is a massive shot in the dark."

"We'd never turn you away," Leonardo finished firmly.

"Are you sure? Because you might never get rid of me," she warned.

Donny grinned. "Who said we wanted to? I think you fit in with our family perfectly."

"With the exception of attacking your friend, that is."

"Aw, Kamryn, that was an accident and everyone knows it. Shun already got over it, so you have to find a way to let go too."

She ducked her head with sudden shyness. "Shunshi seems like two different people. He reminds me of one of you in some ways, but then he was also so formal and serious at times, I felt like I needed to be too."

"That will dissipate as he gets to know you better," Leo explained. "It doesn't mean he has anything against you. It will take a little while for Shun to be able to unwind for you."

"I was afraid I made him uncomfortable."

Donatello shook his head emphatically. "No, Kamryn. He was raised in a different culture under a negative upbringing. His older sister was the only good thing in his life for many years, before any of us came into the picture."

"Did he really save your life as a child?"

"He had a lot to do with it. Shun's influence is part of what convinced Hisui and Kouhei to take mercy on me. Though, knowing them, they probably would have _tried_ to help regardless."

Kamryn settled back in her seat. "I can't wait to meet your other young ones. You must be ready to explode."

Don exchanged a glance with his oldest brother. "We're getting there, and it's not supposed to be much longer. We'll survive a few more minutes, hopefully."

Leonardo gripped the arm of his chair. "They'd better be okay. Don, if they're not..."

"They will be," he said confidently. "The Elohim would have told us if they weren't. I'm sure they would have."

"If everyone would not mind finishing strapping in, it will leave one less step for later," Bahri suggested over them.

Don reached for his shoulder harness, and painstakingly buckled in the clasps one-by-one. Goosebumps rose automatically when the familiar golden disc of Zuhur appeared on the ship's largest monitor. _It almost feels like a dream at this point, but even if it is, I'll take it. As long as I don't wake up before we get there._


	100. Reunions

If Charlotte had any nails, she knew they would be gone by now. She'd paced across the hangar so many times, it felt like the floor was warping under her feet. The Elohim were giving her a wide berth, but their presence hadn't been bothering her. Rather, it was that her cousin hadn't showed up yet.

 _I want to throttle Tim, but at the same time, it's probably better this way. It will give me the chance to prepare the others a little, and maybe the reunion will go smoother._

She shot another impatient glance toward the distant waterfall which shielded the entrance. _Oh, where_ are _they? It's a freaking space ship. How can it take this long to get anywhere?_ Charlotte had been advised not to stand by the water, as the craft would have to land before anyone could exit. Yet now that it came to strictly waiting, staying in one place was infinitely more difficult.

 _Nope, can't do it._ Charlotte turned so rapidly that her mask tails flailed around her shoulders along with her sudden launch toward the entrance. The mere action of moving toward the waterfall was enough to kick up emotion. She found herself fighting tears, despite nothing happening yet.

She avoided a technical-looking group of Elohim, lest they request she fall back, and once more took to pacing closer to the soft mist being kicked up by the falls. _What should I tell them about Tim? I promised I'd cover for him, and I'm going to. But they're going to want an explanation. I only hope they'll be so happy to see him, they won't press the issue too hard._

Charlotte swallowed when one of the aliens glanced up at her, and expected her to say that she shouldn't be this close. The female elohim jogged toward her with a smile instead.

"We have them on radar, terrapin. They are only moments away, but you may wish to backtrack a little, or you will be chasing them down. Would you mind coming with me?"

"Long as you're not kicking me out."

"Nothing of the kind, young one. Follow me, and I will take you to where the ship will dock."

The request was so reasonable, Charlotte went along without a fight. She watched over her shoulder the entire time, however, and upon seeing the first disturbance of the falls, it was extremely difficult to remain where she was. The teen forced herself to wait with baited breath, but her heart rate intensified when the ship came into view.

Charlotte switched anxiously from one foot to the other, fighting down the urge to run after the craft with every fiber of her being. But true to the elohim's word, the ship was coming directly toward where she stood. Her first inclination was to lunge at the vessel when it landed, but it was difficult to tell where the seamless door was located, until the ramp unlocked.

Tears of desperation took her seconds before the panel at the top opened, and thunderous footsteps announced someone's approach before she could see them. When she finally laid eyes on her father, she was done waiting. The young turtle bounded up the end of the ramp, jumping into arms already straining to reach her.

From the way he staggered, it seemed she'd either nearly knocked him over, or he felt just as weak as her knees suddenly did. She clung to her father while he carried her off the ramp back to the platform. It was there that his fingers probed her almost frantically.

"Are you all right? Did they hurt you? Did they do anythin-"

Charlotte cut him off by grasping both his hands and burying her head against his shoulder with a combination of a laugh and sob. "I'm fine, Dad! Look at me – I'm fine."

Thankfully, he stopped trying to examine her for a few moments and merely wrapped her in the most secure embrace she could possibly imagine. She would have been content to stay there for an hour, but the lumbering shadow behind her dad seemed entirely too antsy to wait that long.

Charlotte lifted her head to make eye contact with her twin, and another laugh escaped. "Jay!"

When Donatello released her, she didn't have a chance to move toward her brother. Massive arms gave her no choice in the matter as he hefted her off the ground in a less than delicate embrace. Fortunately she was used to his grip, even if it was stronger than normal.

"You talked your way out here," she managed to gasp.

Jayden eased up slightly. "Nah, Mom did. Good thing too. Someone has to kick these Vagari into the next century, and a few of them are all mine."

"I have a couple names for you to take down," Charlotte said dryly, and caught her breath again when she spotted the rest of her clan hovering behind them.

The raw emotions in their eyes were hard to ignore, ranging from hope and anticipation, to barely veiled concern. But her red-masked cousin was on the verge of a breakdown, and Charlotte knew she couldn't wait either. She nodded at her twin, and Jayden seemed to understand without words.

When he set her down, she made a beeline for Olivia. The twenty-year-old didn't immediately reach for her, but hung back with slumped shoulders.

"I...I'm sorry, Charlie."

Charlotte insistently wrapped arms around her shoulders. "It wasn't your fault. None of it."

Liv cried while hugging her in return. "I missed you so much. There wasn't an hour, a day, a single night I wasn't thinking about you. I'm really sorry.

"Stop. Look at me, Liv. I'm fine, I honestly am. You weren't responsible."

"Would rather they had me," she muttered, but let her go reluctantly.

"I _am_ okay," Charlotte reassured everyone again. "Tim is too, but-"

"Charlotte, where is he?" Leonardo nearly pleaded. "Why isn't he here?"

She understood her Jonin's fear, as well as her own father's piercing gaze which still felt like it was combing every inch of her frame. "I'm sure he's close by, but I'm sort of glad Tim held back. It gives me the chance to tell you a couple of things. Physically, Tim is fine. Our time with the Vagari was...challenging, but I'd rather let him explain it, if he chooses to."

Charlotte paused for a deeper breath, and alternated a meaningful look between her Jonin and father. "Tim is going to look a little different, and probably feel more distant. But whatever you do, don't start in with a bunch of questions. Dad, this thing you're doing with me, you can't do it to him. Don't probe, push, or get freaked out by him. I swear, he's okay. All he needs right now is your acceptance. You know he'll pick up on everything you're feeling, so get it out of your system now, before he turns up.

"If Tim doesn't talk a lot, don't take it personally. He wants to see you as much as I did. Go easy on him, okay?"

Leonardo's visible nerves intensified in the time it took for her to finish. "What did they _do_ to him?"

Charlotte looked down. "It isn't my place. I'm sorry, but...There are some answers you'll have to go without, unless he chooses to tell you. If you could please not push me either, I'd appreciate it."

She relaxed into the blue-masked turtle's fierce embrace, which was punctuated by a shudder.

"No. No, I won't push you or him. But he's in one piece?"

"Physically." Charlotte saw the older turtle's face screw up once more for a fleeting moment, but then Leonardo exhaled shakily.

"Okay. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

"Not at the moment, but I know who he's probably with."

* * *

Tim felt like a selfish coward for hiding in the dark when he knew his family was arriving, but the idea of meeting them in a completely broken down state was intimidating. _It shouldn't be. At this point, I know they don't care. I'm the one that has such a huge problem with it, who can't stand being a disappointment._

He looked down at the thin-webbing of faint scarring on his arms which were barely visible in the low light. But for his father's sharp eyes, they would stand out like a beacon.

"Come, terrapin." Ghyath lightly nudged his chin to get him to look up. "They will not focus on any of it. They only want you."

"I know," he mumbled. "I'm being stupid. But I'm not sure how to face him. Ghyath, I'm not...who I thought I was. I'm not ready for them to see me like..."

"Tim, they will not care," the elohim emphasized. "You will feel better for seeing them too."

The young turtle climbed to his feet and shuffled toward the exit of the tunnel. He cast a glance over his shoulder at the elohim. "Are you coming with me?"

"I will support you in any way possible, Tim, but you need not fear your family."

"That doesn't mean I can do this alone."

"You are not going to." Ghyath raised his communicator. "I am going to let them know where we are, so your father can be led here."

Tim nodded, though his stomach felt like lead and guilt weighed it down further. After tapping out his message, Ghyath pointed for him to keep going.

"It is going to be all right, terrapin. You will see."

The teen fell into step _behind_ the alien now, reminded of the sensation of walking through the Qif upon their escape from Central. _The intimidation makes less sense than before._ Despite the weight of emotions he was used to carrying, he'd never experienced such irrational fear before. The fact that his throat was constricting and making it hard to breathe wasn't a good sign.

 _I'm not doing this again. I'm not doing it!_ He tried to swallow and take a deeper breath, but the lump refused to disappear. _Fear isn't real. I'm scared of nothing, losing my mind for...nothing._

He followed Ghyath at a painfully slow pace, which allowed the alien to get ahead of him quickly. The elohim sent a quizzical look back to him with creased brow.

"Are you all right, terrapin?"

"Fine," he lied, refusing to address the palpitations which had emerged. _If I acknowledge it, I'll give them power. It's not real; none of this is. If I can convince myself there's nothing to be afraid of, then I'll have no reason-_

"Tim?"

The voice of his father nearby simultaneously thrilled and frightened him. It also caused the young turtle's legs to freeze up, and he waved to his the alien helplessly.

"Ghyath, this is really stupid, but I need a hand."

The elohim wordlessly wrapped an arm around his shell and accompanied him to the end of the narrow pathway. There Ghyath pushed the ajar gate open the rest of the way. The large gap which existed between the entrance and the ground on the other side made it less embarrassing for the alien to lower him through it, but the moment Tim stood on his own two feet, they were just as locked up as before.

Moving wasn't necessary since the familiar shadow of his father was coming toward him. Part of him wanted to throw himself at the older turtle, while the other half would have been happier to get as far away as possible. Guilt stung him again for the selfish response, but he was beyond being able to control it.

Tim didn't fight the arms which wrapped around him, but could neither return the embrace, nor bring himself to meet his dad's gaze. The desperation in his father's grip only signified that he needed to do something, but the teen couldn't force the reaction he wanted to provide. The lack of air in his lungs became a bigger problem while Tim internally berated himself for behaving so insane.

"Am I hurting you?"

Tim went to shake his head, and only then realized he was trembling. "N-no," he managed, staring at his feet.

"Tim, look at me."

He wanted to say something, but no words came out.

"It's okay," his dad soothed. "Tim, it's all right. I promise you, it is."

 _Why does he have to be so nice to me? I'm acting like an idiot. He probably went through hell to get here, and I won't even look him in the eye._

He was startled when the older turtle dropped to his knees without letting go of him.

"It's going to be okay," Leonardo insisted. "Nothing will hurt you again as long as I'm breathing."

A sob broke through the lump in his throat, and the teen tried unsuccessfully to muffle it.

" _Tim_." The brokenness in his father's voice nearly made his legs give out. "I've missed you."

"I...missed you," he whispered. It was the only sound he could get out. "And I'm sorry."

He sensed the motion of Leonardo shaking his head, though he hadn't stopped staring at the floor. "No, Tim. You don't need to be sorry, for anything."

It was strange how tears made it easier to breathe, but it wasn't any simpler to form words. "You don't..." he faltered. "I messed up."

"No, you didn't," Leo was quick to reply.

"Talk to Charlotte!" he exclaimed under duress. "She'll tell you, even though I asked her not to."

"Charlotte didn't tell us anything. Tim, I don't know what happened, and I don't care if...Okay, I _care_ , but I'm not going to push you. You don't have to share anything. But will you look at me? Please?"

Tim didn't resist the fingers cradling his chin, but opening his eyes to meet Leonardo required an act of willpower.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of. You haven't done anything wrong." The certainty in his dad's expression drove a stake through Tim's heart.

"You weren't here," he said, even knowing the statement would sting. "You don't know."

"I know _you_."

Tim ducked again. "Not this side."

"I don't care, okay? I don't need to hear it. But even if I did, you wouldn't let me down."

The chuckle which bubbled up possessed no joy. "Don't bet on it."

"I don't have to bet, because I know. I understand who you are at the core. Your heart has always been right, and that hasn't changed. You're still my _musuko*_. " (son)

The word brought another sob from the teen for some reason. "I don't feel like it."

Tim almost flinched under the hand tracing his mask. He managed not to retreat, and lifted his head to find his father staring at him intently.

"I am your father. You are my son. And nothing that's happened or _will_ happen could change how I feel about you. Do you hear me? Nothing. I don't want anything from you, Tim. No explanations, no proving yourself. Just trust me. You have to believe me when I tell you nothing's changed, not where I'm concerned. You might feel different, but that doesn't mean I am. Do you think I'd lie to you?"

"No, Dad," he replied faintly.

The older turtle rested his forehead against Tim's plastron. "If anyone's sorry, it's me. Our stupidity with Lendano is the reason all of this happened. The only one I struggle to forgive is myself."

"You didn't know," Tim protested. "No one did."

"I should have known. We should have protected you, instead of allowing you to pay the price for our mistakes. I'm sorry, Tim."

Something about his father's tears made it more comfortable for the young turtle to face him. While the devastation in Leonardo's posture twisted painfully in Tim's gut, there was an odd solidarity in breaking down together. The teen lifted his arms from his sides, and tentatively grasped the older turtle.

His dad rose on his knees to reach him better, and Tim hung on to him. Embracing Leonardo's inadequacy distracted him temporarily from his own, and Tim welcomed the respite. He held the pose without moving or speaking, until his dad shifted awkwardly.

"Sorry," Leo told him. "My leg is cramping."

He let go of his father so he could rise, and saw Leonardo's gaze track to the right.

"Ghyath," the older turtle acknowledged quietly.

Tim had forgotten the elohim was there, and turned crimson at once.

"My friend." The alien swept in greet him.

It was amusing to watch the taller, broader creature dwarf his father.

"Thank you for everything," Leo said. "I can't ever repay you."

"I disagree, terrapin, but it is good to see you."

The older turtle rubbed his eyes. "As incredible as it is to find you back from the dead, I think Bahri needs to get to you more."

Ghyath nodded swiftly. "I should go, but I will catch up with both of you later. Take all the time you need." His bowed his head toward Tim, and the teen smiled weakly.

The youth was a little startled when his dad's arm came around his shoulder again.

"Seems like you made a friend, Tim."

"Ghyath is something else, Dad. He really came through for Charlotte and me. I remember your stories, but...he's a lot more than I imagined."

Leonardo grinned. "You can't sum up someone like him in a few words. I'm glad you connect with Ghyath."

Tim wanted to focus on the new friend they had in common, but couldn't shake the heaviness in his chest. "What do we do now, Dad? This isn't over. It's not _going_ to be over, until he's dead or we are."

"Until who's dead?" his dad asked carefully.

Tim resumed staring at the ground. "Although...I think I see it now, better than I did. I understand, it isn't really him."

"Tim, what do you mean?"

"The first time I met their Vaga, I was stunned by how evil he felt. I'd never sensed something quite like it. It's the most pervasive, overwhelming presence I've encountered. It was so distracting, I thought it was him, but it's not," he stammered, fully aware he wasn't making any sense to his father. "It's coming through him, but it's not the Vaga. He isn't the real problem."

"Then who is, Tim? Where do you think this is coming from?"

"I can't explain it, Dad. That's part of what makes it so bad. I wish it _was_ just the Vaga. But attaining this distance from him has only proved the problem is bigger than I thought."


	101. Explain

For Ghyath, the relief upon finding Bahri was so great, he had no words. His friend didn't speak either, but the silence between them was filled with solace, instead of feeling awkward. Outward displays of affection weren't something they practiced regularly, but Bahri seemed no more inclined to end the embrace than he.

Not until he heard Bahri's soft gasp did he notice the elohim's grimace of pain.

" _Bahri? What is wrong?_ "

" _It does not matter. It can wait_ -"

" _No. You are hurting!_ "

Bahri hesitated a few moments. " _There are yet pins in my spine, but I have lived with them for weeks-_ "

Ghyath caught him by the shoulder. " _They tortured you?_ "

His friend blinked rapidly, but held eye contact. " _I refused to do what they wanted. I have adapted somewhat to the pain since it never completely stops, so_ -"

" _Bahri,_ " he interrupted more gently. " _You need surgery. I will take you to the infirmary myself._ "

" _Ghyath_ , wait," he insisted. " _I need help, but another hour is not going to kill me. I have to talk to you."_

Something about the way Bahri said the phrase told Ghyath he wouldn't win the battle. " _Will you at least sit down? Or is that more painful?"_

 _"I have been sitting because of our travels. Walking a little would be beneficial. Can we go outside?"_

Ghyath peered at the gathering darkness of the early evening. Though it was getting later, the temperature remained steady. He couldn't think of a good reason to deter Bahri, so he allowed it. _He clearly needs medical attention, but this seems like a serious matter to him. I can guess what it may have to do with, however, I will let him speak first._ Ghyath led the way outside, but remained quiet to encourage his friend to begin.

 _"I have so many questions, as I am sure you do,"_ Bahri said slowly. _"It is not the time to ask all of them, but something needs to be addressed now, before any confusion is noted by the others between us."_

 _"What do you need to ask me, Bahri?"_

 _"You are aware Legatus has come. I have had opportunity to speak with their Hiryn at length. Ghyath, why did you not tell anyone you were contacted by Liran?"_

The elohim rubbed his arms, self conscious to have been caught in an act resembling deception. " _It was complicated, Bahri. It still is, more than I originally thought."_

 _"I require more than that, Ghyath. I need to understand why you kept it to yourself."_

 _"There is no simple answer, or I would explain it. When Liran contacted me, I was extremely wary. I did not know what he wanted, or the purpose of his seeking us out. Part of me was afraid he represented a threat. When the conversation turned to history, and Liran began addressing events I knew nothing about...it changed everything."_

 _"That makes sense, Ghyath. But hiding his existence does not. Why did you do this?"_

The elohim glanced down, then faced Bahri with difficulty. " _Because I was uncomfortable from the first words he spoke. I think...I somehow knew Liran's contact would reveal things I was not ready for. We always suspected gaps and inconsistencies in the stories from our past, Bahri, but we could not confirm anything._

 _"Liran approached me under grave concern, and I admit, I wanted to keep the possible danger to myself, until I grasped what was happening. I saw no purpose to upset anyone else without good reason."_

 _"That is not sufficient excuse for me, Ghyath."_

 _"Because I never told you about Liran from the beginning, introducing him later only made me more nervous, Bahri. You need to understand, Legatus is not the problem-"_

 _"I do know,"_ Bahri confirmed. " _I knew only moments after meeting Liran. But it bothers me that you kept the matter hidden. I am glad, more joyful than I can express that you lived. Yet I am still confused."_

 _"So was I,"_ he admitted. _"And it is the root of why I was silent. I was trying to determine what we were up against. But had I told the rest of you, encouraged Liran to come meet us sooner, then many things might not have happened. Others, like Kenric, might still be alive."_

 _"You are not responsible for the Vagari's actions."_

 _"Had I taken action of my own-"_

 _"Did you know they were coming, or that they were already studying us and the terrapins from a distance?"_

Ghyath shook his head. " _No. Yet their presence is the reason Liran called me to begin with. Vagari have been escalating for some time, and now...It is too late to repair much of their damage. But we may be able to prevent the worst things they have imagined from taking place."_

When Bahri didn't say anything, Ghyath peered at his friend closer. The blank expression in his blue eyes made it difficult to read his mind, and his tension increased once more.

 _"I do not blame you for being upset, Bahri. I hope you can forgive me."_

Bahri flinched strangely. _"I am not angry with you as such, Ghyath. I merely did not understand, and I will not pretend to."_

The golden-eyed elohim stopped in his tracks. " _I have no right to ask you to be honest with me when I failed to report anything, but Bahri...I feel concerned for you. Do I have reason to be?"_

 _"There are many things which require your time and energy, Ghyath. I am not one of them. I would prefer not to address it."_

 _"I am willing to do that for the moment, because you need medical care. But I will not be able to forget it, Bahri. You are weary and in a great deal of physical pain, but you also feel different."_

 _"I am different,"_ he acknowledged. _"But this is not the time to speak of it."_

Worry pulsed in the back of Ghyath's mind, and he took a sharp breath to quell its effects. _"Okay. We should get you some help."_

The blue-eyed elohim nodded. _"I am ready for the problem to be addressed. In the meantime, the terrapins can fill you in on most of what has taken place."_

Ghyath was the first to turn back the way they'd come, walking at a slower pace to compensate for his companion's hampered gait. " _It was quite a reversal of original roles, was it not?"_

 _"Yes. I will not say it was completely enjoyable, but I can call it a learning experience, if nothing else."_

 _"I do not envy anything you have been through, Bahri. Yet I am glad you did it with the terrapins."_

 _"Were it not for them, I would not be here. But it will be easier for them to talk about it than I."_

Ghyath didn't want to stare at Bahri, but couldn't help himself. The tangible heaviness of his spirit had no equal to anything his friend had displayed before, with the exception of Joshua's passing nearly two years past.

" _Talk to_ them, _Ghyath,_ " Bahri said evenly.

He knew enough to keep his mouth shut by then, but it didn't make it easier. Ghyath wanted to comfort his brother, but Bahri didn't seem to want the attention. _I will do what he asked and go to the terrapins. We all need to be united, and that will not happen until our stories are exchanged._

 _I need to hear of Bahri's experiences on their planet, but I am honestly frightened too. I did not expect to feel this way. However, that was before I had seen or spoken with him. I hope the terrapins are up for talking more than he or their young ones have been._

* * *

By the time Ghyath had gotten Bahri dropped off with the proper attendants, he realized it was a little late to begin with his terrapin friends. He had accepted the fact that expanding his understanding would need to wait until the next day at least, but when he sought out the aliens to be certain of their disposal, he found them all wide awake.

Ghyath had taken a few minutes to meet everyone earlier, but assumed they would be too tired from travels to stay up into the night. To locate them all in stretching poses was somewhat amusing, but the somber atmosphere prevented him from smiling.

He tried to exchange a glance with Leonardo, but the blue-masked terrapin was hopelessly lost in thought. The elohim's gaze landed briefly on Tim, and there was uncertainty in the dark eyes which looked back at him. The young one's discomfort with the situation was clear, and it prompted Ghyath to do something. _Though, I honestly do not think I should be here now. They have not been together in weeks, and I am sure they wish for some privacy to reconnect._

But the cry for help in the teenager's eyes was impossible to ignore, so he ventured into the room instead. "Witnessing all of you together is like something from a dream," he remarked. "I never anticipated the joy of seeing you again, but the privilege of getting to meet your children is even greater."

Raphael exchanged a look with his younger brothers. "Feels like a dream to us too, especially since we thought you were a goner. What _happened_ here, Ghyath? Bahri told us there was an ambush, but no one's said what led up to it. Where'd these Vagari come from? Did they just drop out of the sky one day and decide to send everyone's lives to hell?"

Ghyath felt awkward standing, so he chose a position on the floor opposite the terrapins. It wasn't a pose he would normally adopt, but it felt natural to mimic them. "It did not 'just' happen, Raphael. There are many things I am not aware of, but between Shukri's experience in captivity and my own, we have pieced together a few details.

"The true assault did not begin with the explosive display which convinced the Nalikjan of our certain deaths. Their Bek came in quietly without warning and employed a weapon which leveled everyone in the room at once." Ghyath winced with shame at the admission.

"Don't feel bad for that, Ghyath," Raphael retorted. "We've all been there."

The elohim sighed. "It is difficult to determine what happened in the fleeting moments that followed. I saw a couple of our own slain before they reached me. Then there was nothing. Shukri and I assume that we were the only ones to leave that room alive, though we were not aware of each other at the time. Based on the reports of what was witnessed by others in Arcadia, they must have destroyed the building after they had what the Vaga wanted.

"We can be certain the Vagari did not find their way here randomly. Shukri says the Vaga spoke of Yasir and his research in knowing terms. It was suggested that the Doctor wished to make a pact with the Vagari to rekindle the Overlord's friendship."

"But why?" Donatello asked. "Overlords didn't seem like the type to share power, and their ideals were their own. What did Yasir want with the Vagari?"

"I am not sure if it was the Vagari he wanted to connect with, or the Altus he wished to escape _from,"_ Ghyath clarified. "Even with an outsider's perspective, it does not seem Abeiron was an easy person to tolerate. It is my understanding that he exercised more control over Yasir than the Doctor preferred, both limiting the number of subjects he could use, and the distance he could travel to take them.

"Shukri is under the impression that Yasir felt trapped. And one under such constraints may choose a desperate move they would not make otherwise."

Michelangelo cocked his head. "So Yasir went looking for them, but it took those idiots this long to react? They must be even more patient than the Overlords."

"They're not that patient," Tim negated. "There was a delay, but it wasn't because they were waiting around." When everyone looked at the blue-masked terrapin, he appeared to regret speaking. "At...at least, in my experience, that is."

Ghyath knew not to ask what he meant, but cast a swift glance at Charlotte instead. The way she shook her head indicated genuine ignorance, and not a refusal to speak. Silence prevailed over the group for nearly thirty seconds while no one asked the young terrapin to go on, but undoubtedly wished to do so.

"When did they first appear on Zuhur?" Leonardo spoke up finally.

"That is a difficult question to answer, terrapin, because I do not know. I myself was not aware of them until the disruption of our meeting. If there were other Elohim who knew of their presence, they kept the knowledge to themselves."

"Are _Elohim_ following them?" Raphael sounded indignant. "Why would they go along with somebody who invaded the planet and killed their people?"

"Existing beside us does not mean they were _for_ us, Raphael," Ghyath explained sadly. "There are many Elohim who never claimed affinity with the Nalikjan."

"So they'd rather follow some violent people who could turn on them in a bat of an eye?" Donatello's young son demanded.

"It's not like that, Jayden," Tim inserted quietly. "Violence isn't the first image he sets out to portray."

"He?" Olivia echoed.

The young terrapin's gaze flicked to her briefly. "Arzhan will use violence as a means to get what he wants, but it isn't his preference. He'd rather people follow him willingly."

"I don't get it," the red-masked female proclaimed. "Nothing in our history with this race indicates they give anyone a choice in cooperating."

"They don't, really," Tim replied. "They only think they're getting one. I didn't understand it either, not until we had some distance from them. Their Vaga is...he wants to be seen as an angel of light. He honestly desires their trust, and he'd rather inspire people to follow him, instead of instilling fear."

Ghyath was impressed with Tim's assessment. "I agree with you, terrapin. One of the most unfortunate things about the Vaga is that he seems to have convinced himself that he is on a mission of saving the Universe, instead of destroying its people, one race at a time."

"Does he care about any of them, or is he only manipulating his own people too?" Nate asked.

"He has much invested in the Vagari," Ghyath allowed. "As for whether or not he loves them, the answer is that I do not know."

Raphael huffed, exasperated. "Why does it matter how he feels about his people? Only thing we need to know is how to track him down."

"Tracking him down isn't hard," Charlotte told him. "He's not hiding. Avoiding him will be the problem. Did you show them, Ghyath?"

"Show us what?" Leonardo fixed on the elohim.

Ghyath reached into his belt with a deep sense of regret for being forced to share the information so soon. "They are desperately searching for Charlotte and Tim." He handed over the creased copy of the bulletin he'd copied off the Crystal Network two days beforehand.

The older red-masked terrapin scowled. "They ain't getting their hands on _anybody_."

"They are attempting to bribe everyone," Ghyath said. "It includes elohim, ducaz, humans, and ruairi."

"Who knows you're here?" Leonardo pressed. "This place is still supposed to be a secret, right?"

"If Vagari knew about it, they would not hesitate to invade."

"Are you worried anyone would try to sell us out?" Michelangelo's voice cracked with the question.

"I cannot speak for the hearts of all involved," he confessed. "But we are taking every precaution to protect you, including limiting the access to weapons and ships. They are not readily available to anyone outside my inner circle. We are also watching communications closely."

"Then you don't trust everyone here," Nathaniel asserted.

"As much as I would like to, no," Ghyath answered. "The stakes are too high to leave everything to trust. For that reason, I urge you to be cautious in who you deal with as well."

"You're telling us not to trust them either?" Jayden looked around the room nervously. "What the shell are we doing here?"

"I did not say you could not trust _anyone_. But you cannot put blind faith in them all."

"You don't know..." Tim started, and then faltered. "They flock to him, like he's some savior they've waited for their entire lives. Eventually the Vaga gets to everyone, even the people who don't buy into his vision. He still gets to them, and it's only a matter of-" The teenager cut off abruptly, as though suddenly realizing he was speaking out loud.

"He wasn't won," Jayden exclaimed. "He couldn't hold on to _you._ "

Tim's breathing quickened inexplicably, and he stiffened when Leonardo's hand landed on his shell.

"You're with us now, and we'll figure this out," the older terrapin added.

Tim regained his feet. "It's not that simple. It won't be. He knows things he shouldn't, and he'll use it against us. He'll use _me_."

"He won't, Tim, because we won't let him," his father said stronger.

The young terrapin fell back a step from the group. "You can't stop him. No one's been able to."

"We've seen them go down before-"

Tim held up a hand to cut him off. "You haven't met _him_." He paused to rub his eyes. "I'm tired. Charlotte, can we...will you come?"

The purple-masked female cast an apologetic glance to her father and brother, but got up to follow him. "We'll catch up later."

Ghyath realized how odd the situation appeared to the others, and spoke up to answer the question once the pair was out of earshot. "He does not sleep well if Charlotte is not in the room. She provides a sense of security he is sorely lacking."

Leonardo stared at folded hands for several seconds before rising too. "I don't know who Arzhan is, or what he did to Tim, but I need to make something clear to all of you. This alien belongs to _me_."


	102. Helpless

Charlotte chose not to say anything while trailing behind her cousin to the same room they'd been sharing since arriving at Cri Drojen. She knew he felt guilty for pulling her away from the family, and one ill-timed word would only make things worse.

Behind the safety of the closed door, he flopped onto the bed furthest from the hall and stared up at the ceiling. She silently dropped on the opposite mattress adjacent to him and settled in to wait Tim out.

"You don't have to ignore this, Charlie. It'd be better to call me a jerk and get it over with."

"You're not a jerk. You're hurting. Anyone can see that."

"I didn't think it would be like this."

"Like what?" She seized the opportunity he afforded, believing he might share something with her.

"Freedom. We haven't been locked up in days. At the time, all I wanted was to get away. Like escaping from under them would solve everything. But it doesn't."

"No, not automatically, Tim. But we're better off than we were."

"You are, at least."

"Itoko, I'm trying to help, but I don't know how. Sometimes you want me close, and others, you put as much distance between us as possible. It's hard to tell what you want."

"Nothing's ever easy with me," he muttered. "It was the story of my life before, and now it's ten times worse."

Charlotte rose and went over to join him. "Help me understand. Will you sit up please?"

He begrudgingly obeyed, and backed against the wall for support.

"I know you're ashamed," she said cautiously. "And I was originally very angry with you for trying to kill yourself. But you were in a compromised state of mind, okay? You weren't in complete control of your actions. You didn't die, and you're going to be fine. That is, if you can find some way to forgive yourself for it. This wasn't the end of your life, Tim. You get to go on, and in my mind, that's a good thing. You can chalk the experience up to an alien's shoddy attempt to make you cooperate with him."

"He wasn't in control of me. If the Vaga had affected my decisions, I never would have done it. Killing myself is the last thing he wanted. I don't know why or how I resisted the drug partially, but I did. And I wish I could just forget about it, Charlie, but I can't.

"The only thing that keeps playing in my mind is that I shouldn't be here. I _wouldn't_ be here if they hadn't saved me. I would have succeeded, and probably been better off."

She struck his shoulder. "You don't mean that!"

"No, not really. But I don't know how to fix it. Our family is sitting out there, and they traveled how many light years to get here, to save us? But I can barely tolerate being around them. They haven't done anything. They're happy to see us, yet I can't relax. The little pit in my stomach has turned into a mountain, and everything that comes out of my mouth is wrong. I never should have spoken up tonight."

"Tim, you have a unique understanding of the Vaga. If we're going to beat him, that knowledge could be the difference between success or failure."

"But I don't _know_ anything about weakness, Charlotte, except for my own. All I did was upset our family, and then insist on leaving." He sighed heavily. "Shouldn't have asked you to come."

"Way you've been disappearing lately, I'm surprised you did. But it doesn't upset me, Tim. You know I'm telling the truth."

"Their emotions are drowning out everything else, Charlie. They were so relieved, and now..."

"Now what?"

"They're scared. Intimidated. Discouraged. I did that."

"Tim, that's not _you_ ; it's the situation. You have to realize that everything happening around you isn't your fault."

"I don't have that much power," he allowed. "But I also don't know how to retrace my steps and be normal again. I don't want to act this way. I'm not choosing it. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"You aren't in control of how you feel, but it doesn't mean you're helpless to act. My dad has an interesting way of looking at this, and I think it applies. How do you think a car gets anywhere, Tim?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Humor me. How does a vehicle arrive where it's going? Is it like magic, where you get behind the wheel and automatically end up somewhere else? No. You have to drive it. And while you're driving, you need to steer. Because otherwise, you'd be on the road for two seconds, start drifting, and then crash. Driving is all about constant, small corrections. Without them, you won't get to your destination. Have you ever gotten mad at a car for being blown off course, Tim?"

"It's an inanimate object, being subjected to laws of Nature and the impacts of the environment-"

"Which can largely be controlled and reined in by consistent steering. Look, you can't do anything about the wind, rain, or even hazards in the road ahead of you. But you don't have to let those things total you! You don't surrender to the wind and let it blow the car where it wants. It's not that different of an idea inside your head."

"It sounds easy, Charlotte, but it's not."

"I never said it was easy. But it's possible. Maybe you won't be the same person you were, but that doesn't mean you can't come out of this _better._ "

"It's hard to picture."

"I know. I also realize you're dealing with a absurd flood of combined emotions which I've never had to live with. It's simple for me to offer a solution, and harder to carry it out in real life. But, Tim, I believe you can do it."

"I want to do it, but I'm tired. Feeling like a selfish idiot only makes it worse."

"You're not an idiot."

"But I am selfish?" The impish quality of the question gave her small cause for relief.

"Our family will understand. They'll also still be there in the morning, if you want to demonstrate how glad you are to see them."

"You think they doubt that?" He sounded so concerned, Charlotte was tempted to call Leonardo right then.

"They know, Tim. But it would do you some good to _let_ them embrace you."

"I did with my dad, sort of. But it was still messed up."

"Reunions don't always go the way you dreamed of. We still haven't addressed ours."

He looked at her like she was crazy. "What are you talking about?"

"You brought Dante so much closer to his family, but he didn't meet Alia like he was supposed to."

"I can't help that he didn't keep his promise. I'm not controlling him, y'know?"

"Well, what's it gonna take for him to connect with her? Alia's doing the best she can, but his siblings need him. Can't you give Dante a nudge or something?"

"He's scared, Charlie. The bad guys are still looking for him. Meeting up with his brother and sister would put them in worse danger."

"But the danger will probably catch up to them, whether Dante shows his face or not."

"He can't protect them. Dante gets that now. I think...he's afraid of false hope, giving them some assurance he can't back up. They already lost their mom, now their dad. He wants to keep them safe, but he can't."

"Tim, is he still running from Invincibles, or from his family?"

The question appeared to startle him. "I...I'm not sure. He's got some underlying issues I haven't delved into yet, because I'm a little caught up in my own," he joked weakly. "It'd be better for him to get to the Valiant. They'd know what to do."

"Why don't they go together?"

"The road is dangerous! It's better for them to be hidden."

Charlotte stared at the light gray blanket covering Tim's bed, and then leaned closer to him. "No one can hide forever. Maybe facing it head on would have a greater impact on what remains of his family. Alia's trying, but she needs help, Tim. Anders doesn't want to listen, and Clara is getting 'older' with every day that passes. His sister is confused and worried that Dante didn't come. She doesn't want to believe he chose not to show up, so naturally she's imagining all the terribly things that could have happened."

"He wanted to come..." Tim faded slowly. "I don't know. Maybe I can try the scene again."

"There's no going back with them, itoko. You can only go forward. I hope Dante will make up his mind though. No matter how strong he is, he wasn't meant to do this alone. The existence of the other elements proves it. Water, Earth, Wind...it's so obvious they're supposed to do this together. Don't you see it, Tim?"

"I'm sure there's a reason they were all born with it. The question is, is it enough? They lost so much, and they're still incomplete. Where is Fire?"

Charlotte shook her head. "He should start where he is. Fire will turn up, if it's supposed to."

"But if he-"

"Tim. Anders and Clara need him, and I get the feeling Dante isn't happy on his own either."

"I can't make up his mind for him."

"You need to keep the story going to give him the _chance_ to do something."

"I haven't quit on it, Charlie."

"I just wanna make sure you don't."

"Give me a little time. I'll sleep on it, all right? But I can't influence his decision."

"No, but you can create circumstances that force him to decide."

"I can't remember when writing became so manipulative," he complained.

"You're not telling him what to do, simply presenting the options. So you go ahead and sleep on it, Tim, but I'm going to have a scene for you tomorrow. On the following day, you'd better have one for me, or else."

"Or else what?"

"Do you want Anders to do something royally stupid? There's more than one way to get Dante to react."

"You wouldn't."

"I wouldn't. But I can't speak for what a stubborn eight year old might do when he's sick of hiding and scared for his big brother."

"This is sounding like blackmail. If I can't get my guy to do what you want, you're going to mess with his family?"

"What makes you think I control them any more than you, Tim?"

"It feels like you're whispering the ideas in his head. I'm ready to steal Anders back from you."

"If you're willing to play again, Anders is all yours, Tim. You're the one who hasn't wanted to create in days. Was I supposed to lock him in the closet until you felt like doing something?"

"No, but I've been his voice from the start. Running under your perspective doesn't feel authentic."

"Then give him a voice, itoko, and we can work out the scene together."

"Tomorrow. I really am drained, Charlie."

The sternness behind her eyes faltered. "The weight of everyone's feelings is hard to carry. You had a long day."

He settled down on his side, but caught her arm when she started to get up. "You're staying, right? I hate asking when our family just got here, but..." He acted like he didn't have the energy to finish.

"I won't leave. I promise."

The lines in his forehead eased as he released his grip of her bicep. "Thanks for putting up with me."

The words triggered an emotional response for some reason, which Charlotte desperately tried to control. "Tim, you know I don't just 'put up' with you."

He sighed again, and the way he closed his eyes indicated the conversation was over. She quietly crossed the room to her own bed. _Moment by moment, it's so difficult to determine what he needs or wants from me. It used to make me angry, the way he can read me so easily, while I couldn't figure out where his head was. Now, I only feel sad. I can't figure out why he wants me here. I never contribute anything besides annoying shoves he doesn't want._

She rolled over to face the wall, lamenting the separation between them, even while her cousin didn't want her out of sight. _I'm so confused. I want to talk to my dad, but I'm afraid of what will come up. Like if I pull the plug, I won't be able to hold details back. I don't know what to do._

Charlotte stole a glance over her shoulder of Tim, and could tell from the evening of his breathing that he was actually going to sleep. _It's what I should do too, but I'm wide awake._

She returned her gaze to the wall, and a vision of her fiery-haired heroine popped into mind of the young woman doing the same thing. _I did tell him I would have a scene to present. Improvising with Tim is interesting, but it wouldn't hurt to find out where her heart is first. So what is Alia thinking?_

Her thoughts drifted, focusing on the human girl, and what she'd experienced the night Dante didn't appear. A sense of loneliness and heartbreak ground deep in her stomach, and caused Charlotte to catch her breath. _I knew it would hurt her, but I didn't expect it to feel like_ that _. It's as if it became personal, somehow. I'm not sure why she'd feel so broken, unless-_

Charlotte's eyes shot open with a revelation. _Does she have feelings for him? Shell, I didn't plan that. It could screw up everything. Think, Alia. Neither of you need this right now, get it under control...Okay, something else. We can focus on anything but that._ In a moment's time, she shifted to _inside_ Alia's perspective.

 _'Clara. How can I explain to her why Dante didn't show? Avoided telling Anders about it on purpose. I didn't want to risk getting his hopes up, but I couldn't leave without Clara knowing. So...what can I say? I don't know why he didn't come. Whether he chose not to show up, or literally couldn't get there...'_

 _The thought brought up all the feelings Alia was trying to avoid and left her grasping for control. 'This is quite the spot he's put me in,' she fumed, suddenly understanding she was angry too. 'It isn't fair to any of us, but mostly, his siblings. He promised he'd return if he could, but then-'_

A soft knock at the door interrupted the tangent which was about to begin, and Charlotte sat up rapidly. She shot Tim a look, but he was either asleep, or ignoring the sound. Either way, she didn't have the heart to shut out what was likely a family member. She stole across the space and pulled the door open a couple of inches.

The teen wasn't surprised to see her father, but gave Tim another wary glance before slipping into the hall. "Sorry. I promised him I wouldn't leave."

"I don't want you to," he told her. "Charlotte, is he all right?"

She hesitated. "Yes, and no. It's complicated."

"I get that you're not supposed to tell us, but if he _isn't_ okay, we need to know, Charlie."

Charlotte swallowed. "It's probably not what you're thinking. Physically, he's never been better. The Vagari gave him infusions of my blood, so he carries the gene too."

"I figured. We're all in the same boat now."

"You ended up passing it on to everyone else?"

"Well, your brother gave some to Nate without his knowledge, and we chose to give it to Mike, Raph and Olivia in the middle of the madness back on Earth. I'm not sure why we did, except for some ridiculous urge to protect the gene the bad guys want to use to kill everyone."

"But that's not what it's meant for," she said. "Shukri told me some things...Dad, you need to talk to him."

"I will. I'm not sure why I haven't seen him yet, except that he's kept his distance on purpose."

"Trying to be polite, no doubt. These Elohim tend to be on the proper side. But then, you know them better than I do, Dad."

"You've lived with them for days, Charlie. How has it been? Everyone's treated you well?"

"I haven't spent time with anyone, outside of Ghyath and Shukri. Talked to Tariq too, but that was pretty brief."

"Tariq?"

"He's the vagari who went rogue. There's still a lot to catch up on."

"Yeah, to say the least. Hopefully we'll have some time to do that, but...are you sure Tim's okay?"

"I need you to let it be," she said softly. "I know you're worried – he does too. But it's a really sensitive subject for him, and I don't want to say the wrong thing. You have to trust me. If he requires help that badly, if I need to tell you everything...I will."

His fingers rested on her shoulder. "I do trust you, but I don't want you to bear everything alone. You've been doing it long enough."

"I'm fine. A little clueless, but I promise I'll come to you if necessary. Meanwhile, I'd rather honor his request."

"I want you to," he said with a nod. "But, Charlotte, if there's information you can give us on the Vagari, we need to know what we're up against."

"I didn't spend time with the Vaga like Tim," she returned faintly, and then slapped a hand over her mouth. _Already saying too much, darn it!_

Donatello took a step backward. "It's okay. I'm sorry. I'll shut up."

"We need more time, Dad. Can you be patient?"

"I'm gonna do my best," he murmured, returning to wrap his arms around her.

She relaxed in his grasp and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm glad you're here."

One of his hands traced the tails of her mask. "You guys made it this far without your dads. Hardly seems like you need us now," he teased.

"You ought to know better." She chided. "I'm sorry everything is messed up, but both of us are happy you made it. Now that you're here, we'll figure everything out together. Eventually."


	103. Light

***If you would like to see (and hear) my inspiration for this first scene, check my Legacy page.**

* * *

Reina was so taken by the hazy glow of the Aurora Borealis, all the voices of her family members buzzed to nonsense in the background. The phenomenon had begun again that evening with the characteristic greenish "river" cutting through the sky, and continued to expand over the last hour.

The aurora no longer appeared as a flowing current, but a brilliant mountain range awash with pinks and purples which left her awestruck. Its propensity to flicker and shift in intensity was one of the most inspiring sights the artist had ever seen, but Reina hadn't touched her notepad or pencils since coming outside.

When she was able to break her gaze away from the sky, she was stunned to be able to tell the difference between the various colored pencils. The lateness of the hour combined with the lack of electricity coming from Lotus Salvus should have made the feat impossible, but the brightness of the aurora compensated for the absence of light.

Their generators had been running ever since the electrical grid had been cut back as a precaution, but the majority of the power was being directed to essential units to keep the household supported. The dazzling vision taking place currently over their heads made even a flashlight unnecessary.

A hand alighted on her shoulder, and Reina looked back to find her mom standing over her.

"I can't wait to see what you'll do with it," the woman told her, indicting the drawing tablet in her grip.

"You know...I really could watch for hours," Reina replied. "It should be frightening, and it is, but...It's also one of the most incredible things I've ever seen." She drew her legs up to her chest while setting down her pad. "Lotus Salvus has _always_ been isolated. But right now, it feels like we could be the only people on the planet."

Timothy snorted. "The way communication is cut off, that's sort of what it's like. None of us are used to actually being in the dark _that_ way."

"The not knowing bothers me," Luke confessed. "I mean, we couldn't do anything about it, even if we were aware what was happening around the world. But hearing nothing is unnerving, and I don't like it. I hope whatever safeguards the government took are working. The idea of the grid being destroyed and how long it would take to erect again...It's a nightmare."

"That's why they shut down a lot in advance of the storm," Katherine reminded him.

"But we don't know if it was enough," Luke said grimly. "I've read stories of that huge geomagnetic storm from 1859. Do you know that some telegraph operators turned off their instruments during the storm, but could still use them _without_ electricity? That's how powerful the force cutting through our atmosphere is. I wasn't made for this 'sitting back and doing nothing' crap."

Reina smiled at her father sympathetically, but Victoria spoke up before she could.

"You know what stands out to me right now? That we, of all people, are some of the only individuals who are aware of what's been happening behind the scenes for the last few days. You were a direct witness to something which can only be described as an act of God.

"And even this solar event seems to be coinciding with the alien invasion, in a way that doesn't appear to be by chance. With that in mind, I can't help considering what the rest of the world must be thinking. They have to believe this storm is one of the worst things that could happen to them."

Luke rested his chin in one hand. "It's definitely not one of the best events to nearly hit the Earth."

"No, but think about the alternative, Luke. We know an enemy has our planet in their cross-hairs. They're determined to destroy us as a race. But this very storm which proves to be such a disruption of our lives, is currently hampering their ability to approach us. In a strange way, it feels like a type of providence.

"But everyone else doesn't know that. They're only aware that everything has been thrown in upheaval. Whereas, we can appreciate the circumstances for the measure of protection it's providing."

"I don't feel very protected," Katherine countered. "But...I guess it's better than having the Vagari breathing down our necks."

"It makes me wonder how often we're being protected without our knowledge." Victoria sounded amused, but the idea had never occurred to Reina.

"How many times in our lives are we annoyed by random every day inconveniences, when in reality, there's quite possibly a greater purpose behind everything that we're missing?" Victoria paused for a beat. "Maybe that's a stretch, but under this sky, it doesn't feel like it."

The young woman shook off a sudden chill and crossed her arms to generate more heat. "I wouldn't have put it that way, but it makes me feel more secure. For what it's worth, I'll take it."

Her father sighed heavily. "All I feel is hopeless and cut off. I can't stand being in the position of having the guys so far away again."

"At least we know where they are this time," Timothy pointed out. "It's a little better than not having a clue."

"Only just," the doctor allowed. "Sorry, everyone. I know you're trying hard to find the positives in all of this, and I don't want to be the guy dragging everyone down. But there's a part of me that's so mad, I can't stand it."

"Are you mad at them for leaving?" Reina asked quietly.

"No," he answered swiftly. "I'm angry that everything falls on them. This situation is too big for anyone to shoulder, but it won't stop them from trying. Are they wrong for it? Not necessarily. But it shouldn't _be_ their burden to take on. I mean...the travesty of it boggles my mind. They do nothing but lay their lives down for strangers on a consistent basis. The odds are completely against them, but they still go, because there doesn't seem to be another choice. Not one that they'll accept."

Silence prevailed over the group for several seconds after Luke finished, and Reina couldn't fight the aching burn in her stomach from spreading into her chest.

"They're not doing it alone," Victoria said finally. "No more than the rest of you did. Were you all by yourselves in the mountains of Venezuela?"

"I thought we were finished," he murmured.

"But you weren't. You did your best, yet in the end, it was providence which created the way out. The details have fallen into place so many times over these couple of weeks, Luke. I think it's fairly obvious no one is doing this alone."

"It doesn't mean they won't end up paying a huge price," Luke declared. "A price that their alien friends on Zuhur already endured."

"We can't control their surroundings or ours, Luke," Timothy agreed. "But fearing everything that could be happening doesn't help them."

"I get that," the man returned. "I know I'm being negative, and I'm not trying to be. I'd rather enjoy the light show with the rest of you, but it isn't how I'm programmed."

"Stop thinking about what could be," Reina inserted suddenly. "What _is?_ " She got to her feet and went toward her dad. "How many opportunities did you have to die in the last few days? But you missed every single one. How many chances for death have the turtles been presented in their lifetimes?"

Luke snorted. "That's impossible to calculate."

"There are a lot of people who don't believe in a higher power, or some guiding force that could possibly intervene in our lives. But we know better, don't we, Dad? The evidence is too great to suggest otherwise. Yet even if you leave out the dramatic things you saw in Venezuela, I would still believe it, and I think you would too."

Reina hesitated to glance over the group, and almost didn't continue because of building emotion. In the end, it was too hard to hold words in. "The incredible goodness I see in our closest friends is all the evidence I need. Because at our core, we're all flawed. Everyone deals with aspects of selfishness, jealously, and anxiety that we'd prefer to remain hidden.

"No one is immune to it. But the vices don't hamper light from rising up in spite of them, from overcoming every natural barrier which should snuff it out. In reality, it can't. No matter what happens to us, the turtles, or our planet, darkness can't win. It can't. Because light is infinitely more expansive and powerful than anything else. Darkness isn't a real force of any kind. The darkness is only the _absence_ of light!

"Whether things turn out the way we want them to or not...Ultimately, we're not going to lose."

* * *

Leonardo dearly wanted to be left alone to vent – to get rid of some of the anger coursing through his veins like liquid fire. He'd felt blessed to discover that the reinforced punching bag the Nalikjan had constructed for Raphael upon their last visit had caught on with several of their own warriors, though he had yet to land a single blow.

He'd done everything short of telling his red-masked brother to leave him alone. _I've dropped enough hints for him to get the message. He's only being stubborn._

Leo couldn't hide a scowl when he made eye contact with Raphael that time, but the younger turtle stared back placidly.

"You don't think you're getting rid of me that easy, do ya?"

"You of all people understand when enough is enough, Raph. I need some space," he said bluntly. "If I don't work some of it off, I'm going to explode. Could you get the shell out of my face for a while?"

The only action his brother took was to lean against the wall, as though settling in for the long haul. "Yeah, I get it, Leo. But that's why I ain't going nowhere. There are different kinds of anger, right? And I'm experienced in all of 'em. Way you're feeling right now, pounding the snot out of their special punching bags won't help. It's only gonna make you madder, because you won't release any real rage. You'd end up feeling worse."

"How can you assume something like that? You're not in my head, Raph!"

"No, I'm not, but it doesn't mean I can't understand."

The blue-masked turtle groaned and collapsed against the wall. "Okay, you're the professional. How do _you_ want me to vent?"

"Bro, y' can't get hung up on this one alien. It's too distracting."

Leo's dark eyes narrowed. "Trade places with me, Raph. If some bastard reduced one of your girls to...to this fragile of a state, what would you do with him?"

"I'd wanna take him apart with my bare hands. But you'd be right behind me, saying the same stuff I'm telling you. The problem is a lot bigger than one freaking vagari, Leo, and you can't afford to just focus on him."

The older turtle clenched his fists so hard, he felt them turning white.

"Right now, you're feeling rash," his brother stated evenly. "I'd be no different. But that's not your M.O., and it's definitely not the best way to approach the bad guys when the odds are this stacked against us. Only leg we can get up on them is strategy, and that's where you come in, Leo. I ain't got no problem giving you space. God knows we all need it sometimes. But I'm not gonna leave you to your own devices so you can make things ten times worse."

"Because I'm clearly that stupid."

"There's a difference between being dumb or mad, Leo, but it can still make ya react the same way. You get angry if you need to, but it won't stop me from saying what you've got to hear. You ain't wrong for being pissed. Shell, I'm ticked too, and it wasn't even my kid."

"If I'm not wrong, why don't you leave me _alone?_ " Leo growled, even though he knew the answer.

"'Cause this kind of anger won't accomplish any of our goals. Feeding it will only make it grow, and you'll isolate from everyone else. Don't forget who you're talking to, Leo."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

Raph's arms rested comfortably over his plastron, in spite of the hostility in Leo's tone. "You know the answer better than me. You can't get rid of the all the negative crap, but you don't have to focus on it so hard either. We still have a lot of catching up and listening to do. There's all kinds of people in this place we ain't met yet. They have info that we don't, and we're gonna need it to beat these guys, Leo. All of them. Not just the idiot who hurt your kid.

"You have to remember this isn't only about us. We're in a war for everybody. Our own planet, this one, and all the races these suckers want to destroy for no good reason."

Leonardo nodded begrudgingly. "I know. It's dangerous to make this personal, and I already have."

"That's what I'm saying, Leo. I'd go at it with you myself if I thought it would help, ya, bro, but it won't."

The blue-masked turtle met his brother's steady gaze with a thin smile. "How long have you been this smart?"

He smirked. "Been listening to you talk for a few decades, Leo. Some of it was bound to get through, even with everything I tuned out."

Leo glanced toward the door. "You're right about needing to talk to the others, but what Ghyath said last night makes me nervous. How are we supposed to connect with anyone when we don't know who to trust?"

"Well...we know we trust Ghyath and Shukri. We can depend on Bahri, Kamryn, Ezra, and those new guys from Legatus."

"We can't defeat the Vagari with a handful of people, Raph. We need all the help we can get. But not knowing who to turn to leaves me feeling...paranoid."

"You're a darn good judge of character, Leo, and the rest of us aren't so bad either. I think we can figure it out."

"Yeah, probably..." The sound of multiple voices and footsteps on the other side of the door distracted the older turtle from continuing.

The earliness of the hour made the level of noise feel unusual, and had Leonardo wandering toward the door to look into the hall. He was surprised by the sight of the lanky frames of several Ruairi. Their laughter and speech ceased the moment he revealed himself, and nervous energy was left in its wake.

"Uh...hi," Leo said awkwardly under the wide gold-rimmed gazes which fixed on him. "How's it going?"

When he took a step toward them, the closest ruairi shrank back shyly.

"We were on our way out," the alien told him. "I am sorry if we bothered you."

Raphael suddenly appeared on Leonardo's other side. "Nah, y' should hear how loud _we_ can be. Where'd you guys come from?"

"We are _Sonztu,_ that is, those set apart from our race to learn."

Leonardo studied the ruairi across from him, and was struck by the youthfulness of his features. "You're not adults, are you?"

"Not yet," he admitted. "It is part of the reason we are here to learn, and honor our alliance with the Nalikjan."

"It's nice to know your races maintained a relationship. We're allies with them too, so you can consider us friends. I'm Leonardo, and this is my brother, Raphael."

The ruairi ducked his head with a persistent timidity. "I am Huziah. We had a good arrangement with the Nalikjan, until the Vagari came. Now our _Raijos_ are gone, and we are all but stranded in this place." He eyed the rest of the group behind him, but no one else dared to speak.

"Your Raijos?" Leo echoed.

"Our...um...What is English word?" Huziah looked back again, and a female raised her hand.

"You might say sponsor, or...perhaps guardian is more accurate."

"You lost your guardians?" Raphael asked quietly.

Huziah nodded heavily. "They escaped the first round of those taken within Arcadia. But when another raid occurred a few days ago, Vagari Nopf took Madhu, Nabhi, and our _Parin_ , that is, first student. The Brayliq tried to protect them, but they were overwhelmed.

"Then they came quite close to escaping along with the _Rynn_ and _Banrif-"_

 _"_ Sorry, the who?" Raph interrupted.

"Ghyath is their Rynn," Leo filled in. "But Banrif?"

"It is Shukri," Huziah said apologetically. "They tried to escape Central together, but our _Raijos_ were slain. However, we are grateful the _Parin_ made it out."

The manner in which the young one _tried_ to sound positive made Leonardo wince. "I'm sorry about your guardians, Huziah. But it's _not_ over. Not by a long shot."

The youth seemed intrigued by the statement. "Do you have knowledge which we do not?"

Leo exchanged a glance with his brother. "I wouldn't say that. But the fact that we're alive means we have a chance to fight."

"We?" The younger female who'd formerly spoken sounded nearly hopeful. "You mean to stay? We heard you were coming, but thought that once you had your young ones, you would simply move on."

The blue-masked turtle shook his head. "Nope. Nothing of the kind. This isn't our first round on Zuhur, or dealing with the Vagari. We're getting well-versed."

"What do you know about Vagari?" Huziah ventured.

"Not as much as we like," Leo said. "But we were hunted by them for a time, and we're learning additional details day by day. More importantly, though, we're not quitters. We have a job to do here, and we're going to see it through."

"But what will you do?" a small yet earnest voice called from within the group.

Leonardo took a deep breath to muster all of the reassurance he could conjure. "Listen. My brothers and I have been around, and we've seen a lot. But few things compare to the way the last battle on this planet ended, and we had a front row seat. I don't know what we're going to do first. But we made it here, and Ghyath is alive. We've got our kids back, and we still have an opportunity to take action. We're not giving up, so don't write off surviving yet. I can't tell you what's going to happen. But I _will_ assure everyone that as for my family, the Nalikjan and myself...we're not backing down without a fight."


	104. Pursued

Shukri ducked down in the foliage, heart racing while he tried to remain absolutely still. The sound of nearing footsteps caused him to flatten completely against the ground and hold his breath. _I wish I had not separated from Chirayu. But it would be better for us not to be caught together._

The cracking of a tree branch and rustling of leaves overhead made the elohim cringe. _They have improved so quickly. In times past, I may have avoided them altogether, but now it almost seems pointless to fight the inevitable. They are_ going _to find me if I stay here. My only hope is to keep moving, remain near the ground, and try not to make a single sound._

The noise of something crashing through brush several yards to his left made Shukri wonder if he was already surrounded. _No. It cannot be our hunters, not moving_ that _loudly. I bet it is Chirayu, once more trying to distract attention from my position. But it is not her turn to do that._

The elohim was tempted to call out to prevent his wife's strategy of drawing the opponants her direction. _But if I am caught, I will not be able to help her either. They surely heard her!_ He ground his fingers into the earth with irritation when a pair of feet crossed within sight of his current hiding spot, and groaned inwardly at the idea of allowing Chirayu to sacrifice herself again.

 _No. Not this time._

Shukri slowly rose to his knees and waited for the signs of pursuit to make it a few more feet away before taking action of his own. He straightened upright, and a chill ran down his spine while he searched every direction. The elohim knew it was suicidal to expose himself, but it was worth the risk rather than losing Chirayu again.

 _She is always under the impression that she has to protect me, but I cannot let her do it._

Taking a deep breath, he darted off to the right, slamming into overhanging branches without even _attempting_ to be quiet. He glanced anxiously over his shoulder upon hearing a rapid change in direction from their pursuers. Two sets of feet were obvious, but the third and most dangerous couldn't be accounted for.

It was the last assassin who had Shukri scanning the treetops. _He does not behave fairly. I do not expect any of them to give up easily, but when they outnumber us it seems they could afford to-_

A lithe figure pounced; Shukri barely had a chance to jerk out of his path, but the hunter didn't lose track of him. It was too late to escape now, but the elohim's heart was eased by the knowledge that he'd been found before Chirayu. _Perhaps they will be satisfied with me, if only long enough for her to gain some more ground..._

His attacker crashed into his midsection so hard it took his breath away. They rolled together and ended up in a heap, each fighting for dominance. Shukri's hands flew up to grapple with his assailant, but he couldn't get a real grip once the figure had him on his back.

" _It is over!_ " his hunter proclaimed in his ear, and then louder, to someone else. " _I have him! He is ours."_

Shukri was still trying to dislodge him when more dreaded footsteps raced his direction. He closed his eyes briefly and ceased struggling once he realized he _was_ surrounded. _"You have won. It can end here with me. I only ask that you finish quickly."_

The hands grasping his opposite arms were unrelenting, even as the one remained on his back.

 _"We cannot make it that easy for you. It is_ our _turn to teach you a few things."_

The elohim swallowed while being turned over, and stared up into the faces of the hunters. _"What do you intend to do with me then?"_

The pair of hands grasping his left arm suddenly released his limb, fixing on the sensitive skin of his rib cage.

 _"No!"_ He flailed away from cruel fingers. " _Not again. Not that way!"_

 _"You have no say in the matter,"_ the senior member informed him. _"Now tell us where your wife is, so that we may end her suffering as well."_

 _"I will never reveal her to you,"_ he retorted. " _Do as you please with me, but I will not give her up."_

 _"Suit yourself, old man,"_ his winged assailant taunted. _"We will still find her, as soon as we are finished with you."_

 _"Then by all means, take your time,"_ Shukri said stiffly. " _For every moment you linger with me, her escape is more complete."_

The figure to his left laughed with a high cackle. _"I know her better than that. She is coming back for you. I bet she will be here any minute!"_

 _"And you would be correct!"_ the woman bellowed, charging out of the trees.

In the instant pandemonium which followed, Shukri managed to break free from one of his captors, but the smaller of the pair took the opportunity to leap on his stomach, reminding him remarkably of a boulder.

 _"We win, we win, we win!"_

Shukri grunted with _real_ pain. "Yes _, Catani, you win! Please have mercy!"_

The five-year-old bounced on him one last time before he managed to get arms around her.

 _"I changed my mind! I am not done fighting yet!"_ he declared.

" _Oh yes, you are!_ " the eight-year-old on his right insisted. " _I know your special spot!"_

 _"Elweis, you swore you would not!"_

The uncaring boy's fingers caught his ribs a second time, and Shukri nearly doubled over in a flash.

" _It is...off...limits!_ " Shukri managed between gasping for breath.

" _Be careful, Brayliq_ ," Aalok warned Chirayu. " _We have taken one captive already_."

The female chuckled haughtily. " _You young ones think you have won. But I have only begun to fight!"_

Elweis nudged Catani knowingly. " _Together, hamna!_ "

The pair both flung themselves at the woman, leaving Shukri with a much needed reprieve. He sat up slowly and glared at the ruairi. _"This game has become much harder since you insist on playing."_

The seventeen-year-old chuckled. _"You do not appreciate a challenge?"_

 _"It is not that. I used to-"_ Shukri jerked in surprise at the sudden appearance of _another_ ring of shadows which he hadn't heard coming.

At first he assumed Aalok had called out some of his fellow students, but then old friends took shape instead. The wonder of seeing the original "Chosen" up close again was so great, the elohim was rendered speechless. The ruairi fell back a pace in obvious apprehension of the four terrapins.

"Shukri." Leonardo broke into a smile before motioning to a retreating Aalok. "Hey, it's okay. We're not gonna hurt you. Didn't mean to startle anyone; we were just...passing through."

The elohim struggled sheepishly to his feet. "Terrapins. Good morning."

"Where ya been, man?" Raphael challenged lightly. "It was weird to be introduced to your assistants and not see any sign of _you."_

"You met Lasaro and Violet?"

"Ezra thought we might like to meet his wife," Leonardo told him. "And Lasaro was too excited to wait for you." The alien finished with another grin which made Shukri want to hide his face.

"I planned to come to you today," he said apologetically. "I only wanted to let you reunite in peace."

Raphael snickered without shame. "Was that gonna be _after_ you got your butt kicked by a couple of kids?"

The elohim shrugged, but was inwardly abashed to be caught in such a raucous position by the most esteemed heroes he'd ever known.

" _Daddy, who are they?"_ Catani gripped his right knee, peering around his leg at the terrapins. _"They are_ bigger _than the others!"_

 _"Yes, they are bigger,"_ Shukri agreed, boosting the girl up on his side. _"That is because they are their fathers. Well, two of them are."_ He smoothed unkempt blond curls from her forehead and cleared his throat. "Terrapins, this my daughter, Catani."

"Seriously, dude?" Michelangelo was the first to press forward. "You've been hiding kids from me? Not cool."

The girl's laugh bubbled up. " _Daddy, he talks funny_."

" _It is not polite to laugh at friends, Catani,_ " he reproved gently, and then held out an arm to the eight-year-old. "This is my son, Elweis." Shukri turned to the boy. "Can you say hello?"

"Hi," Elweis spoke up, eyeing the four aliens with keen interest. "Are you playing too?"

The terrapins appeared amused, and it only embarrassed Shukri further.

"We don't know the game, little dude, but it sure looks fun," Michelangelo answered, but then focused on Aalok. "We aren't gonna do anything to you. We're really friendly. Ask Shukri!"

The elohim turned to the ruairi with an encouraging smile. "It is all right, Aalok, I promise you. They mean no harm."

The seventeen-year-old nodded, but didn't move any closer.

Chirayu, however, was done waiting in the background. "I have heard so much about the four of you," she declared, coming to stand behind Elweis. "You are legendary among the Nalikjan."

Donatello seemed a bit embarrassed himself. "I wouldn't call us legends..."

"But I will!" Michelangelo cut in with a laugh.

Shukri felt some ease return to his frame in the midst of the orange-masked terrapin's joy. "My friends, I would like you to meet my wife, Chirayu. She is _Brayliq_ directly beneath Ghyath."

"Brayliq?" Leonardo repeated. "Ghyath described them as some kind of honor guard."

The elohim nodded. "That is an accurate way to put it."

The red-masked terrapin smirked at him. "Dig you, Shukri. You've done good for yourself."

Shukri didn't understand what Raphael meant, but found himself turning red regardless. Then he remembered the youth was still cowering behind him. "The young ruairi to my left is Aalok. He has been among the Nalikjan for nearly five years now, having arrived with the scholars."

"Haim mentioned some of them were here," Donatello spoke up curiously. "You came to study?" He made direct eye contact with the teenager, and this time Aalok managed to return it.

"We come to grow," the ruairi offered. "To learn more of what we need, for the next generation."

"Do you mind if I ask how old you are?" the purple-masked terrapin continued.

"I was seventeen years, only four moons ago."

Donatello exchanged a grin with Shukri. "You did it, huh? You solved the problem with the Ruairi's fertility."

"It was not me alone-"

"But it was largely his doing, yes," Aalok confirmed. "To hear the _Banrif_ speak, you would assume he did little. The opposite is true."

Shukri smiled fondly at the teenager. "Aalok was the first success we had in the trials. Having him with the Nalikjan has been extremely gratifying."

Leonardo took a step closer, now that it was apparent the ruairi's fear was dwindling. "How long will you live here then?"

"Only for a time," he replied. "I will return home, when I have what I need." Aalok tousled Elweis' hair lightly. "Daily, these young ones still teach me something new."

As nerves faded, the ruairi's gaze freely roved the terrapins. "What do the rest of you this morning? Were you seeking Shukri out?"

The blue-masked terrapin shook his head. "We're getting some air and familiarizing ourselves with the area. It's a beautiful place."

Shukri nodded proudly. "Cri Drojen is one of the best secrets the Nalikjan retained. I would not have expected to find the four of you out here alone though."

"We're good," Raphael assured him. "Sometimes the adults gotta get away for a while. But we like playing with our kids as much as the next guy. I just started over myself, Shukri. Got a little girl at home, going on a year old."

The elohim beamed. "I am happy to hear it, Raphael. I look forward to meeting the rest of your children as well. It has been a privilege to know Charlotte and Tim for these last few days. They are clearly descended from your roots."

"Thank you for everything you did," Leonardo told him. "We're all in your debt."

"I barely performed," Shukri corrected. "I did not save your children, Leonardo. It was Ghyath who led us out."

Aalok snorted uncomfortably. "I was so afraid, I wanted nothing but to run. Shukri insisted he would not leave without looking for them."

"You were in there too?" Michelangelo came alongside Aalok.

The ruairi stiffened. "I...Yes. I was prisoner of the Vagari. I too owe my friends a debt."

"You do not owe me anything," the elohim countered. "I barely managed to get us out of prison. Had I waited, or allowed Ghyath to find us, your kinsmen might still be alive."

Aalok's face clouded over at once. "You did not know Ghyath was there, or that he was free. You are not responsible for their deaths."

"I cannot shake the burden entirely," Shukri admitted.

"Hey, the Vagari are the bad guys," Michelangelo inserted. "Not you, Shukri." The terrapin looked closer at the little girl in his arms. "She's one of the prettiest things I've ever seen."

Shukri couldn't erase his smile, despite aching guilt which was rekindled by the conversation. Catani stretched for the ends of Michelangelo's mask tails, but didn't grab them. Instead the five-year-old simply stroked the silken texture while grinning into the face of a stranger.

 _"Daddy, are we going to play again?"_

 _"I think we are finished for now, Catani."_

Her lower lip extended slightly. _"But it was so short. I wanted another round."_

 _"I have not seen my friends in a very long time, dear one. But I bet if you asked this terrapin, he would love to play with you. Can you try in English?"_

She giggled, but didn't break eye contact with Michelangelo.

"Yup, you got a little doll on your hands, Shukri."

"Thank you, Michelangelo."

"Can she understand anything I'm saying?"

"We have begun working on some English with Catani, but she seems a little shy at the moment. She may speak with you later."

Michelangelo nodded while the child released his mask. "You can talk to me whenever you're ready, kid."

"You will soon find it much harder to quiet her than coax a few words forth," Chirayu volunteered. "She seems to like you quite a bit, Michelangelo."

"I'm a kid magnet. What can I say?"

Aalok was confused by the term. "A kid magnet?"

"Yeah, dude. It means kids can't get enough of me, and I love 'em too. They're drawn to me the way a magnet attracts metal. You get it?"

"Not exactly, terrapin, but I will try to."

"Spend time with me, and you'll catch on quick."

Raphael laughed. "Mikey ain't the guy you wanna be trained by, Aalok."

The ruairi glanced warily between the terrapin warriors. "I do not understand. Are you warning me to avoid your brother?"

"No," Michelangelo said quickly. "Raphie just gets jealous 'cause I'm so popular. You hang out with me any time you want, Aalok. We can be buddies."

"We can?"

The teenager sounded so cautious, Shukri rested a hand on his back.

"These terrapins are the best friends the Nalikjan ever had, Aalok. You are in good hands with them."

The ruairi met his gaze hopefully. "We are in need of friends."

"Which is partially why we're still here," Leonardo filled in. "It's nice to meet you, Aalok. You don't have to be afraid of any of us."

"I am starting to understand. But you came here for the young ones, yes? Does that not mean you will leave soon?"

The brothers exchanged a glance, and Shukri waited for their answer with baited breath.

"We're not going anywhere," Leonardo informed them. "It would be easier to cut and run, but once we start something, we generally like to finish it."

Shukri felt somber reality sinking in. "You mean to face the Vagari."

The blue-masked terrapin nodded. "We do. They're not going away by themselves, right?"

"No." The elohim's voice felt weak. "This threat will not dissipate. It only grows."

"Which is why we can't ignore it," Donatello added.

Michelangelo cleared his throat. "It's getting harder to ignore my stomach."

"Do ya even _remember_ their food, Mikey?" Raphael scoffed.

The orange-masked terrapin gained a sly expression. "I came prepared, Raph. Good reason to be nicer to me."

"Prepared for what, Chucklehead?"

"The girls didn't buy provisions for _one_ dinner."

The larger terrapin gripped the smaller one's shoulder forcefully. "Are you telling me you've got contraband? How'd you keep it a secret?"

"If I hadn't, you woulda broken into the reserves already! We have to ration everything we've got."

"Mikey, if you're for real, I might hug you."

"You're not that desperate _yet_ , are you?"

"Your reserves?" Shukri questioned. "Did you come with your own supplies, Michelangelo?"

The orange-masked terrapin shrugged. "Well, yeah, I had to do something. You guys kept us alive and all, but a turtle needs more than...engineered food to live on."

"Our provisions have improved with the addition of rain," Shukri protested. "We have been able to grow more crops than ever before."

Michelangelo winked at him. "No offense, dude. It's just a little bit of home to keep us grounded. But if you say it's better, I promise I'll give it a shot."

"A shot of what?" Aalok glanced over at Shukri. "What does that have to do with eating?"

"Our terrapin friends have a unique way of communicating and behaving in general, Aalok," the elohim answered. "You may not understand everything at once, but be patient. You will realize, as we did, that they are the finest creatures you have been blessed to meet."

Shukri caught Leonardo's eye meaningfully. "And I am extremely grateful that you have come."


	105. Unwind

Olivia felt Tim's tangible nerves while escorting her young cousin down the hall, and had to bite her tongue to keep from spoiling the surprise which had been prepared. His pleading gaze almost broke her, but she managed to convince herself it would be worth the wait.

"I know you mean well," he started. "But I've been so messed up..."

"Tim, it's us. Would we do anything to hurt you?"

"No, but that's the point. You don't have to do anything wrong for me to blow things out of proportion. There's no reason to bother with me at all. I know I'm not good company."

"Will you give it a chance, itoko? Charlotte told me you agreed willingly. If we show you a horrible time, you've got my permission to walk away without a word. I'm not kidding. You want to leave for _any_ reason, it's your call, and nobody will judge you or get their feelings hurt."

He huffed something unintelligible. "She didn't warn me about what she wanted. Only reason I'm going along with it is because I _do_ owe her."

Olivia forced a smile and repressed the guilt which tried to rise up in her spirit again. It was the wrong time to betray any type of negativity with her unsure blue-masked cousin at her side. She was so distracted in smothering the unwanted emotion, fingers grazing her wrist startled her.

"Being there when it happened doesn't make it your fault, Olivia. I understand that I can't make you feel better, but for what it's worth? Charlie and I are really glad you escaped."

"You have to say that," she muttered. "But this is the opposite of what I wanted to do. I'm not gonna drag you down, Tim."

"You don't have to, Liv. I'm already there, and it's got nothing to do with you. In fact, none of my struggles are because of anything you guys are doing. They're because _I'm_ screwed up."

"Even if you are, it's not your fault, Tim," she said quietly. "But we don't need to talk about it right now. C'mon – the others are waiting."

"You honestly won't give me one hint what's up?"

"Tim, relax," she insisted. "That's all we wanna do; take some time to unwind. You've earned it."

His indifferent shrug broke her heart a little, but she offered another smile.

"Sooner we get there, the sooner you'll see what's going on."

"Then what are you slowing me down for?"

She opened her mouth to object, but then caught his half-grin. Olivia gave him a trademark scowl, and was relieved when he chuckled.

They were still a few doors down from their destination when Olivia caught the scent that made her beam, and Tim stiffen.

"I think I'm losing it," he murmured. "That smells so much like..."

"Like what?" Liv asked innocently.

"Home. Am I going out of my mind? You might witness something disturbing in a minute here."

"The amount of food you boys consume has _always_ been disturbing."

"Now you're thinking of Jayden."

"Oh, don't act so innocent. Jay might be the most obvious about it, but I know where a good amount of leftovers are disappearing to."

"I'm going through a growth spurt! And I'm feeling a little loopy, because it smells like someone's been-"

A door slid open a couple yards away, and the scent became even stronger. Jayden emerged into the hall, and breathed a huge sigh when he saw them.

"Thank God. If you'd taken any longer, I swear I'd have started without you."

"Started what?" the blue-masked turtle demanded. "Is this some kind of joke? If you're playing a trick on me, Jay, I swear..."

"No tricks." The burly turtle stepped aside from the door so they could enter. "I'm just happy you're done taking your sweet time, because I'm hungry."

Olivia nudged Tim to go ahead of her, and exchanged a smirk with her purple-masked cousin upon hearing the youngest gasp.

"No way! Are you kidding me?"

That was Liv's clue to follow him inside. She sincerely enjoyed her cousin's shock upon discovering two perfectly browned pizzas waiting for them along with the rest of the teens.

"How'd you do this?" Tim continued. "Is it the real thing?"

Charlotte covered her mouth when she snorted. "You'll have to taste it to find out. Come and get some while it's still hot."

Tim headed right for the table, but then looked absolutely perplexed while selecting a slice of each kind. He gazed at each of them in turn with odd hesitation. "Seriously. How did you do it?"

"We weren't abducted," Jayden cracked.

"My dad made arrangements," Nate explained. "We couldn't bring a ton, because there wasn't time. But we have a few provisions and ingredients for special occasions. Even got the perfect thing to top off lunch."

The blue-masked turtle couldn't resist a bite any longer. "Aw, shell, that's so good. If you guys don't hurry and get some, I'll make it disappear."

Jayden cuffed the back of his shell lightly. "I'll fight you for it, Tim."

"You probably don't want to. I might beat you this time."

The bigger turtle grinned broadly. "We're better off saving the spar over dessert anyway."

"Don't try to tempt me with anything else yet," Tim complained. "Let me focus on one thing at a time."

"You don't wanna hear about the Black Out cake we snuck from the freezer? Our dads don't even know it's gone yet."

"Shut. Up." The breathless quality of Tim's voice made Olivia bust out laughing.

" _Obasan_ was thinking of you when she made it, so they can't get too mad," Nate added. "Just the same, we should hurry up and get rid of the evidence." (Grandma)

"There won't be any evidence when I'm through," Tim insisted.

"Let's not forget the rest of us!" Jay protested.

Charlotte inserted herself between the males with a stern look. "If you two try to fight over everything, _I'll_ have to take charge of all our provisions."

Jayden shot Tim a glance. "She can't take us both, Tim. Not even when she's this hungry."

Olivia stepped into the possible fray with crossed arms. "You think the girls won't fight for the spoils? You're dead wrong, Jay."

"No one needs to fight," the orange-masked turtle announced reasonably. "But we do need to get started in case of uninvited guests. This might be enough to satisfy the five of us, but if our dads show up, it's all over. Mine has a sixth sense when it comes to food."

"Which is why we waited until they were out running around. Geez, Nate, give me some credit." Olivia scoffed. "Now step aside, and let the ladies in for their fair share."

* * *

A contemplative silence set in after everyone had their food. While eating didn't usually signify a quiet time at home, sharing what would be rare treats for the coming days had an enjoyable, yet sobering effect. Just the same, Olivia couldn't help noticing how much more relaxed Tim looked than on the walk over.

The silent atmosphere wasn't uncomfortable, but it left Olivia wanting to fill it after a few minutes.

From Charlotte's wistful glance, it seemed she was craving something too. "All we need now is a movie marathon or some good music."

"Bahri made the movies happen on the ship," Jayden mentioned. "If we asked, I bet someone could hook us up from their archives. We're lucky the Elohim are obsessed with Earth, huh?"

"Or," Liv stated dramatically. "We could fill the space up ourselves."

When she nodded to Nate, her cousin rose to retrieve a case from behind a cushioned bench. The moment the familiar guitar came into view, it brought a simultaneous reaction from Charlotte and Tim.

"You didn't, Liv!" Charlie was the first to cry. "I was just thinking about you playing."

"It wasn't my idea originally, but I think it was a good one." Olivia winked at the orange-masked turtle and withdrew the instrument."You guys can talk among yourselves for a while. Taming the beast after traveling through space is gonna take a hot minute."

Jayden snickered. "You know this from experience?"

"Shut it, Kaiju. The guitar loses a tune if I look at it funny, let alone traveling at God know's what speed through the vast reaches of the universe."

"We're still kind of in our neighborhood," Nate volunteered. "They said we only went like ten light years."

"Which is ten light years further than our shells have ever been," she retorted. "Now be quiet, and let me listen." Olivia rested the guitar in her lap and bent over the neck for closer proximity while adjusting the strings.

"It's not a bad set up here," Jayden remarked. "Almost feels like we've got this wing to ourselves."

"Not completely," Nate reminded him. "Jonin told me about meeting a few of the Ruairi this morning. They weren't what he expected."

"In what way?" Charlotte asked. "I didn't know there were a bunch of them. Tim and I only met the one while escaping."

"They're young," Nate told her. "Part of some kind of student enrichment program."

"What'd they think of them?" Jayden sounded skeptical.

Olivia lifted her head at the younger turtle's tone. It was unlike her purple-masked cousin to be automatically suspicious, and it got her attention.

"Jonin said they were nervous and a bit shy, but that doesn't sound unusual for someone their age meeting...well, us."

"True, but they're aliens," Olivia spoke up after fingering another chord. "They have to know people who are just as weird as we are."

"They could be great guys," Jayden allowed. "But I'm nervous about giving someone the benefit of the doubt." His glance flicked to Tim. "Have you met anyone here that made you feel uncomfortable? Am I being stupid about this? I don't wanna offend people."

The blue-masked turtle shook his head. "I can't help much, Jay. I've avoided almost everyone since we got here. And it's not because there's anything wrong with them, or they made me feel funny. I can't take the extra baggage. I still get the overall pressure of this place. It's like a vise, squeezing the air out of my lungs. Not constantly, but it's always in the background, and I can't shut it out completely. Avoiding the others makes it easier to ignore what they're feeling. The only person I've spent any real time with besides Charlotte is Ghyath. Although, we did talk to Tariq too."

"Tariq is the one who turned Ghyath loose?" Olivia recalled.

"Yeah, he did," Charlotte confirmed.

Jayden cleared his throat. "And we're sure he's not a threat?"

Olivia stared at her guitar strings, hating the anxiety in her normally upbeat cousin's voice.

"I can't tell you for sure," Tim answered. "But it doesn't feel like it. He's not one of the Nalikjan yet, and he isn't with the Vagari either."

"Then what is he?" Nate wondered.

"Lost," the blue-masked turtle supplied. "But that doesn't equate to being evil."

Nathaniel shook his head. "No. We're not trying to accuse him of anything."

Tim sighed. "It would probably help if I'd go around and talk with the others, but I don't think I can take it on yet."

"You don't need to," Charlotte responded before anyone else could.

"What about here?" Jayden ventured. "With us. Is this bothering you, Tim?"

Olivia jolted up from the guitar to hear his answer, and was grateful for how emphatically Tim shook his head.

"No – not at all. I needed this. I missed you guys a _lot,_ and I'm glad you're here, even if..."

When he faltered, Nate approached his side. "Even if what?"

"I shouldn't be this glad to see you. Not with what's at stake. I wish you were home. Anywhere but here."

"We'd rather be home," Nate acknowledged. "But despite the way things are, we wouldn't trade places with the rest of our family. Tim, we were all given a choice this time, including Jay. No one guilt-tripped us or influenced our decision."

Tim winced. "It was brave. But I still wish you didn't have to. I wish there was another way." He looked down for a few moments. "I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday. I'm not myself. I haven't been for a while, and I'm no good at pretending."

"No one wants you to pretend," Nate assured him. "Look, Tim, you don't have to fake it for us. We're your team, your family. We've always been in this together, and we still are. That's not gonna change."

" _I've_ changed."

The orange-masked turtle stared at the youngest for a couple seconds, and Olivia held her breath, praying he would have an inspiring comeback.

"Tim, there's a big difference between who you are, and how you feel," Nate said finally. "You say you've changed, and maybe you have. But the important stuff, the things that really matter, what about them? Do you believe in honor? This family? Would you lay down your life for someone else, and stand up against evil despite the outcome?"

"I would try. But in this state, I'd probably fail."

"Being injured doesn't change who you are," Nate went on. "When someone's hurt, they're required to sit out and rest. They need time to heal properly, and so do you. It also might help if you weren't so hard on yourself."

"I can't help it," he said quietly. "If you knew what..." Tim paused, and didn't continue.

Olivia set down her guitar carefully. "We don't need to know everything, Tim. We still believe in you though, and we always will."

The young turtle's vacant gaze sharpened while he looked around the room, and ended on Charlotte. "I'm sorry. It's gonna take a while to get there."

Liv didn't understand the vague statement, but knew not to press for information.

"We know how to keep ourselves busy in the meantime," Jayden said, shifting the conversation intentionally. "Betcha we can come up with some good games, even in a dead zone like this."

"It's not a dead zone, twin," Charlotte countered. "There's actually a lot to see."

The purple-masked male gave his sister a lop-sided smile. "Yeah, but how much will our dads _let_ us see? Can you imagine them allowing us take off outdoors? We already burned that free pass."

"We don't have to go outside to get anywhere," Charlie explained. "The network of caves and tunnels through these hills are impressive alone. Tim and I have only begun to explore, but Ghyath showed us a couple of the best paths, in his opinion."

"When do we get to go?" Jayden pressed.

"You just got here," Tim shot back dryly. "I'm sure Ghyath won't mind, but some of these places are special. We can't turn them into a jungle gym, okay? There's one in particular, Nate, Liv, you _have_ to go. It's sort of like a mine, but full of unrefined Arsitine, which is the stuff they use to make Arsiterite."

Olivia perked up at his enthusiasm. "Yeah, Tim, I wanna see it."

"We'll have to go," Nate agreed.

"I'll talk to Ghyath. I'm sure he'll be cool with it."

Liv drew her guitar back into her lap and strummed a basic melody she'd been hammering out at home. _It doesn't sound too bad. Probably be more accurate with a tuner, but it isn't horrible for doing it by ear._ She'd looped the chorus together a couple of times before Charlotte glared at her.

"You're not playing that."

"You don't own Titanium*, Charlie. Unless you _want_ to."

"I know what you're doing, and it won't work."

"Don't have a clue what you mean, itoko."

"I'm not singing, so you can forget it."

"Who asked you to?" the red-masked turtle challenged. "I don't need help. I've got this all on my own."

Jayden passed a bewildered look between the females. "Neither of you make any sense."

Olivia shrugged. "I don't have to. Know why?" With a sly smile directed at Charlotte, she strummed a little harder. " _I'm bullet proof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away. Ricochet, you take your aim, fire away, fire away. Shoot me down, but I won't fall, I'm titanium. Shoot me down, but I won't fall, I'm titanium."_

Charlotte made a scoffing sound. "Keep going, Liv, because you're a one woman show."

"I'd rather do it with you, Charlie, but I don't mind being the center of attention." She finished with a smirk. Olivia enjoyed the laughter it drew from her other cousins, especially her youngest. She was all set to rib Charlotte a little harder, but Tim spoke before she could.

"I'm nowhere near normal, but hanging out with you guys...it feels like I can act that way, at least."

Liv raised her hand. "Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Take your pick, Olivia. Either way, I shouldn't be happy you're here. But I am."

* * *

 ***Titanium belongs to David Guetta and Sia**


	106. Buddies

The slight chill in the night breeze didn't prove that uncomfortable for Michelangelo, though his current companion seemed troubled. The seventeen-year-old ruairi cast the turtle a questioning glance which conveyed the depth of his uncertainty.

 _But Aalok isn't as shy as before. Coming down for dinner was the right move, even if their food's got nothing on ours. I'm not technically here to eat._

Mike was the only one from the family who'd decided to attend the casual evening meal which served most of the inhabitants of Cri Drojen. He'd put some pressure on his brothers to show up too, but as of yet, they hadn't come.

 _We're still catching up as a group, so I get why they wanna keep to themselves. But we need to make friends too! We're sure as shell not gonna defeat these Vagari by ourselves, so it's time to figure out who our allies are._

He had latched onto the youthful ruairi for the way he was slightly segregated, lingering in an outdoor space which resembled a courtyard.

"Michelangelo, do you mean to watch _me_ eat all night?" The trace of amusement in the teen's voice made the turtle grin.

"I'll get something in a bit. Where are the rest of your buddies?"

"They will be down a little later. One of their studies kept them over, and I needed some...room for thinking."

Mike fell back a pace. "Oh, I'm sorry, dude. Am I bothering you? Shoulda figured you were alone for a reason."

The ruairi stared at his plate. "I am bothered, Michelangelo, but not by you." The sadness in his gold-rimmed irises canceled out the near smile.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"I am not much for conversation."

"You don't have to tell me anything, Aalok, but I'm a good listener." Mike edged closer, sensing a conflict in the youth. The heaviness of his spirit wasn't something he was prone to ignore. Rather than pressuring him to talk, however, he merely took a seat on the stone bench beside him. "You can tell me to go away."

The youth hunched over slightly and sighed. "I would not have you leave, Michelangelo. But this problem will not be solved by talking."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you won't feel better. You wanna give it a shot, Aalok?"

"Why do you keep talking about a shot? I cannot understand what medicine has to do with it."

"Sorry, I keep forgetting myself. I mean, do you wanna try talking to me and see what happens?"

"You are kind, Michelangelo, but..."

The orange-masked turtle rose slowly. "It's okay, I get it. I'm a newcomer here, and I'm barging in."

"What is 'barging'?"

"It means I'm butting in where I don't belong, if that makes any sense."

Aalok shook his head. "I do not belong here either."

"That isn't true. I saw you with Shukri and his kids. They adore you."

"I am still not one of them. I was not ready to be in this position."

"What position, Aalok? What's wrong?"

"My brothers and sisters, the _Sonztu..._ They look to me as _Parin_ since the _Raijos_ are gone. They place trust in me, and I admit, I am not ready to bear it."

"It's not all on you, Aalok," Mike corrected. "You're not alone here, just because you lost your guardians. You still have friends."

The ruairi sighed again. "Friends, yes, but no solutions."

"Well, you gotta give it a chance, kid. After all, we just got here. Can't expect a miracle overnight." He winked at the alien, but it was obvious Aalok didn't know what to make of him.

"I do not understand why you stay," he confessed. "You have the ones you love. Why do you not leave while the opportunity exists?"

"It's not how we do things, Aalok. We could run, but that won't make the problem disappear. If anything, it would get bigger."

"But what if you had no choice? What if your survival _depends_ on running?"

"It would be easier. In the short term, maybe it makes more sense. But like I said, the Vagari aren't going anywhere. Sometimes a turtle has to do, what a turtle has to do."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"It means...even if something's hard, if it's the right thing, that's what you need to do."

"Yes," the teen said softly. "The right thing is not always simple."

"Nope. Sometimes it's real hard, but it's still worth it. Does that make sense, Aalok?"

The ruairi nodded vaguely. "I know some things must be done, but I wish I was not the one."

"The one what? It sounds like you're taking something big on yourself. You don't have to do that, y'know? You've been with the Nalikjan for years, haven't you? They're kinda like family?"

"They are not Ruairi, but yes. They are good friends, whom I deeply respect and have come to love. But that does not change how the _Sonztu_ look to me."

"Aalok, don't try to shoulder everything. You'll be crushed by it, dude; _anyone_ would be. My bro is one of the greatest leaders who ever lived, but he can't do it all either. That's why we call it being a team. Don't you see the difference being a member of the unit makes for the Nalikjan? No one's trying to run the whole show, not even Ghyath. Everyone relies on someone. Who are you looking to? Can you talk to Shukri about this?"

He was startled by the way the ruairi shuddered, and struggled to compose himself. "I fear in this matter, the Nalikjan cannot help us. It does not seem they can save themselves from Vagari, much less anyone else."

"You have to give us a chance," Mike repeated. "Me and my bros won't give up, and neither will Ghyath. Don't write us off before we've made an _attempt_."

"What is 'write off'?"

"Don't act like we're finished, Aalok."

"I do not want to, but I fail to see how your presence will make a difference when..."

"What?"

"Ruairi are a burden, not a part of this family."

"I don't think the Nalikjan claims you as a burden. Where is this coming from?"

"It does not matter."

"It's upsetting you, so I say it does."

"Please, Michelangelo. I do not wish to offend."

"You're afraid of offending me, Aalok? I fight bad guys for a living, kid. You won't hurt my feelings. Tell me what you mean."

"Your young do not like us," he said faintly, ashamed. "From the moment I met your Tim and Charlotte, it was clear-"

Mike held up both hands to stop him. "Whoa, hang on. That's not how it is. The kids don't have anything against Ruairi. They've been through hell with the Vagari."

"I can identify, but I doubt it would cause them to seek our friendship."

"Give them time, Aalok," Mike insisted. "You'll see. No one's got anything against you guys. Heck, I'd be happy to introduce you to my son. He's only a little older than you."

"You think we can be friends?" The doubtful look in the ruairi's eyes cemented the idea in the turtle's head.

"I know you can. Get up, Aalok. I'll take you to meet Nate right now. You're gonna have to let Tim have his space, but that's not because of anything you guys did. Those Vagari really hurt him, and he's still getting over it. But my son and his other cousins, they'd be fine to meet you."

The smallest hint of a smile returned. "All right. Let me communicate with the _Sonztu_ where I am going, and I will follow you, Michelangelo."

* * *

The orange-masked turtle let the ruairi take the lead up a different path than he'd used to reach the covered pavilion. The trail was more exposed to the elements, but also allowed unobstructed views of a breathtaking night sky.

"It's cool to see it this way," Mike spoke up. "The atmosphere was hardly ever clear when we were here before. Except for the night when pillars of fire changed everything."

"Why could it not be so simple once more?" Aalok mumbled. "I would like to believe for an identical ending, but I dare not trust in it."

"Why couldn't it happen again, Aalok? You think we saw that fire coming? Nobody knew it would turn out that way. We went into battle without a clue, and most of us didn't think we'd come back. But we did, and the Overlords didn't."

Mike fixed on the sky, stopping near a ledge to stare at an unfamiliar constellation. "This doesn't have to be that different. I'm sure it probably won't happen the same way, but I bet El can think of something else that's equally as cool. He's creative, so I've been told."

The turtle glanced over to grin at Aalok, and was surprised to find several more pairs of gold-rimmed eyes watching him. Their sudden and unexpected appearance made him laugh. "Oh, wow. You're good at reproducing, dude. You need to teach me that trick."

Aalok didn't manage to return the smile. "Michelangelo, I feel I must apologize."

His somber state combined with the ring of silent Ruairi made Mike instantly uneasy.

"For what?" He kept his voice even, though composure faltered.

"It is not our desire to hurt you."

"Well, that's good. I don't wanna get hurt either." Mike backed up the path tentatively, though the advancing circle didn't allow him to gain much distance. "Um...our kids are waiting on me. So I'm gonna go, okay?"

"Michelangelo, you are familiar with Ruairi, yes? You realize what we are capable of."

The turtle fixed on the youth's taloned left hand which hung loosely at his side. The Ruairi's poisonous abilities weren't something he could forget. "Yeah...But I'm not sure you know what my _family's_ capable of when they're ticked. Believe me, you don't wanna start a fight with them."

"We do not want to fight you or anyone else, but in this, I have no choice." The fear was gone from the seventeen-year-old's voice, replaced with resignation.

"You have a choice," Mike returned, scouring the ring of aliens for a weakness in their chain-gang. "Let's talk for a minute, all right? I don't know what you're trying to accomplish, but this ain't the way to do it. We can sit down and work it out."

Aalok's frame shook with the step he took toward him. "No. We cannot talk about this, or I will not be able to go through with it."

Michelangelo's fingers went to the nun-chucks tucked into his belt. "That's kinda the idea, Aalok. You say you don't wanna hurt me, and I believe you. I know something else is going on here, but I can't help if you won't let me."

"None of you can help us," the teen declared. "It is much too late, terrapin. If you try to fight, you will leave me no alternative. We need you to come with us peacefully."

Mike scowled at the idea. "Yeah, no, that's not gonna happen. For the record, I don't want to hurt you either, but I _will_ defend myself."

He glanced over the group again, rapidly estimating about ten figures besides Aalok. The chances of getting into a fight with that many of the aliens without any of them managing to get talons on him were slim. _Hand-to-hand is not the way to go. I need to get_ away _, but with their wings, they've gotta be faster than me too._

His eyes briefly focused on the ledge which was now on the _other_ side of the circle. _So it's not smart to fight them, and I probably can't outrun 'em. But if I made it to the treeline, disappear...maybe I'll have a chance._ It was all he could think of, regardless.

Mike removed his hands from his nun-chucks, and held them out at shoulder height. "Take it easy, guys. I don't want to fight you."

As he edged closer to Aalok, the youth held out his arms pleadingly.

"Will you come, Michelangelo?"

"Aalok, you need to tell me what's going on. We could be the best allies you've ever had. Turning on us won't solve anything."

"Neither does hiding in this sanctuary and waiting for a salvation which will not come."

"Not overnight!" Frustration made the turtle sharp. "Aalok, give us a freaking chance! We can show you hope isn't all gone. Don't be hasty and ruin everything."

"We do not have _time_ to wait," he retorted. "Your kind may have the opportunity to plan, but mine do not."

The way Aalok clenched his left hand while Michelangelo got closer intensified the turtle's nerves.

"Are you coming willingly, or would you rather we commit to force?" the youth demanded.

Mike kept his hands steady, giving no indication of what he meant to do. "Neither."

The small gap between Aalok and the nearest ruairi on his right wasn't much, but he knew it could be exploited. Mike forced himself to stay still, consciously resisting the urge for muscles to stiffen.

"You cannot choose neither," Aalok told him. "It is going to be one or the other. Which do you prefer?"

The turtle made no reply, since his decision was already cast. In one swift motion he kicked out toward the teen's knees, and darted through the enlarged opening created when the ruairi stumbled. There was no time to hesitate or search for the safest way down from the trail. Michelangelo had no path left, except for lunging straight over the side of the hill.

He wasn't sure about the steepness of the grade or the obstacles he'd face on the way down, but it seemed less dangerous than "friends" who had turned into kidnappers. Mike fleetingly considered the beacon in his watch while tumbling head over heels in the darkness. _But Donny hasn't made_ any _adjustments for their atmosphere yet!_ He sorely remembered the effort it had taken his genius brother to adapt technology the last time, since he'd been alongside him for most of it.

 _Still gotta try._ Getting a hand on his wrist mid-descent was harder than he imagined, and the repetitive strikes with the ground and collisions with rocks hurt more than he wanted to admit. _Man, getting old sucks,_ he thought fleetingly, but managed to close his fingers around the timepiece.

After depressing the panic button, his next temptation was to snag one of the tree roots he kept rolling over to ease his momentum. But since the whole purpose was to avoid the psychotic Ruairi, slowing down didn't seem optional.

The turtle had no opportunity to check if he was being pursued. He could only assume the threat was intact, and he needed to put as much distance between them as possible. As his frame left the ground for the thirtieth time in two minutes, Mike glimpsed a dark shape in his line of vision, and narrowly darted sideways to avoid the massive trunk of a tree.

Doing so made it feel like the earth had dropped out from underneath him, and he was left in thin air. He had a brief moment to panic before colliding with the ground again, slamming against a jutting rock which left his knee burning. He fought to upright himself from the stone and only took a second to breathe before jumping back into an uncontrolled skid down the embankment.

A sound in the tree tops had his head jerking around, but the turtle couldn't see anything. It very well could have been the wind for the way the entire canopy rustled, but not knowing for sure made Mike paranoid. He fought to keep his feet, but the battle to maintain balance over loose stones and potholes at his current pace was only made harder by not being able to see them.

Another rustle overhead forced him to rapidly change directions, a move which caused him to stumble sideways and run face-first into a tree branch. The stinging pain of his eyes made it impossible to keep them open while they recoiled from the violent impact. He flopped in a heap at the base of another trunk, fiercely rubbing his eyes to encourage vision to return.

When he felt the wind of someone approaching Mike tried to dart out of the way, but didn't escape grasping talons which wound around the back of his neck. A cry barely had time to erupt before pain registered, and the intensity of the sharp nails piercing skin was quickly overwhelmed by a burning sensation which spread down his frame like wildfire.

His entire body seized up in a moment's time, and he heaved for air which had curiously escaped his lungs. He mentally commanded himself to move and fight off the attacker, but the ability didn't exist. As concerning as the fire had been, the _non_ -feeling which followed was more frightening, and left him gasping harder for oxygen.

"Panicking only makes the toxin spread faster," Aalok said in his ear. "I am doing this for your good."

Mike tried to growl a suitable response, but a heavy blow to the back of the head made it irrelevant.


	107. Desperate

In the midst of the current madness, Nate felt like a deer caught in headlights. He recognized that he should be doing something, but the amount of action taking place around him and a general unfamiliarity with Cri Drojen left him standing in one spot, clueless as to how to respond.

The family was together when his dad's beacon was tripped, but at the moment, Nate had no idea where Raphael or Donatello had gone. It wasn't difficult to determine what his purple-masked uncle was doing. _The real question is how long it'll take to get his scanner aligned with the atmosphere to track a location..._

"...no, they are not there!" Shukri proclaimed while careening into the room. "The entire wing is in the process of being searched, but there is no sign of the students. Are you certain he was with Aalok?"

Ghyath nodded grimly. "Multiple sources saw Michelangelo with him before they both disappeared from dinner."

"But it does not make any sense!" the Banrif declared. "I cannot understand why Aalok would wish to harm Michelangelo or anyone else."

"You don't need to understand his motivation – but we have to find them," Leonardo retorted.

"Where is your brother on his software?" Shukri asked hopefully. "I know the instability of our spectrum does not help matters."

"He doesn't know how long it will take to locate a usable wave length. Don's working, but we can't wait, Shukri!"

"We're not going to wait," Ghyath added. "Ships are being prepared as we speak. We will search by air, as well as the ground. The Ruairi are quick, but they are not faster than air crafts."

Nate glanced away from the conversation to make eye contact with the semi-circle of his cousins.

"It's gonna be all right," Olivia said first. "It will. They'll find him."

Nathaniel didn't want to believe that those he'd hoped to have as allies were capable of harming his dad, but all the evidence pointed to an attack.

"Or we could find them," Jayden muttered. "Deal with those freaky aliens the way they deserve."

"I don't think we should go anywhere yet," Tim stated unexpectedly.

Nate held his youngest cousin's gaze. "Why, Tim?" It would have been easy to assume that the blue-masked turtle's insecurities affected the suggestion, but he had a feeling there was more to it. "What are you getting?"

Tim hesitated for a long beat. "Not very much."

The orange-masked turtle leaned closer to him. "Tim, please. If there's anything you could tell us..."

"It won't help," he mustered.

"You don't know that," Charlotte insisted.

Tim glanced at her nervously, then back at Nate. "He was caught off guard. Confused."

"Didn't expect to get attacked by someone he trusted." Olivia fumed. "Darn it, Nate, your dad is so sweet to everyone! All he wanted was to make friends with those kids, and look what's happened."

Nate focused on Tim instead of the red-masked turtle. "What happened after?"

"I can't tell you – I don't see it like that. There was panic, and...pain. Now there's nothing."

"What does that mean?" Jayden pressed.

"I have no clue! It's why I didn't want to say anything."

"But that doesn't explain why you want to stay put," Nate countered.

"I don't know. I just feel like we should."

A hand landed on Nate's shoulder, turning his frame toward his somber Jonin.

"Don isn't set up to help us yet, but we're not going to hesitate. Teams are starting to fan out, and you're more than welcome to join."

Nathaniel looked at Tim before answering. "We're gonna hang out a while longer, Jonin. We'll probably end up joining a team."

"You sure?" The older turtle appeared baffled.

"Yeah. You go, but tell us if anything changes. When we leave, I'll let you know too. We're gonna stick together."

"All right." Leonardo questioned the decision no further. "We'll keep in touch."

Nate stayed quiet while most of the room emptied out, and was drawn irresistibly back to his youngest cousin.

Tim shook his head. "You didn't have to do that."

"I like to listen to my gut, Tim. And right now, it's telling me to listen to you."

"I've got nothing for you, Nate. I'd help if I could, but I don't know where those Ruairi are going any more than the others. If you wanna track down your dad, I'd hedge my bets on one of the air ships."

"Then why didn't you go?"

"Because I don't feel...It's hard to explain."

"I think we should go find _our_ dad," Charlotte inserted, nudging Jayden's shoulder. "In all likelihood, he'll be the first to locate yours, Nate."

The orange-masked turtle was ready to leave the room, and agreed with a nod. His stomach twisted in knots while he allowed Charlotte to lead the way through the labyrinth of halls he hadn't taken the time to memorize. Tim stuck close to her side, leaving the other turtles to bring up the rear.

"They'll pay, Chokkan," Jayden said under his breath. "And your dad is gonna be all right. You'll see."

Nate forced a calm expression for his mammoth cousin while taking a deep breath. "I know he will be." _This many people looking for him...there's no chance they'll get away._

* * *

Walking into the first room in the wing dedicated to science and technology was a far cry from the hive of activity Nate had just come from. Here it was quiet, almost deathly so, and the few individuals in the space took no notice when the young turtles entered.

It was easy to locate Donatello standing beside Ghysis, who was handling a foreign device they were both studying.

"No, I tried that one already," the purple-masked turtle told him. "I need a broader spectrum. There has to be a way to speed this up!"

"Locating the correct frequency to operate under took some time on your last visit, if you recall-"

"Yes, I recall it! But right now my younger brother is somewhere out there in the hands of unpredictable Ruairi, and I'm not letting them escape! I need another option. Please find it for me."

"There are many more wave lengths to try, Donatello. I am sorry for the delay; it is not intentional."

"You don't have to apologize, Ghysis. I'm not blaming you for any of this - I just want to find him!"

Nate awkwardly corralled his cousins on the opposite end of the room where they'd yet to be seen. _This is stupid. We shouldn't be here. We ought to be in the air or on the ground, searching like everyone else._ He snuck another glance at Tim, and the probing expression in his cousin's eyes made Nathaniel hold his ground. _He's on to something. I don't know what, but I need to wait it out._

"What's up, guys?" Don's voice broke him out of thought.

"Nothing," the eighteen-year-old said automatically. "The others have already gone, but we thought we'd wait for some...clarity."

Donatello wrung his hands in a self conscious gesture. "I don't have any yet, but hopefully we're getting closer. Their radio spectrum is a lot more complicated than ours, as well as being unstable. Finding a suitable wave length to broadcast my technology with took _hours_ last time. I thought maybe I could hone in on the same frequency as before, but literally nothing is the same."

"Ojisan, breathe," Nate encouraged. "We know you'll get it, okay?"

The older turtle threw back his shoulders with what seemed to be renewed vigor, and returned to Ghysis' side. "Yeah, let's start there," he agreed, sounding more like his usual self. "I think if we-"

A loud crash from the adjacent room made Nate jump, and the anguished cries which followed had the orange-masked turtle dashing that direction. The lab was connected to the space next door by an arched passage, which made it possible to access without going through the hall.

The sound had been alarming, but it didn't prepare Nate for the sight of two Elohim on the floor, _or a_ ruairi jamming something into a narrow tower beside a monitor. In the span of time it took Nate to recover from the shock, the alien spun around to face him guiltily.

Though the ruairi held out arms in surrender, Nate still drew his katana while advancing on him. "Where are the rest of your kind? Where is my _dad_?"

The alien dropped his hands but spoke not a word, stiffening when the Arsiterite blade tapped his chest.

"Start talking!" Nate sensed his cousins behind him, and called out to them without taking his eyes off the enemy. "Guys, check the Elohim! I think they need help. I won't let this one go anywhere."

"They have been envenomated," Ghysis announced tightly. "They need medical assistance!"

The furious blur of his uncle rushed past Nate and slammed the ruairi into the wall. Donatello held him down with one hand clenched over his left wrist, while using the rest of his body to crush the alien against the panel.

"What are you doing with my brother? Where are the others?"

The teen's silence persisted, though his fear was too acute to miss.

"If you think I'll go easy on you just because you're a kid, you're dead wrong!" Donny growled. "You attacked my family, my friends, and you're going to answer for it! Now where the shell ARE they?"

"What has happened?"

Nate twisted at the sound of Shukri's voice, and watched the tall Banrif sweep into the room.

"He assaulted them," Don explained without loosening his grip on the ruairi.

"That isn't all he did," the orange-masked turtle pointed out. "Is that a computer? He forced something into the tower."

Shukri stared on, torn between his injured kin, the ruairi Donatello had pinned, and the potentially sabotaged machine, but the arrival of more hands snapped him back to reality. "Lasaro, will you call for more assistance? Violet, we need the antidote prepared."

Shukri headed for the computer, and Nate joined him to demonstrate what the alien had done. Silently the elohim took a seat behind the screen, and brushed a hand over the monitor. Nate couldn't identify what he was trying to do with the various dark quadrants which made up the picture, but the sight made the alien gasp.

"What have you done? Huziah, _why?_ Why would you do any of this?"

"I knew he came for a reason," Nate muttered. "Shukri, what did he do? What's wrong?"

Shukri tapped several buttons whose components resembled hieroglyphics, murmuring something unintelligible before reaching for his communicator. Nate waited impatiently while the elohim exchanged words with someone else in his own language, and then shoved his chair back from the desk with barely concealed rage.

"Our monitoring program has crashed," Shukri announced flatly. "Whatever he did is hindering all of our terminals through the shared connection."

"What does it effect?" Donatello called over his shoulder.

"It is mostly related to surveillance. Huziah, what has possessed you? _Answer me!_ " Shukri was inches from the ruairi now, but the youth refused to open his mouth.

"That's not gonna work." Tim's voice wavered with the statement.

Nate shot his cousin a look for interrupting, but then realized if Tim was speaking up, there was probably a good reason.

"Where are they?" Don pronounced the words slowly, his tone lowering with each one.

"He's not going to tell you," Tim said. "You're wasting time. He's the designated sacrifice; he _expected_ to die. You won't get anything out of him, Uncle Don. You're better off focusing on your software."

"He will tell me," Donny insisted.

"He won't!" the young turtle insisted. "Don't waste your energy. We need your tracking program. Please, Ojisan. Find the right frequency, and we'll find him."

The force of the purple-masked turtle's weight was probably cutting off the ruairi's air supply, but he abruptly broke his glare to look at Shukri. "Do you have somewhere to put him? I have to get back to my scanner, and your people need to fix surveillance."

"We can handle him, Ojisan," Nate assured the older turtle.

Donatello dragged the alien away from the wall by the back of his neck, and Ghysis produced a spool of coated wire for him. Olivia pulled over a chair, and Don dropped the ruairi into it, while pinning his left arm with an iron grip.

"Tie him down as tight as you can," Donny instructed. "I don't care if you cut off his circulation. He's harboring a deadly payload, and we can't let him use it on anyone else."

Jayden scowled into the alien's face. "Dad, do what you gotta do, and we'll take care of this. Maybe we can even convince him to talk."

The older turtle flattened the ruairi's offending wrist until the others had him lashed securely to the chair. "Don't take your eyes off him, and lock that door!"

Without another word, Donatello stormed to the next room to continue his project, while Shukri harriedly conferred with two more voices in the background about restoring the monitoring system.

The five young turtles formed an intimidating half circle in front of the silent assailant, and Charlotte flicked the alien's shoulder for attention.

"Hey, this doesn't make any sense. These Elohim have been your friends for years, and this is how you repay them? By stabbing them in the back? And Mike did nothing but embrace your kind, so you plot something hideous against him? Whatever this is, you won't get away with it!"

When the youth still didn't speak, Olivia backhanded him across the face.

"Like my Ojisan said, we won't go easy on you! There are worse pains than a quick death, and we know how to inflict all of them. Just tell us where they are. Tell us!"

Nate caught his red-masked cousin's hand to prevent her from striking their captive again. "Olivia, I think Tim's right. He's made up his mind not to talk. Whatever their reason for doing it, this ruairi's not going to tell us anything."

"Does that mean we should let him?" she bellowed. "You wanna turn him loose too?"

"He's not going anywhere, and we'll catch up to the rest of them. With the amount of people searching, there's no way they'll escape. This traitor doesn't need to talk. We only have to make sure he doesn't hurt or kill anyone else."

"I did not kill anyone," the ruairi replied stiffly. "I barely penetrated far enough to envenomate. I made sure."

"You still attacked them!" Jayden seethed. "Like your buddies are hurting Nate's dad."

"They did not want to hurt him either," Huziah said softly. "It will not be severe."

Olivia's fist found the alien's jaw before Nate could stop her that time. "I _want_ to hurt you! It's not going to stop, not for one minute, not until you tell us where they're going with him."

"Liv, no." The orange-masked turtle put himself between her and Huziah. "You can't do that."

"Don't protect him, Nate, that's your dad! Do you wanna get him back or not?"

He grasped her shoulder firmly and breathed shallowly through the temptation to join her. "We can't force him to talk."

"We can," she corrected. "If you'll let me."

"Olivia, violence won't work on him," Tim reiterated. "His stubborness is deeper now than it was before. All you're doing is strengthening his resolve."

"Why?" Charlotte's question was plaintive. "Why are you doing this?" she demanded of Huziah. "Isn't it enough that we're facing Vagari? Then your kind go and turn on everyone too. How can you do such a thing to people who took care of you? Who've always been kind to you?"

Nate watched in amazement while the ruairi's frame sagged with something resembling regret. It was incredible to think that Charlotte's despondency was more effective than Olivia's hands-on approach, but after another moment, the alien's face washed over with indifference.

Seeing the weakness made the orange-masked turtle consider pushing the guilt factor, but he gave Tim another glance instead. "What are you getting from him?"

"He's desperate," his cousin answered. "He thinks there's no other way. I can't tell you what they're doing, Chokkan, but they _have_ a reason."

"And we have a good reason to beat the shell out of him," Jayden said. "That's my vote."

"Hold on." Nate extended a hand to the purple-masked male. "Even if he won't talk, his actions still give us clues. Why would he carry out an attack on their surveillance system?"

Tim nodded at once. "Because he doesn't want anyone to see what they're doing."

"Which tells us they're not in the wilderness," Charlotte realized. "The monitors and sensors are mostly based within the tunnels and fortress."

"So they're not in the open," Nate said to himself. "But probably using the underground network?"

"Yeah, but there are a lot of tunnels," Tim told him. "They could have taken any number of passages, and they're ahead of us."

"Ruairi do not like the tunnels," Shukri added suddenly.

Nate whirled to face the elohim, completely unaware he was listening to them.

"They do not prefer cold, small spaces," the alien continued.

"But doesn't it seem they could be using them?" Nate grasped at the hint of hope.

"It makes sense based on what Huziah did. But the Ruairi have a distinct disadvantage going underground. It will hamper their flight, and slow them down considerably. They must have decided going undetected was worth the risk."

"We, on the other hand, have been around small, cold spaces for our entire lives," Nate proclaimed. "With or without the tracker, I think it's time to go. All of us." He glanced around the circle for his cousins' agreement, and even got a nod from Tim. _I'm done wasting time on this moron. We're out of here._


	108. Tracking

Despite feeling out of his element, Jayden's confidence surged once his team took to the dark tunnels. There was no reason for certainty or to be encouraged yet; even his own father had temporarily abandoned the project with his scanner, leaving the machine behind to continue searching for a suitable frequency without him.

Not knowing exactly where their enemies were or how they would find them didn't matter to the purple-masked teen much, because they were still taking action. His dad was at the front of the pack jogging with Nate, carrying a currently useless crystalline tablet under one arm.

Their direction of travel had nothing to do with intelligence, but simply common sense. If their quarry _were_ underground, they needed to escape to the other side. Jayden was comforted by the fact that if the Ruairi crossed through the wilderness instead, the teams actively combing the area would still be present to find them. _So we're covering all of our bases. One of us is going to catch up with them. Shell, it'd be great if it was us._

He cast an appraising glance at his younger cousin running in front of him, grateful for Tim's willingness to accompany them. _He insists he's changed, but Nate's right. Deep down, Tim is still himself. Only takes a disaster to bring it out of him._

Walking away from the blasted ruairi prisoner without snapping one of his limbs had been difficult. _And that's nothing compared to what it will be like if we catch the rest of them._ The familiar sensation of blending with his team had tempered rage for a while, but Jayden wasn't sure he'd be able to contain it later.

Contemplation almost made him lose his footing when he took his eyes off the others. It was difficult to miss the uneven surfaces unless he paid careful attention to the ones handling glittering _klioms_. Jayden preferred to reserve hands for his ono, but it meant relying on teammates to guide him on the safest path. He hoped his fumble went unnoticed, but in a flash, his sister doubled back.

"Having trouble focusing?" The teasing quality of her tone reminded him so much of better times, Jayden had to grin.

"Nah. It's just these big feet. They weren't made for tip-toeing, y'know?"

"Someone needs to brush up on ballet."

 _That_ brought a dark look from him. "Those lessons were never to be mentioned."

"If you're struggling with grace, you know exactly who to turn to."

"Then hold the light up where I can see it," he grumbled.

"Still have to watch where you're going."

"Duh, Charlie. I'm glad you're here to tell me these things."

"I'm glad you're here to trip over your own feet."

Jayden heard Olivia snort ahead of them, and waved off both females. "Yeah, you guys go ahead and laugh, okay? But you better remember what the old 'thunder-shell' is capable of. I can beat you at your own game, and I've proved it."

Liv's smirk was faintly illuminated by the kliom. "You're so sensitive, Kaiju."

The inopportune moment she chose to look back made her miss the halt in front of them, and the red-masked turtle collided with Tim before he could warn her. It took a couple seconds for the pair to get untangled, but Jayden's near guffaw was cut off by his father's raised voice.

"You're sure? Okay, walk me through it, quick!" Don paused to catch Nate's arm. "Give me some more light."

Unable to resist the urge to look over his dad's shoulder, Jayden pressed in closer to see what was happening.

"Can you send me real-time coordinates?" Donny requested, then looked exasperated. "No, I mean...can you show me what's happening _while_ it's occurring?" He hesitated, listening for the reply of whoever was speaking through his earpiece. "I think that will work, as long as it's in the form of a signal I can follow. I agree. Tell the others to circle around, just in case. Well, you don't know how fast we are...Let me check it."

Donatello ran a finger over the crystalline screen, revealing a mass of images broken into several quadrants. "Uh...yeah, you've got to simplify this. I don't need to see everything; only what's relevant to their location. I appreciate the information, but it's a bit of an overload."

The picture sharpened into two sections, one of which curiously displayed their own position. His dad chuckled.

"Yes, Shukri, I'm glad you can see us, but since our team is together, it isn't necessary for _me_ to see us. Why don't you map this out, and in the meantime, we'll stay on our current path? Thanks."

Don looked over his shoulder at the rest of them. "Surveillance is back in business. Cameras and sensors already picked up the Ruairi." The older turtle peered closer at the screen. "I don't know how to zoom, but the pictures are pretty good for how dark it is."

"How far out?" Nate cut in.

"They're about...two miles away. We still have an opportunity to cut in on them. Our tunnel will intersect with theirs eventually, but we need to get ahead first."

"Doable!" Jayden declared.

"Guys, huddle up," Donatello instructed, motioning them in close. "If this comes down to a fight with the Ruairi, there are a couple details to remember. The first one is that no matter how wiry they appear, these aliens are stronger than they look. Don't underestimate them. The second is to avoid their left hands at all costs once we come in close contact."

"Because of their neurotoxin," Charlotte clarified. "Dad, how bad is it? Those Elohim were laid out."

"It's extremely potent. In high doses, it can be lethal. But even a small injection can do serious tissue damage and cause a rapid onset of paralysis and coma. Screws with internal organs too, not to mention being painful. Leo wasn't a fan."

Jayden grinned while testing the flat edge of the ono against his palm. "They can't envenomate anyone without hands, right? I could solve all our problems."

His father gave him a look, but when he didn't vocally protest, Jayden sensed he was in favor of the idea.

"We have to be quick, stick together, and don't let anything touch us. You guys ready to take off?"

"We can do it," Tim affirmed, with a surge of confidence that gave the purple-masked turtle goosebumps.

Donatello glanced back down at the screen which had shifted again, to images that were more reminiscent of a map. "Shukri will guide our steps and keep us on track. I'd rather be using my own software, but I'll take whatever I can get tonight. Let's go."

* * *

All traces of Jayden's humor were gone, replaced by a somber determination to win against opponents with a big head start. The purple-masked turtle refused to accept any chance for failure, but was glad to be following the others, and not tracking their progress. _Don't need any distractions._

His attention fixed on his torch bearing cousins, and he stayed within their shadows to mirror where their feet fell. When the path gained a slight grade, Jayden had the sense they were closing in on their goal. He didn't ask his dad about it, but regarded Tim instead.

The ease with which his younger cousin kept up with the group and fluidity of his form spoke of nothing but professionalism. Tim gave him a quick sidelong glance when he tapped his shell.

"What is it, Jay?"

"Nothing. You've still got it – that's all."

Tim's smile was slow in coming, but did materialize. "It's kinda buried, but...maybe."

"You get your hands on those Ruairi, I bet you'll remember quick."

The blue-masked turtle's grin looked smug. "I remembered against the Vagari too. Charlotte and I got a little piece of them as we were escaping."

"A little piece?" Charlie echoed. "Tim, we destroyed those bastards."

Pride swelled up in the purple-masked male for them both. "And now you get to do it again, but we're with ya. How lucky is that?"

His younger cousin snickered. "The luckiest, Jay."

"Hey, guys!" Nate called from the front. "We're getting ready to cross over. There's a gap, but it's nothing we can't handle."

Excitement flooded Jayden's nerves. "Are we ahead of them?"

"We made it," Donatello confirmed. "So it's time to backtrack. Let's get across, but then I want to kill the lights. They're not far according to the sensors, so we can slow our pace, and they won't even see us coming."

Jayden rubbed his hands together while waiting for his dad to take a bounding leap to cross the small chasm. He stood back as his cousins and sister followed, then resumed his normal position at the rear.

He experienced a small break with reality while flying through the air, and landed on the other side without making a sound. The relief of being so close to their quarry was great enough that he felt like laughing, but the purple-masked turtle held it in. Instead, he gripped the handle of the ono strapped across his back, and shifted closer to the clustered shadows of his cousins.

The only visible light came from the tablet his dad was using, and it barely provided enough to see the ground. Slowing down made the loss of visibility less dangerous, and allowed them to focus more on listening.

Jayden heard voices before he caught the distant shimmer of klioms, and their progress instantly halted. Donatello searched their immediate surroundings, then craned his neck to look further down the tunnel.

"Jay, Charlotte, Tim, wait here. Nate, Olivia and I will sneak down there, and allow the Ruairi to get in between us. I want them surrounded. Remember: don't let them get a hand on you."

"We're not worried, Dad, but they should be," Jayden hissed.

The older turtle nodded. "Stay here. Let them come to you."

The three turtles hunkered down off the path to wait, and Jay couldn't resist grinning at his counterparts.

"Dude, it hasn't been the same without you two. I know things have been seriously screwed up, but you've gotta be feeling better now."

"It won't fix me," Tim answered quietly. "But I'm trying, Jay. I feel like I need to apologize again. I've been hogging your sister, and it's really not fair. I mean, she's your twin."

Jayden shook his head sharply. "Nah. We're not twins."

Charlotte caught his shoulder. "What are you saying?" she demanded softly.

"The three of us are totally triplets, Charlie."

Jayden couldn't see the blue-masked turtle, but the startled laugh which Tim had to rapidly smother spoke volumes.

"T-thanks, Jay."

The purple-masked male sent him another invisible smile and drew his ax with a hum of anticipation. Every footstep he heard caused his energy to build, until he could hardly stand to sit still. _C'mon, you slowpokes. I'm tired of waiting on ya!_

When he could clearly pick up their enemies' outlines through the light of their klioms, Jayden rose, confident the others were already in position too. The moment the entire group of Ruairi stopped short was one he would cherish for the ages.

"Well, hey. Are you guys going somewhere?" he greeted, overly friendly. "'Cause you have something, _someone_ , who doesn't belong to you."

Jayden snorted when the youth tried to backpedal, only to find themselves hemmed in on the opposite side as well. He brandished his ono with a cackle. "Who wants to lose a hand? Any takers?"

"You'd better believe I'll _let_ him, if you don't turn over my brother," Donatello proclaimed.

The Ruairi drew together so closely, it as was though a mass of bodies had become one. Despite their fear, Jayden wasn't about to believe they weren't a threat. Not anymore.

Aalok emerged from the pack after a moment, hands extended. "Please do not kill us. Or if you must, begin and end with me. The others are not responsible. They only did as I instructed."

" _Where_ is my brother?" Don all but shouted.

Aalok glanced back and nodded for the others to part, revealing the crumpled form of the orange-masked turtle. Donatello and Nate surged forward so quickly that it threw the aliens into a panic, but their attempt to scatter was hampered by the other four turtles.

"Guys, don't let them near us," Donny commanded, and bent over Michelangelo at last. "Of _course_ you envenomated him, you back-stabbing sacks of crap."

"Ojisan, is he all right?" Nate hovered close, obviously struggling to stay out of the way.

"He needs the antidote. I should have brought one with me!"

"I have it," Aalok volunteered with a tremor, and backed away when Don lunged to his feet.

"Hand it over! Right now!"

The ruairi fumbled with his belt, and Jayden almost jumped him when he saw what looked like a small gun. His father appeared to recognize the item, however, and wrenched it from his hand before Aalok could give it up.

"Vials!" he ordered.

The youth released a pouch with shaky grip, and cleared his throat nervously. "You...you have to load it-"

"I'm familiar with the process!" Donny snapped. "It's not the first time your race has betrayed my family."

Jayden wanted to see what his dad would do with the items, but focused on watching the aliens like a hawk instead.

"I am truly sorry," Aalok wavered. "I did not want to hurt him, or anyone else."

"Oh, you're sorry?" Donatello answered without looking up. "I guess everything is fine then."

The ruairi latched on to hope as if it were real. "It is?"

The older turtle glanced over with an incredulous glare. "No! You assaulted and kidnapped my brother! What part of that is okay?"

The ruairi shifted from one foot to the other nervously. "None of it. But as I said, the fault is mine. Please do not take it out on the others."

Jayden scowled while twisting the shaft of his ono. He'd been all worked up for a conflict, and their surrender was ruining it. Nate remained kneeling at his father's side, but Don rose and headed directly for Aalok.

"How could you do this? We've barely known you three days, and you've already got the gall to betray us? What _is_ it with your kind? Are you hardwired to screw people over?"

"No, I...I do not know 'hardwired'," he faltered. "But this is not what I wanted. I did not choose this course of action."

"You can't simultaneously take the blame and refuse it, Aalok. It doesn't work that way."

"I know! I know I am not making any sense, but...Do as you please with me. I will not fight you. I only beg you not to harm the others."

Don crossed his arms severely. "I don't see how we can trust any of you again. They seemed to have no problem playing along until you got caught."

"We did not want to do this!" The ruairi choked on the words, wilting under Donatello's savage look.

"Then why? Why did you? Are you trying to save your own skins? Do you think if you cooperate with the Vagari, they'll spare you from the same fate as everyone else? As a former prisoner, I'd think you know better than that."

"No, I did not want to cooperate!" he insisted. "We were given no choice."

"Dude, there's always a choice," Jayden retorted. "We coulda been friends, but now you done gone and pissed off my dad. You've got no clue how much trouble you're in."

"Then finish me here."

"Don't tempt me," the older turtle said tersely. "I'd love nothing more than to give you the beating you deserve. If my kids, niece and nephews weren't standing there, I might go through with it."

"We can look the other way," Olivia offered. "We don't have to watch anything."

Jayden started to agree, but Tim's sudden movement on his right made him hold his tongue.

"What do they have on you?" The blue-masked turtle slowly went toward the ruairi. "Aalok? What made you agree to do this?"

The alien looked between Tim and Don. "I...I cannot. Forgive me, terrapins, but I dare not speak of it."

"You're in trouble," Tim stated matter-of-factly. "If you don't let someone help, you're finished. Now tell me what they've done."

"I cannot!" Aalok's voice soared. "The danger is too great!"

"Maybe you don't realize how much danger you're _in_ ," Charlotte suggested.

"He's not referring to them," Tim corrected. "It's someone else. Who's in danger, Aalok?"

Aalok glanced at his comrades, and shuddered so hard Jayden thought he might collapse. "Eovis," he said weakly. "Vagari surround my home planet. They are going to destroy it. So...you see, I had no choice. Do what you must with me, terrapins, for I fear the fate of my own race is already sealed."


	109. Stoke

Raphael mumbled a curse while making yet another pass of the window that looked into the infirmary. He was accomplishing nothing except making himself angrier, but as there was nothing else to occupy him, the pacing continued.

Upon turning to go back the way he'd come, the sight of his older brother in his path brought the red-masked turtle up short.

"Raph, c'mon. There's no reason to hang around here yet. Mike's getting the attention he needs, and Ghyath is trying to pull everyone together."

"For what? Do we get a vote in what happens to those Ruairi punks?"

"Raph..."

Raphael scowled. "Yeah, didn't think so. What's the point in showing up if I don't get any satisfaction?"

"Because I want you there."

"You _would_ have to make it about you, Fearless." His words were half-hearted, but they still earned him a glare.

"Stop being stubborn and come with me. Do you want to know what's happening, or not?"

He begrudgingly waved at his brother to lead the way, but swear words still ran through his mind over the course of the short journey. _Those darn aliens being desperate doesn't give 'em the right to do this. They were also dumb enough to trust the Vagari, when the oldest one definitely knows better. I swear, if the Nalikjan try to go easy on them, I'll give the Elohim hell._

Raphael was still fuming while being led into another room, but his thoughts came to a screeching halt when he found the number of people waiting on them. He'd expected their own kids to be there in addition to some key Elohim players, but not to find a nearly full seating area.

He caught a wary glance from Ezra's direction, and sent a reassuring nod to the Irishman and Kamryn on his other side. _I ain't gonna lose it in front of everyone, not unless Ghyath says they're turning the Ruairi loose._

He noted Bahri sitting near the back of the room with some surprise. The elohim's improved posture attested to the removal of his torture devices, but he still looked weary and defeated. _There's a lot of work to do there yet._

About midway down the section, he located Liran with his grandson, accompanied by a few more figures who appeared related. _Guess this is getting serious. It's a good thing Leo came to get me._ He shot his blue-masked brother a look of mute gratitude, and Leonardo pointed out a spot closer to the front.

Not until they were seated on the outskirts of another row occupied by their kids did Ghyath approach the podium.

"With the lateness of the hour, I am not interested in going very in depth," the Rynn began. "However, there are some matters which cannot wait."

Raphael heard a soft murmur behind him, and looked back to find one of the elohim speaking with Legatus. _Oh. He's gotta be translating. It's something else that the Elohim bend over backwards for_ us _to understand, when it means their own kind can't._

"I can assure all of you that the current threat is contained. There has not been a consequence determined for the action of the Ruairi, but they will not be given a second chance to harm anyone."

Raph felt awkward while raising his hand, but couldn't help himself. "Just outta curiosity, is anyone else worried we might have already been exposed? If those Ruairi were talking to the Vagari, there's no telling what they know."

"That is a fair concern, Raphael, but the evidence provided does not demonstrate that they dealt with the Vagari directly. They communicated with members from their own planet, who reported the ultimatum which was delivered. The demand was for one of you to be given up," Ghyath finished with a wince.

"But we know for a fact that they never talked to Vagari?"

Leonardo's elbow found his side at the follow-up question, but Raphael wasn't going to relent.

"We cannot know for certain, but the communicators we evaluated only contained records of conversations with Eovis." The golden-eyed elohim looked suddenly ashamed. "While we closely monitored local contact, I confess we did not delve deeper into interplanetary messages. If we had, this would not have been missed. I am very sorry for failing to protect you, terrapins. This night could have ended much worse."

"We're not blaming any of you, Ghyath," Leo said. "But with the uncertainty involved, is it safe to stay here? If we need to move, this would be the time to do it."

"You are free to question Aalok as I have done, Leonardo. I determined he was telling the truth about not having spoken to our enemies yet, but it is possible you could get something else out of him."

"He was sure as shell _gonna_ talk to them," Jayden muttered.

Leonardo sent the sixteen-year-old a warning glance, even as Ghyath continued.

"I am in favor of the nine of you terrapins being taken somewhere more...secure, in any case."

"Nah, man, we already did the house arrest thing," the red-masked turtle grumbled. "That ain't why we came here."

"I know it is not, and that you are perfectly capable of taking care of yourselves, Raphael, under normal conditions. The problem is that we not engaged in a fair fight. We are dealing with a persistent, single-minded enemy whose only current goal is to capture you. You realize they will use any means necessary to do so."

Raphael growled under his breath. "We're not being shuttled off somewhere else."

"Raph, _stop_ ," his older brother hissed.

"Stop what, Leo? Are you in favor of this?" he whispered heatedly.

"Of course not-"

"Well, then you gotta say so, or I will!"

The way Leonardo clenched his jaw indicated his irritation was rising, but he turned to face Ghyath. "Unless you're aware of impending danger, I would hesitate to do anything hasty with us."

"But no one knew what the Ruairi were planning," Shukri declared from the right side of the room. "Can you imagine how paranoid it leaves us?"

"You're paranoid?" Olivia spoke up. "How do you think _we_ feel?"

"You will not be forced to do anything," Ghyath inserted quickly. "It is simply an option. I hoped for time to gather intelligence on the Vagari, but it seems they are moving too quickly."

"Well, hang on," Leonardo ventured. "Moving quickly can equate to being reckless. It sounds like something we could possibly use against them."

Raphael fixed on his older brother. "Have you got a plan already?"

"More like an idea, Raph. The Vagari aren't going to stop trying to track down Charlotte and Tim, and they'll use any resource on Zuhur to do it. They're willing to destroy another race, just to make it happen. Granted, there's a chance they'll kill off the Ruairi whether they cooperate or not, unfortunately."

"They were willing to trade us out for them, Leo. Doesn't seem like there's much of an alliance left there."

Ghyath cocked his head at the statement. "Does that mean we should not care, Raphael?"

"No, that ain't what I said. But it sounds like their leadership would rather go along with the Vagari than throw in their lot with _us_. What are we supposed to do about it?"

"According to Aalok, their leaders did not ask him to do anything. They merely communicated the threat. But even if they demanded that he deliver anyone to Vagari, it would not change anything."

The red-masked turtle scowled that time. "The shell it wouldn't."

"Raphael, what are the government officials on your own planet like?" Ghyath pressed. "Are there any of them you would consider dishonorable?"

He snorted unintentionally. "Just a few."

"And would you sentence the entire human race to death because of those individuals?"

Chagrined, the turtle shook his head. "No. I wouldn't."

"No more can we. But what were you saying, Leonardo?"

"I'm thinking if the Vagari are already pushing the Ruairi to go through with this, there might be a way to use the situation to our advantage. Let them think they're getting exactly what they want, while we're setting up to turn the tables on them. It's not the type of maneuver they'd expect, especially since they don't know the rest of us are here yet."

"The use of bait has been a successful tactic in the past," Bahri added cautiously. "But at that time, we also had members of our own infiltrated within the Overlord's ranks."

"It wouldn't be the same idea as what we pulled on Yasir in Central," Leonardo told him. "But we're not as desperate either. We don't have anyone to rescue. We need to prevent them from getting their hands on us to start with."

"But the method you are suggesting implies you mean to put yourself within their reach," the blue-eyed elohim argued tiredly. "You will do what you think is best, of course."

"Honestly, I don't know what a set up will look like yet," Leo admitted. "All I'm saying is, they're trying to use others against us, in a way we could possibly turn around on them."

"But that would also mean trusting those Ruairi, Leo," Raph said doubtfully. "You ready to do that?"

"I'm not ready to do anything tonight, or before I've spoken to them on my own."

"It is likely there are some unconventional moves to be made," Ghyath acknowledged. "Those gathered in this place are the ones I trust most in Cri Drojen. I am not against the rest of our neighbors, but I encourage you terrapins especially to avoid contact with them.

"We have made the decision to limit communications and block the majority of the radio spectrum for the time being. It will make it harder for those outside to reach us, but it is a precaution I feel we must take. Terrapins, we are going to do everything in our power to keep you safe."

"We appreciate the gesture," Leo allowed. "But you also need to remember why we're still here. It's going to come to a fight, and we have to be prepared. It may happen sooner than any of us are ready for. At the end of the day though, we're not hanging around as your guests. The goal is to stop the Vagari, and that means taking action."

The blue-masked turtle rose to his feet while giving Ghyath a questioning glance. Raphael understood the permission he was requesting, and so did the elohim.

"You may speak freely, Leonardo."

Leo went toward the center of the room, but didn't stand in front of Ghyath. "Some of you, I know well. Others, we've yet to be properly introduced. To those, it must seem strange to hear me speak out of place. But my kind aren't strangers to conflict. We don't enjoy fighting, not in the sense that we love engaging violence. Where we come from, defense is a lifestyle.

"But while it's true that we don't start fights, we _are_ forced to look for them. Because if we don't, the bad guys will win. Hands down. We may be forced to take what feels like an aggressive course of action against the Vagari, which doesn't make sense with such a powerful enemy.

"However, if we only wait around and react to _their_ actions, we'll end up doing nothing but running. No matter what stories you've heard, my brothers, our kids and myself, we're not equipped with mythical powers. We've simply trained our whole lives, and are willing to take risks most people would deem insane.

"But we can't single-handedly defeat the Vagari. We're going to need help. We're going to need...El. We've seen His deliverance before. I'm sure you've heard the stories, if you didn't see the battle with the Overlords yourselves.

"You need to be prepared for the unexpected, because there's no telling what could happen, moment by moment. We're willing to stand with you. That's why we're here. But we need you to stand with us too. To believe in us when the odds are impossible."

Leonardo glanced over at Ghyath. "I bow to your Rynn's authority, as someone I implicitly trust. My goal is not to take anything away from him or the rest of you, but to merely come alongside for our joint purpose. There are a lot of lives hanging in the balance.

"I don't want a war, but not wanting it won't change the need for one. I can't tell you where to go from here, or even what the first step will be. Except to say, we have to be united as one. Despite the differences in our planets, races and backgrounds, we all need the same thing. We aren't going to see eye-to-eye on every detail, but we _have_ to come together, because we have no other choice."

The golden-eyed elohim nodded solemnly. "I would remove you and your entire family if I could, Leonardo. But I fear we cannot do this without you."

"Without each other," the turtle corrected. "We're not the saviors, Ghyath. Remember?"

"I do," he answered. "But I also remember the embers which you stoked inside me, and I sense you are already doing such work again."

Raphael gave the room a cursory glance, and recognized the change in the atmosphere which had taken place. Even their own kids were now in a silent state of readiness, instead of the impatience and anger which was barely controlled minutes ago.

 _Well, dang. We don't call him "Fearless" for nothing._

* * *

Donatello felt a twinge of weariness, but it was difficult to tell how late the hour was. _Not getting tired like normal makes it harder to determine. I have to wonder what other physical changes could be ahead. We're still in uncharted territory with dunamis._

His gaze returned to his younger brother, who appeared to be resting fitfully. Michelangelo had come around a couple of times, but the unfortunate side effects of the neurotoxin made the purple-masked turtle prefer for him to sleep. Though he'd received the antidote, it hadn't been delivered quickly enough to ward off paralysis or the subsequent fever.

 _It's bad enough that it was Mikey. What if it had been one of the kids?_ Don's fists clenched while he warred with fury. _We're supposed to be on the same side. I know they feel like they had no choice, but it doesn't excuse their actions._

A shadow of movement on the other side of the window caught his attention for the fifth time within a few minutes. _Someone else is hanging around, and I'd like to know why._ Donatello couldn't deny feeling paranoid, but even knowing that he was probably overreacting didn't stop the turtle from rising.

He knew it wasn't Raph because of the way Leo had dismissed him earlier, but it was apparent someone else had taken his place. Don retracted the door, and laid eyes on Chirayu with a small measure of surprise. "Hi. Can I help you with something?"

She fell back a pace. "Oh, hello, terrapin. I am not disturbing you, am I?"

"Well, no. But do you mind if I ask what you're doing?"

Her lavender irises flicked to the door. "I feel better, knowing you are safe."

"You're...guarding the room?"

"It is strange when you are fully capable, I suppose. But as Brayliq it is part of my function, and I experience greater peace of mind when performing it."

"I don't mind," he said honestly. "But would you like to come in?"

"I do not want to impose."

"You're not gonna bother Mikey. Between fever and the antidote, he's out of it. I'd rather you sit with us than look over our shoulders."

She seemed embarrassed. "Forgive me. I should go."

"Please don't," he requested.

"You wish me to stay?"

"I haven't been around Zuhur in a long time, and a lot has changed. Some of it for the better, it seems. I think you're part of that."

The smile which graced her features was shy. "I have been blessed."

Donatello stepped back through the doorway. "Come in."

She followed him willingly, and he found himself eyeing the polished belt she wore. It was impossible to miss the gun strapped on one side, but he also noted the lethal-looking curved blade on the other with appreciation.

"How did you get into this line of work?" he asked.

"My father was a high-ranking official within the Altus' army," she answered so casually, it left the turtle stunned. "While they did not allow women in infantry, he raised me to be strong."

"Then, um...your dad was an Overlord?"

"He was. We were members of their society."

"So how did you get here?"

"After the last battle, everything changed. I remember that fear, like no terror I had experienced before. The fire partially engulfed Arcadia, and my home was one of those which burned. I escaped with my life, but was badly injured. When the Nalikjan arrived in the city, I thought they had come to finish us off.

"Honestly, I was ready for death. I had nowhere left to go, or anywhere to hide. My own people, those I considered friends, were not to be found. I was alone for nearly two days after the Nalikjan came, suffering terribly. When I _was_ found, I begged for my misery to be ended quickly. But they did not."

Donny claimed a seat, and motioned her to the one opposite him. "They helped you."

"Yes. They showed mercy I did not expect, and at the time, did not want. It took days for me to recover, and months to understand that the Nalikjan were genuine in everything they said and did. I was hesitant to follow them still, even after I believed in their goodness."

"What changed?"

"Shukri," she said softly. "Kindness is not a trait men were encouraged to embrace by the Overlords. For a male to demonstrate mercy, it would be perceived as weakness. I never could forget the way he treated me with such gentleness in the course of recovery. That memory stayed with me in the coming months, and is part of what convinced me the Nalikjan were not against us."

She looked down briefly. "So it was, when a woman I still deemed a friend took ill and I had nowhere else to turn, I tentatively sought him out. But my friend was vehemently opposed to the Nalikjan's 'invasion', and would not accept help at first. It was not until she was too sick to resist that Shukri could do anything. For a woman who cursed him. Railed at him. She would have killed him, if she were able. But he helped in spite of it.

"In the face of her dreadful behavior, I finally understood that his gentleness and mercy were not a weakness, but a greater strength than I'd seen anywhere before. It was the moment I decided to learn from them."

Don smiled. "The two of you seem like a good match. I'm happy for you."

"I am grateful, but even more, I am protective, Donatello. I do not want to lose everything I hold dear."

"None of us do. That's why we're here, Chirayu. And with people like you around, maybe we still have a chance."


	110. Mercy

Bahri rested his chin in one hand, absentmindedly slouching in his chair without giving thought to posture. It had become so common to search for _any_ comfortable position over the last few weeks of constant pain, that sitting up straight was no longer automatic.

He wasn't disturbed by the way Michelangelo looked while he slept. The orange-masked terrapin's condition had dramatically improved over the last few hours owing partially to the inclusion of the antidote, but more likely the regenerative gene he carried. _No, it is not his health that bothers me now, but the idea that he was nearly taken at all. None of them deserve such betrayal, but for someone to do that to Michelangelo when he innocently trusted them...What else are these Ruairi capable of?_

The betrayal was uncomfortably familiar when it came to the alien race. Being attacked and left for dead without any kind of provocation by Ruairi "allies" decades prior had left Bahri slightly scarred, but he'd made the decision to forgive them then. _And I did not hesitate when we had another opportunity for a pact. But for these youth to do this after living here for years, refusing to come to us when there was trouble...What are we supposed to do with them? I cannot imagine trusting Ruairi again._

 _We made the choice to help their elder predecessors, in spite of their wicked actions. Yet somehow, the young ones attempt on Michelangelo is more disturbing. I do not know how that can be, since Achaz also attacked Leonardo. It could be argued they had a good reason, but it does not excuse it. Maybe I will feel differently in a day or two, but for now, I only want them to remain locked up. All of them._

"What's up?"

The terrapin's greeting had the effect of nearly startling Bahri out of his mind. At his friend's smirk, the elohim shook his head. "I believe you are beginning to do it on purpose, Michelangelo."

"Now why would I do that?"

"I cannot say, except that you receive some odd thrill from catching me off guard."

"Nah. I'm just happy to wake up and _feel_ everything."

Bahri winced. "My apologies, Michelangelo."

"You're cool, Bahri." His voice was lower than usual, but his smile was genuine. "Sure glad they managed to find my shell. It all happened so fast."

The elohim nodded gravely. "There was a near panic on our end. We did not know where to begin searching for you. Most joined in to look, but it was your own family who was successful. That does not surprise me one bit, unlike other things."

Michelangelo's brow creased. "What does that mean?"

"I probably should not be shocked by the Ruairi's betrayal. They have history of looking out for their own interests, at the expense of anyone else. It seems to be a consistent trait with which they are born."

"They don't _always_ look out for themselves," Michelangelo negated, raising his head further. "Is there any water around?"

Abashed, the elohim got up to search out a flask. "I am sorry, my friend. I should have thought to offer."

The terrapin exhaled softly after getting some water down. "Thanks. And you don't have to feel bad. I don't blame anybody for getting distracted. But you don't wanna get _derailed_ , y' know?"

"What are you saying, Michelangelo?"

"You're allowed to be mad, but don't let it change you."

"I am not...to what are you referring?"

The terrapin rolled upright with a grunt, much to Bahri's dismay.

"Please do not push yourself, Michelangelo. We should not even be discussing anything right now. You need to rest."

"Talking isn't hard work."

"Terrapin, your body experienced a tremendous shock," he reproved gently. "I am glad you are feeling better, but you are not well yet. If you cannot listen to me, I will fetch one of your brothers."

"You gonna bring someone else in just so you don't have to talk about this?"

"Talk about what?"

"How mad you are. You probably wanna avoid it like usual, but ya can't this time. We need our friends too much."

"I know you are not referring to the 'friends' who tried to abduct you."

"Okay, we don't have to talk about them. How about the friends you turned loose in Arcadia after they tried to kill _you?"_

"Why would you ask such a thing? You only reinforce the pattern of their self-serving nature."

"I have a point, Bahri. You're only choosing to look at one side of them."

"It is the same side they keep presenting." His retort was sharper than intended.

"But it's not the only side," the terrapin said softer. "Is it? They weren't thinking about themselves when they dropped in on the Overlords who had us surrounded. They weren't being self-serving when most of them died for us in one battle."

The elohim's throat felt suddenly dry. "No. Clearly they were not."

"Why'd you wanna save them, Bahri? It was your idea. You set it all up. Why did it matter?"

Bahri broke his gaze. "Because...I am not more innocent than they. Those Ruairi betrayed us as result of fear, but we turned against El out of pure selfishness. Remembering the depths of our own fall made it simpler to show them mercy."

"Makes sense. But what about these kids, Bahri?"

The elohim's expression darkened. "I would rather not speak of them, Michelangelo."

"But what were you just telling me? You forgave the guys who tried to kill you, and even stuck your neck out for them again. Yet when it comes to these scared teenagers, they don't deserve any mercy?"

"They were neither injured nor killed after you were recovered from them. I consider that a mercy in itself."

The terrapin sat up again. "This seems to bother you more than what the others did. I know I'm important and all, but it feels off."

Bahri struggled to resist a smile, despite irritation. "I do not know why it bothers me more. I was trying to figure it out when you scared me. Again."

Michelangelo chuckled. "Okay. I accept the blame, and you can be irritated with me. You don't have be mad at _them_ anymore."

"How can you _not_ be angry?"

His friend was suddenly wistful. "They didn't wanna do that, Bahri. Aalok was almost beside himself leading up to it. I didn't know why he was so upset at the time, but now, it makes sense. He was backed into a corner with no way out. He thought he had no choice."

"All they had to do was come to us!" Bahri's voice rose once more, and he grimaced.

"You want my theory for why it bothers you more?"

"I have no ideas, so you may as well tell me."

"You and Ghyath, you never really connected with that first group of Ruairi led by Achaz. You worked together for a purpose, but you weren't close. Deep down, you didn't trust them to begin with."

"I guess I did not."

"But the students were different. They came to live with you. Adopted a life along with the Nalikjan, so you could teach them everything you know. They were more like family. I saw Aalok with Shukri's kids, and they seemed tight. So a betrayal on this level hurts a lot more."

The explanation struck Bahri with its simplicity and directness. "I had not thought of it that way, but I suppose you are right. Their deception cuts deeper, because I believed in them."

"Bahri, I think you ought to go talk to Aalok."

"That would the wrong thing for me to do, Michelangelo. I am still angry."

"I get it. But as the only one who was actually hurt in this instance, if I say it's worth giving him another shot, shouldn't that tell you something?"

"We cannot overlook what they did, terrapin. How can we trust that they wouldn't attempt something similar given another opportunity?"

"You can't," Michelangelo told him stoically. "But does that mean you'll give up on their entire race? That doesn't sound like mercy to me."

"Why?" he half-whispered. "Why do I owe them anything?"

"Technically, you don't. But you're the one who brought up the mercy you've been shown. If El chooses to forgive ya, doesn't that say something about forgiving someone else? _Talk_ to him, Bahri. You won't feel any better about this until you do."

* * *

Aalok wished the numb sensation which had consumed him for hours could continue, but the lack of feeling had long since dissipated. Shame was the current emotion weighing down his body, tempered only by the terror he experienced for his own people.

He was grateful that the Nalikjan had at least separated him from the _Sonztu_. The only thing worse than overpowering guilt and despondency for his race was the possibility of the other students seeing it. _They must assume hope has fled, but I am glad I do not have to admit it to them yet._

The ruairi was exhausted from the stress and anxiety, but rest wouldn't come. Instead he lay on his back amidst the folds of multicolored feathers and stared at the dark ceiling of the small space which confined him.

It wasn't a traditional prison, but in some ways, it was worse. He felt isolated and clueless in the narrow room in which he'd been incarcerated, left without any knowledge of what the Nalikjan meant to do with him.

He brushed the itchy, fibrous texture of the thick glove covering his left hand. His limb felt swallowed by stiff fabric which was infused with Arsiterite and applied as a deterrent to the deadliest weapon in his arsenal. The circulation to his hand was more constricted than he liked, but he couldn't complain about the Elohim's method.

 _They could do worse. Perhaps they still will. I wish I had not dragged the others into it, but I could not leave them behind when I had no intention of returning. They might have been implicated in the scheme, and forced to pay the price for this. Now they probably will face the same punishment, regardless. I cannot relent where they are concerned. I must convince the Nalikjan to treat them differently than me._

The hollow echo of the door releasing preceded the hatch suddenly opening, and the ruairi lifted his head warily from the ground. Aalok was prepared for one of several faces, but not Bahri's.

"Bookworm," he declared quietly, then cringed at his use of the familiar title. The hurt in his mentor's eyes was so apparent, he could only stand to look at him for an instant. Aalok waited for the elohim to speak, but Bahri was curiously silent. A near eternity passed before the teen chose to look up again. " _Will you say something to me? I know you are angry. I would rather you explode than do nothing."_

When the elohim still hesitated, Aalok backed against the wall and crossed his arms miserably. _"Your hatred is no less than I deserve, but as I have begged everyone else, I will say the same to you. The other students are not behind this. Please do not punish us the same way."_

 _"Do you know_ why _I am so upset, Aalok?"_

The youth shuddered. _"Because I led an attack on one of your old friends. A creature so powerful and mythical, his reputation is nothing short of a legend. He was kind to me, and I chose to sacrifice him for my own people's behalf."_

 _"I am angry about what you did,"_ the elohim acknowledged. " _But more, I am disappointed by what you did_ not _do. You refused to turn to us. Would not trust in an alliance which was forged and lived out for decades since. You rejected everything we are, and were together. Did none of these last years mean anything to you?"_

Aalok straightened slightly, peering at the mentor closer. _"Is that what you believe? That I consider it worthless? If that were so, I would not speak at all, nor wish that you would talk to me. This was not a choice I made lightly. It was not something I committed to in a moment. I tell you,_ Bookworm _, I did not want to hurt that terrapin, nor see him come to harm from the Vagari. But if your entire civilization hung by a thread, can you tell me what you would do?"_

Bahri scowled. _"I would not trust in the empty promises of the manipulative Vagari. You know very well they do not value your race, or_ any _besides their own. What hope did you find in giving in to their demands? Do you honestly believe they will leave your people alone if you did as they instructed?"_

 _"A solution for my people was offered, and I took the action which sounded like it might save them. There are so many lives at risk, Bahri. I know it is not fair to trade one for another, but I did not know what to do."_

 _"That is_ why _you should have come to us."_

 _"I wanted to,"_ he said weakly. " _But_ _Vagari warned our leaders if Elohim made any attempt to intervene, their deaths would only be hastened."_

 _"You have a reason for your actions, but no excuse,"_ Bahri objected. _"This type of betrayal is hard for me to reconcile, Aalok."_

The ruairi's head faltered as though suddenly heavier. " _I know that full well. I am aware it cannot be paid for. If I could make amends, I would not hesitate. But it is too late for that."_ He hesitated a few more silent moments. " _How is the terrapin faring?"_

 _"Does it honestly matter to you?"_ Bahri demanded. _"You did not care very much when you were in the midst of attacking him."_

 _"You are right, Bahri. I failed and I cannot fix it. Why are you keeping me alive?"_ He gazed earnestly at the mentor, and was shocked by the unusual contortion of his expression.

" _Although you do not value him, the one whom you would have sold to the enemy wants you to have another chance. While I am not yet in agreement with the idea, I am also not your judge, Aalok. Having never been perfect, I have no right to influence what is done with you or your kind."_

The ruairi clenched talons inside the Arsiterite glove. _"Do you have any idea how long it will take for the Nalikjan to cast judgment?"_

 _"Why would you call for a hasty decision?"_

 _"Because I know it is waiting, and I would rather face it than ignore the possibilities."_

 _"I would rather you had not done it at all."_

 _"I cannot take it back. So what will you do with me? Will you punish the students severely? They are children, Bahri, who were stripped first of their guardians, and then threatened with the loss of everything else. They had no part in my decision. Can you show them any leniency?"_

 _"I have no idea. The only thing which currently consumes me is concern for us all. For if long-standing allies cannot be unified in a time like this, what hope do we have?"_

 _"That is the question I asked myself, Bahri. What hope do_ any _of us have? We are grossly outnumbered and outmatched in every way possible."_

Blue eyes blinked rapidly, signaling a noticeable chance in the elohim's countenance. " _That is not true, Aalok. Throughout these weeks, I have often disregarded hope, and the possibility of winning. But the small suspicion that there is still some chance left is what drove me to cling to life within the Vagari's cell._

 _"I was their prisoner too, you know. They harmed me deeply when I did not obey. They threatened the Nalikjan, and swore they would destroy every last one of my people if I did not cooperate. But I have been privy to such deception before, so I did not listen._

 _"Instead, I clung to what tiny flame of hope remained, though it was not even bright enough to drive darkness away. Nevertheless, it was reinforced upon finding the terrapins, and strengthened more in following them._

 _"There is yet a remnant who stands ready to fight. We are not outmatched in_ every _possible way. The Vagari's power should not be underestimated, but it does not compare to El in the slightest. Whether you choose to believe in it or not, most of us are still trusting to that hope. By taking these matters into your own hands, you are saying there is nothing left to fight for. All you can do is give in."_

 _"But I do not want to give in,"_ he wavered. " _I would like to make it right, but I fail to see how I can do so."_

Bahri shook his head. " _I am not aware of how you can do it either. But it will probably begin in the same place you_ should _have started, in choosing to be completely honest with us."_

 _"For what purpose? Why does it matter now?"_

 _"Do you think we care nothing for your civilization, Aalok? Your actions here do not reflect badly on your entire race. We would not abandon them so easily."_

The ruairi stared, dumbstruck. " _"Y...you would still choose to help us?"_

 _"I have no idea how, Aalok, but I am not skilled with such plans. In the meantime, it would be beneficial for you to stop seeking judgment, and find some way to contribute to a solution before it is too late."_


	111. Side

Tariq was tired of feeling heavy. The sensation had gotten so bad, there was little reason to get out of bed. _Not that I have many reasons for doing so, regardless._ But no matter in which position he chose to lie, his wings were a terrible burden. They had once been a symbol of everything he was proud of and believed in. Now, they were cumbersome and worthless. _I would do away with them entirely if it were possible. If it were possible..._ It was tempting to finish the thought darkly, but as he hadn't possessed the courage to end his life before, it was unlikely anything had changed today.

The soft click of his communicator had him rolling over. He watched the device go off mutely, and waited for it to be still once more. But only moments after the sound ceased, it started again with renewed fervor.

 _If I do not answer the first time, what is it that makes you try again? I don't want to talk to anyone._ He waited for it to cease, and breathed a sigh of relief when the link finished. The third time it went off he was irritated, and snatched up the communicator merely to make it stop.

 _"What do you want?"_ he demanded harshly.

 _"I wish to see you, Tariq,"_ Ghyath returned calmly. " _I am on my way to you now."_

The vagari sat up with a jolt, awkwardly straightening his blankets and tunic. _"I am not much for company, Ghyath."_

 _"I understand your feelings, Tariq, but the matter is rather urgent. I am not coming alone."_ His tone suggested the vagari had no choice in the situation.

Tariq heaved a mighty groan while dropping the link, choosing not to acknowledge the announcement. _He doesn't care if I don't like it, so why should I pretend to?_

The Rynn had the kindness to at least knock, and Tariq squared his shoulders with resignation.

" _Come, Ghyath. Just get this over with."_

The elohim's gaze was imperceptible when he peered through the door, and the shadows gathered _behind_ him made Tariq flatten against the wall upon which his bed was backed.

Ghyath held out his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "Easy, Tariq. No one means you any harm."

" _Why would you bring them here, Ghyath? I told you not to put me in this position!"_

"I know what you told me," he said, insisting on English once more. "But the stakes have increased, and we are not able to wait."

Tariq tried to control his breathing, but could neither settle down nor sit upright from his frozen spot against the wall. The muscular figures of the three terrapin warriors were even more intimidating than he'd pictured.

"We're not interested in fighting with you," the blue-masked one said carefully.

His words sounded reasonable, but Tariq couldn't forget the terror in the young terrapin's eyes, or the rage it had to elicit from the others. His _young one, no doubt._

"You made the decision to walk away from the Vagari," the terrapin continued. "That alone doesn't mean you're our friend, but I was hoping we could be allies. We can probably help each _other._ "

"Even if I want to help, I can't," he answered warily. "It's not as if I am someone important."

"You were important to the effort of getting Ghyath and our kids out of Central," the purple-masked terrapin offered.

"I had little to do with the children. I only went along with it because Ghyath would not go without them."

The red-masked one scowled, and the vagari felt himself shrinking further. "Would you rather they were still prisoners with your old cronies?"

"I...I do not wish harm on them. I'm only pointing out how little I did, and that I remain incapable."

"You were 'capable' enough to act the exact moment an opportunity presented itself, Tariq," the first told him. "Our kids wouldn't have escaped without your help."

"Yes. I took the risk of assisting Ghyath, because I knew it was the right thing. It was the first time in my life that I've had such certainty. But I'm afraid I have nothing else to offer you."

"I don't think that's true." The calm terrapin was gentle in tone, but the step he took forward made Tariq cringe. "You have knowledge that could help us, but you're afraid."

"Wouldn't you be afraid if you were me? Consider my position, terrapin. I didn't just run from Vagari. I betrayed them. Such actions are worthy of the darkest punishment the Vaga can imagine. I don't belong with the Nalikjan. I'm not one of them, and everyone knows it. I am also no friend of El. So far as I can tell, every creature in existence has a reason to be against me."

"We aren't against you," the purple-masked one insisted. "But we'd like to speak with you more about this."

"You are already here, so I see little possibility for escape," Tariq muttered.

"Let's take it easy for a minute," the blue-masked terrapin suggested. "Tariq, my name is Leonardo, and these are two of my brothers, Raphael, and Donatello. You don't have to defend yourself to us. As Don said, we're not against you."

"You want my help," the vagari retorted. "But what if I can't? Or choose not to?"

The brothers exchanged a look that terrified Tariq.

"I could think of a few things to convince ya-" Raphael shot off, only to be swatted by Leonardo.

"We didn't come to threaten you, Tariq. But if things don't change, it's more than likely that nothing ever will. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

Tariq had the ability to relax slightly under the blue one's persistent composure, but didn't know how to answer. "I'm not sure."

"Something has to give, or the Vagari will never alter this course," Leonardo supplied. "Will they?"

Tariq swallowed. "I can't foresee it. But what do you think we can do? Their numbers, weapons, technology, it is far superior. We have no means to wage war with them."

"Maybe not a conventional one," Leonardo admitted. "But there's more than one way to win a fight. The battle we won against the Overlords and more recently with the Vagari had nothing to do with numbers or an advantage. In fact, we had absolutely nothing going for us either time, Tariq."

The vagari held his eye contact, but couldn't resist flinching. "What is it you want from me, Leonardo?"

The terrapin took another step toward the bed, pausing when Tariq retreated against the wall once more. "Tim isn't comfortable addressing his experience with the Vagari, or more specifically, their leader. But he refers to the Vaga as the embodiment of all evil, and simultaneously the 'savior' your people believe they need. It's hard to imagine those traits coexisting."

Tariq folded his arms with a sudden chill. "I think it's an accurate description, knowing what I do now."

"Which is what?" Donatello asked.

"I...I realize that the Vaga's right to dominion is nothing more than a paranoid attempt to prevent history from happening a second time. I understand that while he wants to protect Creation from existing threats, another part of him wishes for our kind to never know that level of loss again. They _are_ trying to protect the universe as a whole. But he is also protecting himself, and attempting to prevent another powerful adversary before they can rise up. The Vaga's motives are far from the pure objective he always presents."

"Shocking," Raphael declared shortly.

Leonardo gave him another look. "How is their hierarchy organized? I know the Vaga is at the top, but where does everyone else stand?"

"I'm not certain what you are asking, Leonardo."

"Is the organization stable? Do they all automatically fall in line, or is there any kind of existing dissent? Something we could exploit or take advantage of?"

"I'm not aware of dissension, Leonardo. But if such a thing materialized, the Vaga wouldn't allow it to be reported. He seeks unity in every facet of our lives, so he would see arguing or disagreement as an affront to our peace. I can tell you that all ranks seem to fall behind Arzhan. They appear to love and admire him, as I did before."

"Does he have a concrete second-in-command?"

"Concrete?" Tariq repeated cluelessly.

"An assistant who would lead in his stead. Does he have one?"

"The Vaga has a number of _Kumnes_ , but to my knowledge, there isn't one he has chosen to follow his reign. I'm not sure what you are looking for, terrapin."

"It comes down to an old saying from my world, Tariq. A house divided against itself can't stand."

The vagari cocked his head while dissecting the statement. "You are suggesting if their spirits are not one, they will fail?"

"Something like that. In other words, if the Vaga wasn't in the picture anymore, what would happen with the rest of his ranks?"

The edge in Leonardo's voice made Tariq nervous, even though he knew the terrapin wasn't threatening him directly. "I honestly can't say. I sense there would be difficulty in choosing who to replace him. Arzhan has made a point of not choosing anyone as such. I think he may prefer for a competition to remain among the Kumnes, since it drives them to work harder. Because he has decided not to have an heir, there is no natural choice. Are you implying that..." The vagari hesitated. "Would you go after him yourself?"

The blue-masked terrapin met his gaze without shame. "Something has to be done, and quickly. Many lives are at stake."

Tariq shivered at the idea. "It would not be easy, Leonardo. The Vaga doesn't spend a large amount of time among the population. In order to reach him, you would likely need to get inside Central."

The terrapins exchanged another glance.

Donatello shrugged. "We've done it before. And we have several members of the Nalikjan who are familiar with every nook and cranny."

"I don't know what those are," Tariq replied. "But since our own escape of Central involved a partial hijacking of the computer, you can't expect it to be so easy again. What vulnerability existed has surely been addressed. There is also the matter of the Vaga's knowledge to consider."

"What knowledge?" Leonardo pressed. "What does he know?"

"That is impossible to determine, terrapin. It is said he harnesses a particularly unusual sensitivity to the spirit. Arzhan knows what is in someone's heart without it being spoken. He hears the secrets others whisper in the dark. And they are not mere rumors. He has a power I can't explain. I have seen it, felt it, and respected him for my entire life."

The expression in Leonardo's eyes was impossible to decipher. For several seconds the terrapin said nothing, but then focused on him once more. "I need to know everything you know, Tariq. Are you in? Are you willing to help us, or are you only leading me on?"

"I don't know if I can help you, Leonardo, or that _anyone_ would be able to. His vulnerabilities are so few-"

"But he has weaknesses," Raphael interrupted. "He's got to. He don't rule you no more, Tariq. You get to choose. Are you gonna side with the bastard who manipulated you all along, or are you with us?"

"I don't know how to side with anyone!" he exclaimed. "You are under the impression that I have something to offer, and it couldn't be any less true. I wasn't important to the Vagari – never a member of the counsel, or a ranking official of any kind."

"He trusted you, or you wouldn't have been assigned to Ghyath," Donatello pointed out.

"That's because Arzhan was fond of my father. But I can't pretend to have accomplished anything of note on my own. I was only in his service for a little over a decade, as you see time."

"How old does that make you?" Donatello sounded curious.

"I am nearly on my fortieth year."

"Did you get a normal start?" Leonardo asked. "Is that the typical age to begin service?"

"It depends on the role one is meant to play. If specially selected by the Vaga, a vagari might serve him from childhood and gain special teaching firsthand. Some believe Arzhan intends to raise up an heir that way, since he has forsaken having his own flesh and blood child."

"He'd rather someone random take over after he's gone?" Raphael challenged. "Kinda weird to leave it to chance."

"It wouldn't be chance, terrapin. I told you, the Vaga has the power to see things, hear things, which should be hidden. I don't know why he would choose a successor in that manner instead of reproducing one of his own. But this is what I have heard."

The visible nerves Leonardo displayed made Tariq want to retreat again. He wasn't comfortable with the barely veiled anger in his eyes.

"Do _you_ have any idea what he was doing with Tim?"

"Leo," the purple-masked terrapin spoke up quickly. "You said you wouldn't do this."

"I know what I said, Don, but I'm not sure I can help it. If we don't get to the bottom of what happened, how are we supposed to help him? If the roles were reversed, if Charlotte was..." Leonardo paused to breathe, and his shoulders trembled. "You would want to know."

"Yeah, I would," Donatello agreed. "But I still have to say this. If you delve too deeply, make the wrong move, it could take things from bad to worse. It's only been a few days, Leo. He needs time. You didn't see Tim last night, but he was acting more like his old self. He fell into tracking mode as easily as breathing. I think if you allow him the space to work through some of it, he'll end up coming to you on his own."

"Y'know he's right, Leo," Raphael added. "Your kid's in there. He hasn't gone nowhere. If you let him be, respect his boundaries, you might get through faster than you would otherwise."

"I hope so. I just don't know if it'll be that easy," Leonardo murmured. "Hearing Tariq talk about the Vaga's 'powers' _really_ makes me wonder what Tim was exposed to."

Raphael snorted. "Bet he ain't got nothing on your kid."

"Your child, he has understanding," Tariq recalled. "When we first met, he demanded that I look at him. Ghyath told him I was not a threat, but he wouldn't believe until he examined me himself. He is gifted too?"

"In ways that none of us can grasp," Leonardo said faintly.

"I would tell you what the Vaga did with him, but I don't know myself, terrapin. It wasn't until after the escape that Arzhan allowed the real information of their identities to be released. Before then, the majority of us only knew that terrapins had been taken."

Leonardo sighed heavily. "He's got to go down. He has to. I don't see a way around it. If we do nothing, if we try to wait him out, the Ruairi are going to pay the price, and Earth will be next. Whether we feel ready or not, we have to assemble a plan and move forward." He fixed steely eyes on him. "Are you on the fence about leaving the Vagari to begin with?"

"On the fence?"

The blue-masked turtle laughed, a sadly weary sound that belied it's normal function. "Are you struggling with a desire to go back?"

"Go back? To the Vagari?" The question made Tariq straighten upright with unexpected indignance. "How would you expect me to go back? I betrayed them."

"Yes, you did. But do you wish you could? If there was a possibility for amnesty, would you take it?"

"Amnesty is...you mean, there would be no punishment?"

"Exactly, Tariq. If there was nothing but favor waiting for you, would you return to them?"

He stared at Leonardo with uncertainty. The answer seemed like it should have been obvious, but it wasn't. After a moment he switched to look at a long-silent Ghyath, absorbing the golden-eyed gaze which had seared through him for weeks. The eyes which had never demonstrated anything but the most genuine form of empathy he'd ever encountered. In a flash, Ghyath's final words on the night to which he was first assigned to him came back to mind.

 _"I understand the battle you wage, for I have fought it too. I have lived without peace. But as for myself, knowing what I do now, nothing can ever take it away. Not these chains. Not this prison cell, nor the worst atrocities committed in the name of 'maintenance'. That is the peace which consumes me. Do you want to experience what it could be like?"_

The vagari blinked rapidly as something dawned on him, but didn't break away from Ghyath. "I ran away from the darkness, but I thought I would always remain in shadows. The light is too bright for someone like me. But the small tastes I've been given aren't enough to satisfy. I find myself craving more, though I know I should avoid it. To live freely, as you do, Ghyath, I would give anything."

He turned to face Leonardo. "I wouldn't go back to them, terrapin. I couldn't. I can't say if the light will ever envelope me completely. But I would rather live forever on its fringe than take one more step backward."


	112. Bait

Leonardo wasn't bothering to keep track of how long they'd been gone. He knew he could trust his current companion to be responsible. It was one of those few moments the turtle was glad there was no wife to hold him accountable. Not answering to Calley made it easier to blow off his brothers, with less consequences. It was also simpler to leave without telling anyone.

 _It's not like I did it alone._ Leo glanced at the golden-eyed elohim from his peripheral vision. The alien's longer legs and warrior physique left him no difficulty in keeping up with the ninja, and Ghyath had proved silent for the entire journey, which suited the turtle fine.

It wasn't until they reached a partial clearing in the trees that Leonardo hesitated with a general sense of uneasiness.

"What is it, terrapin?"

Leo looked right and left, then settled on tree-tops swaying over their heads. "It's too dang quiet. On my planet, this type of wilderness would be _full_ of noise. Birds, insects, wild animals, they'd thrive here. But while your world seems healthier than it was, it's like...there's still something missing. Zuhur doesn't feel complete."

"I have never known differently, but for that evening we took you home to your planet. I could not forget the sight of...what did you call them? Light-en-ing bugs?"

The turtle snorted. "Yeah. That's what they were."

"There have been discussions among the Nalikjan about reintroducing different forms of animals and insects to Zuhur, but it is a complicated process. There is no telling what forms of life are viable for our planet, or the damage _they_ could do in the wrong environment. That is the problem with doing away with indigenous species. Some believe it would not be worth the trouble, or that they would unnecessarily drain natural resources. But I too sense that something is lacking."

Ghyath held his gaze meaningfully. "What is going through your mind, other than the emptiness of our world?"

"It's too hard to nail down one thing, Ghyath," he muttered. "The necessity of coming up with a plan of this magnitude on the fly is irking me, especially since I don't technically know these Vagari. Even if we all chose to surrender, there's probably no chance they'll leave the Ruairi or anyone else at peace. We could throw it all away for nothing. Or we could not react, and let their race be taken out. This isn't an idle threat, is it? Are the Vagari known for bluffing?"

"No. They are not famous for making empty promises, or threats which are not carried out."

"Then what are we supposed to do? How do we get them to back off without killing the Ruairi?"

"I think it is a matter of following your original line of reasoning. Let them believe they are getting what they want, at least to begin with."

"But say we pretend to go along with them, Ghyath. Even if we successfully 'cooperate' and get back out, we can't stop them from targeting the Ruairi again, or another world. They're basically hostages, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"They will not be destroyed without the Vaga's consent," Ghyath answered thoughtfully. "It is he who holds the reins."

"And he's the one willing to go to ridiculous lengths to get his hands on us. It seems like dealing with him directly is required, but I don't know how to ensure anyone's safety. If we try to play him, I have this nagging fear of what he'll figure out on his own."

Leonardo crossed his arms, agitated. "Ghyath, my wife has extraordinary intuition, so I wasn't surprised when Tim started demonstrating a similar ability. I know the uncanny accuracy and volatility that comes with it. If their Vaga harbors anything like that, how hard will it be to get something past him?"

"Leonardo, he does not know, nor can he see, everything. We escaped from Central with the help of nothing more than an atmospheric disturbance. Yes, Arzhan is able to discern more than we would probably like, but that does not make him...what do you call it?"

"Omniscient?"

"He harnesses power, Leonardo, but we both know the Vaga is not the ultimate source of Creation. In my mind, what he _thinks_ he knows may harm him more than anything else."

"What's the idea, Ghyath? What are you thinking?"

"You have suggested that cooperating with the original kidnapping plot of the Ruairi could be beneficial, and I agree. While handing one of you over to them is not advisable, there is yet an opportunity to do things which he does not anticipate.

"If things line up perfectly for them, Arzhan may be tempted to _expect_ a set up of some kind. If we allow them to first 'discover' and then ruin such a maneuver on our part, it could put us in another position to act after they already believe they have the upper-hand. That is the theory."

Leonardo digested the statement for a few seconds. "So...you're suggesting that we set something up, with the intention of them _knowing_ they're being played."

"Yes, but with the express purpose of overcoming, after they think they have won."

The turtle massaged his temples. "This is complicated. The question of who goes, and how we get any power back once they have hostages of _ours..._ Not to mention what good will it do the Ruairi, or how much we should risk giving away. As far as the Vagari know, _we're_ not even here. They're only looking for Charlotte and Tim. So if we keep operating under the assumption that the rest of us haven't arrived then...we'd have no choice except to offer up one of them. Which I'm not willing to do."

"It does not need to be one of them," Ghyath said at once.

"Well, no. To an untrained eye, our kids would look pretty similar." Leonardo's blood ran cold at the thought. "Nate is bigger than Tim, yet definitely closer in size than Jayden. Olivia is darker than Charlotte, as well as being taller...but swapping out the kids doesn't make me feel better, Ghyath."

"That is not what I am suggesting, terrapin. The Vaga spent a lot of time in close contact with your children. A switch might fool a lower level vagari, but he would know better."

Leonardo heard his words, but his thoughts continued running together. "We _could_ give away our own position. Earth is sort of untouchable at the moment with the geomagnetic storms, which means they can't go after them yet. If we were the only thing staying their hand from destruction, the flares are already buying a little time. But them not knowing we're here seems like one of the best advantages we have!"

"I do not think giving yourselves up is the only choice."

"I can't send Tim back to him, or Charlotte for that matter," Leonardo went on talking to himself. "They've been through enough, and I won't let anyone touch them again. We're going to have to do something else."

"Leonardo," Ghyath stated louder, and the turtle finally looked up at him. "I was thinking of something more...diplomatic. I am not as valuable to the Vaga, but he would enjoy getting his hands on me once more. I am willing to play a hostage role, particularly if it would keep you terrapins out of it."

Leo didn't enjoy the idea any more than the others. "What's the point of giving yourself up to them, Ghyath? It's an awful risk to take when the Nalikjan are dependent on your leadership."

"I am not the only leader in our midst."

"They're still _your_ people. Are you sure Vagari wouldn't kill you on sight?"

"I am not sure of anything where they are concerned. But I if was brought to the Vaga, I believe he will give me a chance to speak. He would likely believe that he can extract the location of your children from me. Arzhan has plenty of incentive to keep me alive."

"And let him torture you the way they did Bahri?" The blue-masked turtle scoffed. "No one's going along with that."

"It does not seem we have many options, Leonardo. We must take action to some effect. They are already engaging disperers over Eovis, and things will only escalate from here. We must do something. Do you agree?"

He nodded, but his neck felt like lead. "The Nalikjan just got you _back_."

"With El's favor, they will again."

" _I_ don't want you to do it. I'd rather face the monster myself."

"And give up valuable information which is better kept close to our ranks? Leonardo, the reason the Vagari have taken this tactic is because they believe the Ruairi have knowledge of your young. But if the situation were presented that they do not have access to the terrapins, but could deliver me...I think it would be worthwhile for Arzhan to pursue."

"I don't like it," he reiterated.

"I am not asking for your approval, although I prefer to have it."

"The two of us can't make this decision. It'd need more approval than mine."

"True. But we should both be on the same level before speaking to anyone else."

"You want me to tell the others I support feeding you to the wolves, Ghyath? Why should we allow you to face the demons alone?"

"That is not what we are doing, anymore than we abandoned Donatello to Yasir."

"I get that it's not the intention, but we had inside help on that trip, which we're sorely lacking this time around. What will we gain by a trap he already suspects?"

"My gut tells me that if the Vaga believes he is being set up, he will let others get close for the specific purpose of capturing them. But he should not realize that they _expect_ to be caught. Or that a multitude of distractions will follow it."

"Okay, let me run through this for a minute. You want the Ruairi to hand you over to Vagari. At the same time, you want to prepare an assault in the background which is _designed_ to fail, while actually setting them up for a second stage of invasion?"

"It sounds more difficult when you say it than it does in my head, but yes, Leonardo. That is my thought."

"So many things could go wrong along the way, and will. And there's still the question of how we force the Vagari to pull back from Eovis."

"They are using something the Ruairi value against them, Leonardo. We are being forced to do the same."

Leonardo crossed his arms nervously. "That's what it comes down to, isn't it?"

"We need something with which to bargain. I am not willing to trade you terrapins to the Vagari for anything, Leonardo, but they need to believe I am considering it. If I create a dialogue, Arzhan may be persuaded it is an alternative I can be convinced of. The Vaga does not _want_ to fight with Elohim. As your son said, he would prefer we simply follow him. Since we were brothers once, he is willing to treat us more patiently than other races. The more I consider this, the firmer I am convinced I should be the one to go."

"Once again though, what good does it do Eovis?"

"If he would pull the disperers back from the planet for the sake of negotiating over you terrapins, it could give Ruairi time to put into evacuating."

"Would Aalok and his crew go along with this? And if they did, could they be convincing?"

"I cannot answer that, Leonardo. But do you trust me, my friend? I have done many things in the past based solely on my belief in your good judgment. I am asking you to do the same for me."

"When you put it that way, I feel like a jerk. But we've never had an easy time letting anyone else sacrifice for us, Ghyath."

"This is not only about you and your clan, Leonardo. The Vagari are responsible for countless murders across centuries and galaxies. It cannot be allowed to continue."

"Agreed, but how do we stop them?"

"I have not figured that out, Leonardo. It is you who is fond of taking one step at a time. This is the first which I propose we take. I will present it as my own idea. My request is that you do not sway the others to disagree, as they will surely disapprove as much as you have."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Right. I'm supposed to sway them _your_ way."

"Leonardo, I have a feeling about this. This is the type of impression which cannot be reasoned with, yet, you realize there is purpose behind it. Are you going to help me?"

The turtle broke eye contact. "It's not my place to make your decisions. But convincing everyone to go along with a scheme which includes intentional failure is a hard sell, on many levels."

"That is why I need your help."

He groaned loudly. "I want there to be another way."

"You do not have to trust me, Leonardo. Put your faith in El, to see more of the same deliverance which you already have."

"None of that was expected," he grumbled.

"And think, how much greater a thing could be accomplished with belief?"

Leo shook his head. "I'm not sure what to say, Ghyath. We've seen El act in the past and present. I'm aware He can make all the difference in this fight, but not knowing what He'll do or what _we_ should do, it's intimidating."

"If battles were easy, they would not be left to warriors, Leonardo." There was a smile in Ghyath's eyes, but the turtle couldn't reciprocate.

"I'm willing to go along with it, Ghyath, but it's going to be a fight to get the others on board."

"I am ready for the challenge, terrapin. Even more so, after speaking to you."

"Was this your plan all along?"

"No, my friend. I am not the strategist you are."

"You're not doing badly for yourself, Ghyath. This is straight up suicide from a normal perspective so...we're probably on the right track." Leo glanced over his shoulder. "I guess we should head back. The group will have a lot to talk about."

"Thank you for allowing me to follow you, Leonardo."

"Ditching my brothers meant I needed another form of backup," he teased. "Not sure Don has forgiven me for the stunt with the space ship, so I need to be on the safe side."

"Ditching?" the alien repeated. "As in you did not tell them we were coming out here?"

"Do you think we'd be alone right now if I had?"

The elohim looked at him closely. "Do you want to avoid them, Leonardo?"

"Don't call it avoiding. It's...stewing, without their interference. Raph has been on my case, and Don's not far behind."

"Because of Tim?" Ghyath asked softly.

Leonardo didn't answer, but began heading in the direction of the fortress.

The Rynn pursued him at once. "Anger is not forbidden, terrapin. I will not tell you not be mad."

"That makes one person." The turtle fumed in silence for a few more steps while the alien said nothing.

"I do not need to tell you the right things, Leonardo, because you already know them. And if you did not, your brothers speak it anyway. But is there something else you need to say which you have not? There has never been any judgment between the two of us, even where my clear weakness was concerned."

"You were never weak, Ghyath, and you're certainly not the first person who struggled to believe in what he was capable of."

"No, I am not the first. But as for _you_ , Leonardo. Do you need to talk to someone?"

"I want to know what he did to my son, and how I'm supposed to fix it!" Leo came up short with a deep breath. "I shouldn't ask, but I have to. Did Tim confide anything to you? I know you've spent time together and he trusts you."

"No, Leonardo. He did not. I never tried asking him to share. I fear doing so would only have pushed him away. I encourage you to allow him to speak when he is ready. Tim is your son, and you know him better than I. But you are also emotional, and your child cannot help absorbing it."

"He told you about that?"

Ghyath nodded. "I cannot fathom the burden."

"It's always been a little hard on him, but not like this. I thought it could be an advantage if it was...controlled, in some sense. But knowing he was at the mercy of someone he's described as having such an evil presence, or that it was coming through Arzhan...whatever that means. It doesn't make sense. None of it does. And there aren't any answers, because I don't dare ask a single thing."

Ghyath appeared to be considering something deeply before responding. "El is the mightiest power to be reckoned with in the Universe, Leonardo. But He is not the only power. The Vaga is only a small part of the real problem. He is driven by compelling manipulation which leads him to believe in the purity of the goal; that the deaths and utter destruction of other races is required for the sake of Creation.

"If we want to win, we cannot focus on Arzhan. The battle is much larger than him. This is what Tim has since realized in escaping his grasp. It is easy to focus on the Vaga, because he is the face behind this evil mission. But the fight does not end with him."

"Then who are we fighting and how?"

"It is with a much _older_ power with whom we have to deal, Leonardo. It cannot be opposed with sword or scimitar."

"We still have physical enemies to deal with, regardless of what's driving them."

"That is true, Leonardo, but I feel the necessity to repeat one of Joshua's most common encouragements – 'the battle does not belong to us'. And that is a good thing, is it not?"

"Yes and no. It doesn't leave us with a real clue about how to proceed. How long has it been since Joshua..."

"It was a little over a year and a half, according to your timing. He was not in pain or sick. His passing was unexpected. I did not find myself ready for it, but I take comfort in El. He often does not act the way we desire, but in everything, El shapes circumstances for our benefit.

"Everything? I want to believe that. I _do_ believe it, I just...wish I felt more confident."

"I am reminded of a conversation I had with your son the night we met, Leonardo. I feel I ought to remind you that faith is not great because of how much you believe. The level of power associated with faith is determined by who you believe _in_. Do you trust that El has an answer for all the problems which face us?"

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have the energy to keep going, despite the dunamis gene."

"Belief is not a one time event, terrapin. We will have to keep putting trust in El every step of the way."

The elohim's hand lightly grazed his shell. "And this faith needs to extend to your son. For all their trials, Tim and Charlotte came through fire with most of themselves still intact. Tim feels weaker than he is, but he will discover on his own what I fear no one else can convince him of.

"That is, the power inside him is stronger than anything he has had to endure. He is trampled, broken, but not crushed. You can speak this to him as well as I. But until he believes it himself, Tim will be hampered. You cannot change his mind, but you _can_ encourage him. Do not be disheartened by his condition, Leonardo. Continue to believe in him, and he will be more likely to eventually do so."


	113. Sunset

Ghyath was trying hard to concentrate, but the consistent sensation of someone watching him made it difficult. He raised his head from where it had been bowed near the floor, unobtrusively observing the others around him. The source of the disruption had nothing to do with those eagerly praying nearby, seeking the face of El for clarity which no one currently possessed.

The golden-eyed elohim glanced over his shoulder, but still couldn't find anyone focusing on him. With a soft grunt of annoyance, he tried to center his own mind once more. _The danger does not bother me so much where I am concerned, El. As You have already watched over me, I trust You to continue. But the idea of the terrapins intervening, taking part in a mission which is designed to fail, in some respects...I cannot tell them to do nothing, but I would rather none of them went near Arcadia._

 _Oh, El, I do not know. I am second guessing myself, the more I think about this. In my eagerness to protect the terrapins and act quickly on behalf of the Ruairi, I fear I may have gotten ahead of You. I cannot say if there was any of Your wisdom in this plan to start. Now everyone is looking for a way in_ and _a way out which may not exist..._

He flinched as the sensation of being studied stirred once more. When Ghyath inclined his head to the right, he glimpsed Bahri out of the corner of his eye that time. _I swear he was not there a couple of minutes ago. He is certainly the source of this distraction. I could keep trying, but I doubt it will get better._

Silently Ghyath rose, heading straight for his friend. Bahri's expression was a little startled in the dim lighting, and he definitely wasn't prepared for the golden-eyed elohim to capture him by the shoulder and steer him down the aisle with sudden swiftness.

Ghyath didn't say a word until he'd carefully closed the hall door behind them. " _Do you think you are making this easier for me?_ "

Bahri's return gaze was sullen. " _Ghyath, I will admit to often fearing the worst that can happen, and not liking the majority of battle plans when they are first presented. But this is different, my friend. It seems like utter madness. Though they have objected, I also know that the majority of the Nalikjan are going to fall behind you, based on nothing more than faith._

 _"I trust your judgment as brother and Rynn, but I cannot imagine a possible scenario where this will turn out well. Perhaps El will open the skies and respond dramatically again. I cannot see how else it will work in our favor."_

Ghyath shook his head. " _Bahri, I have no more certainty or knowledge than you. I followed what felt like inspiration from the Spirit, but even in this moment, I question if it is the right thing. I do not want the terrapins playing this kind of role, but they are not going to cooperate. We dearly need their help, but the risk for them is so great..."_

 _"What of_ your _risk, Ghyath?"_

 _"I do not fear what the Vagari may do to me. That is not part of my worry."_

 _"How can you say such a thing? Do you not comprehend your worth to the rest of us? Or realize what it was like to believe you were dead? Ghyath, I cannot do it again! I am faltering on the edge of a cliff as it is."_

Ghyath rested both hands on his friend's shoulders. " _This is not a course of action I desire to undertake, Bahri. But we have little time to waste. If we do nothing, it is likely that all of the Ruairi will die. And what will Vagari do afterward? If this plan does not garner the results they hope for, I fear Earth will face the same treatment."_

 _"There must be another way."_ Bahri's voice shook.

 _"There is not one I can imagine, short of handing over the terrapins. None of us are willing to do so, and even that action will not save anyone else."_

Bahri's eye contact faltered as his head drooped. _"I am sorry, Ghyath. I know you need the support of everyone, but I do not have it in me. I want to believe everything can be all right again. But even if it was, I am not sure it would cure me."_

Ghyath gripped his shoulders tighter. " _Bahri, this is not over."_

 _"I have nothing to offer you, Ghyath. Absolutely nothing. I still believe El is good, and that He can do anything. But something is yet required on my part, which I have been unable to fulfill. I cannot reach Him."_

The urge to hold onto the blue-eyed elohim didn't waver, even when Bahri tried to pull away. _"It is not your job to reach Him. You have to let go, Bahri. Let Him reach_ you _."_

 _"I have tried. I honestly have, but I cannot escape things."_

 _"What things?"_

 _"The failure, the anger, t-the sheer hatred for my actions. There are no words for it, Ghyath, except to say I have despaired of life so severely, I do not expect it to ever be the same. I am marred beyond recognition. Surely, you have seen it."_

 _"I recognize that you are burdened, Bahri, but you were not destroyed. I will not allow you to suggest otherwise."_

Bahri finally shrugged his weight off his shoulders with a perplexing expression. " _You have no idea, Ghyath. In a sense, I am worse off here than I was on Earth."_

The golden-eyed elohim was getting frustrated, despite straining for patience. _"How can that be, my friend? You saw the hand of El and had hope restored in a matter of hours. This is not the first time we have been in such a hopeless situation. Why is this time different?"_

 _"I did have more hope the moment I learned that you lived. Then I arrived."_

 _"And?"_

 _"And it is as though nothing has changed in me, Ghyath. All of the weakness and failure which led to this point, they remain inside me. I believed it would feel different, but it does not. I am still myself, and find that I am yet beaten."_

Ghyath opened his mouth, but before he could speak, someone cleared their throat across from them. The golden-eyed elohim's head snapped around to see Liran, and he was abashed to have been caught in conversation when they were supposed to be seeking El. He bowed his head in apology to the Hiryn. " _I beg your pardon. I was distracted, and did not wish to disturb any others."_

The smile the legatus returned with was puzzling. _"I wonder, would the two of you come somewhere with me?"_

Ghyath exchanged a nervous glance with Bahri, but then squared his posture to stand up straight. _"We will, Hiryn. But are you sure we ought to be leaving now? I fear the people may believe they are being abandoned by us all."_

 _"The people are fine,"_ Liran insisted. _"And I need to show you something – both of you."_

The golden-eyed elohim gave his friend another look before falling in behind the Chief. He was curious as to where the legatus could be taking them, and surprised when Liran bypassed the nearest transporter, and kept traveling down the hall.

The Hiryn seemed set on another goal, which turned out to be an arched doorway leading outdoors at the end of the corridor. The daylight was dwindling, lending a muted hue to the colors of the wilderness visible from the stone overlook. The hazy cloud cover provided little opportunity for the lingering light to penetrate. The sight was more discouraging than it was inspiring. As far as sunsets were concerned, Ghyath had witnessed many which were far better.

Bahri wandered over to the railing to stare up at their shrouded star and heaved a mighty sigh. " _It was not always like this, Hiryn. When the Overlords were defeated and our kind reborn...The sky was clearer, the atmosphere was stable for the first time in any of our remembrance, and new life sprouted everywhere we looked. There was no end to the joy it brought me, seeing what was dying and nearly dead, prosper with fresh meaning. Now to watch Nature recede on itself again, our atmosphere disintegrate to its former state of unreliability, it is almost too discouraging to bear."_

Bahri gazed harder at the disappearing remnants of their sun than he should have been able to. _"And like the setting sun, hope is faded once more."_

Liran chuckled unexpectedly. _"I have never understood why we call it a sunset."_

Ghyath nearly interjected something, but an inner voice bade him to hold his tongue.

Bahri turned to the Hiryn with confusion. _"What other word is there for it, Hiryn?"_

 _"You are far better with words than myself, Bahri. I am merely struck by the way we choose to describe the natural phenomenon, and how utterly wrong it is."_

 _"What do you mean? How is it wrong?"_ the blue-eyed elohim persisted.

Liran laughed deeper. " _We both know that the sun never actually 'sets'. The terminology chosen for it is incorrect."_

 _"Then what would you call it?"_ Bahri was wary, and Ghyath felt as baffled as he appeared.

 _"I told you I am not that good with words, Bahri. But I see what is right in front of us."_

 _"Clearly, I do not. Would you mind explaining this to me?"_

 _"We call it a sunset, because that is what the star appears to do. From our fixed position we watch it disappear, and are bereft of the benefit of its light."_

 _"That part makes sense."_

 _"But what is really happening, Bahri? Is the sun moving?"_

The blue-eyed elohim was silent for a beat. " _No. You are right. The sun's position does not change. It is our planet which revolves around the star, and creates the illusion of the sun rising and setting."_

 _"A very convincing illusion,"_ Liran added. " _We lose track of it every evening, even though it has not physically changed."_

 _"You speak truthfully,"_ Bahri agreed. " _But what more? What are you trying to tell me, Hiryn?"_

 _"Our eyes and feelings have a way of convincing us of what is happening, whether it is reality or not. We call it a sunset and sunrise, because that is how it appears to our sight. Now when I look to you, Bahri, I see someone who is unnecessarily crushed. Do you know why that is?"_

Bahri fixed on the landscape, probably so he wouldn't have to look his direction. _"There are actions which I cannot get past, Hiryn,"_ he admitted readily. " _Some of which were not my doing, but others...My faith in El was shaken. Though I know I am at fault, uniting with Him again is proving difficult."_

 _"There is a reason for that, Bahri, and it has nothing to do with El's opinion of you."_

 _"He must correct like any father would,"_ the blue-eyed elohim countered. " _I do not blame Him for the current state of my mind. I am deserving of judgment."_

 _"Judgment?"_ Liran repeated. _"What of your Rynn, Ghyath?"_

Bahri glanced over his shoulder to connect with Ghyath's silent observation of the conversation. " _What of him, Hiryn?_ "

" _He kept secrets from you for months. Do you reserve judgment for him?"_

 _"That is different,"_ Bahri protested. _"I am not El, and I will not hold him accountable."_

 _"You would rather simply forgive him. You are not tempted to remain angry?"_

 _"Why would I choose to be angry? That makes no sense, Hiryn. We are brothers. His actions may have been wrong, but it does not change how I..."_ Bahri faltered, looking at Ghyath once more before shifting toward Liran. " _You are making a point."_

 _"Yes, I am. Since I prefer to be plain, I will say it like this, Bahri. The loyalty you have for your leader and friend is great, but it does not compare to the vastness of the love El has for us all. You are behaving as if you are_ meant _to be downtrodden. It is your part to bear for disappointing El, so you think. But this could not be further from the truth. El wishes to embrace you more dearly than you did your brother upon reuniting. It is you who will not allow it."_

 _"I wish not to refuse,"_ Bahri said hoarsely. _"I want things to be as they were between us. But for the life of me, I cannot see Him. I cannot hear Him, nor feel El anymore. And yes, I consider it my punishment to bear, the part I brought upon myself."_

 _"I told you before that you cannot change Him, Bahri. Look to the sky, the way it is darkening. The sun seems to have forsaken the atmosphere, but has it?"_

When Bahri said nothing, Liran nudged his back insistently.

" _Has it, Bahri?_ "

" _No. But I still cannot see it_."

" _Nevertheless, you will see it again. Do you think your love is greater than El's, Bahri?_ "

" _Nothing could be_ ," he acknowledged.

" _Then there are things you must be willing to accept and believe without proof. Just like you trust the sun to rise in the morning once more."_ Liran's broad arm circled Bahri's shoulders. " _El is not angry with you."_

The elohim sniffed and stared the other direction. _"He should be. I accused Him of terrible things, and lost nearly all the faith I had. Even now, I hang on by a thread."_

 _"An extraordinarily strong thread."_

 _"No,"_ Bahri negated. _"I cannot perceive any such strength."_

 _"But your perception is not based on reality, Bahri. It is all right, my friend. I have confidence you will discover the depth of your faith again, before this is over. I know Ghyath sees it too."_

The golden-eyed elohim tentatively approached the pair. _"You are not done fighting, Bahri. Of that, I am certain."_

His friend gazed between him and Liran. _"I am proving to be a significant distraction though. We were meant to be in prayer, and my complications have diverted us entirely."_

Liran's laughter shouldn't have been surprising by then, but it still jarred both Elohim. " _I am not diverted, Bahri. I was following El all along. He is the One choosing to reach out to you in this manner."_ The Hiryn turned a shrewd look to Ghyath. _"It is also He who suggests removing the barrier which is limiting communications."_

Ghyath's eyes widened. " _Hiryn, that is meant for protection. We came so close to losing Michelangelo. There is no telling what someone else might attempt-"_

 _"Ghyath, hear me. The barrier must be lowered. This is what I feel most strongly from my own time dedicated to prayer."_

The golden-eyed elohim wanted to object further, but the certainty in Liran's expression told him the battle would be hard fought. " _I will give orders once the prayer is finished."_

 _"No. We should not wait. Let us go now."_ Liran whipped around so quickly, Ghyath was forced to chase him back down the hall.

" _Why is there such urgency, Hiryn?"_ Ghyath called after him.

" _If I knew that answer, I would not be in a hurry, Rynn. Will you lead the way please?"_

Ghyath felt awkward walking by the prayer meeting they all should have returned to, but obediently headed for a transporter. He set the elevator to take them up three floors, to the nearest communication center. It was not the largest base for contact within Cri Drojen, but that also made it less likely for others to be around.

Ghyath used his security clearance to open the door which had recently become restricted access, and moved toward the closest desk. After signing in though, he found himself hesitating from the physical act of bringing down the barrier. " _You are quite certain this is necessary, Hiryn?_ "

" _Would I ask you to do it otherwise?_ "

Ghyath stared at the monitor a couple more seconds before stretching fingers to the touch screen, and typing in the characters to lower their defense. He didn't expect something horrible to happen at once, but still flinched nervously. _It is only communications. No one can hurt the terrapins or us through contact. But the constant need for monitoring all exchanges is not something we have time to devote to. That is what makes it easier to simply avoid-_

 _"Ghyath,"_ Bahri spoke up sharply. " _What is that?_ "

The nearness of his friend's voice made the golden-eyed elohim jump, and then feel stupid for it. _"What?"_ He gazed at the screen cluelessly, then shot Bahri a look.

Bahri shouldered him lightly aside and tapped a tiny glowing icon in the lower left-hand corner which Ghyath hadn't noticed. He scooted over to give his friend more room while the request for a messaging connection overtook the monitor.

 _"I am not familiar with the coordinates the invitation comes from, Bahri. Are you? Is it safe to speak with them?"_

 _"Records state they have maintained an open channel with us for...almost two days, Ghyath. I do not know them, but there is no harm in speaking to someone, is there?"_

Ghyath glanced back at Liran, who merely shrugged.

 _"I still feel communications should be opened,"_ the legatus reinforced.

The Rynn hesitated another moment before nodding to Bahri. The blue-eyed elohim punched an icon to permit the link to occur, and half the screen was filled by the view-finder of the other party. Ghyath held his breath while waiting to see who it was, but was shocked by the reptilian likeness of one of the Ducaz. The stranger looked just as surprised to see him.

" _Greetings, ducaz_ ," he said guardedly. " _For what purpose do you seek a connection_?"

 _"It is true. The rumors were true!"_

 _"I know not which rumors you are addressing, but I am curious to find out why you have contacted us, and how you received our coordinates to begin with."_

 _"They were given to us, but I did not expect...Rynn, wait but a moment, I beg you. I must contact my superior."_

Ghyath shared another concerned look with Bahri, but when he switched to Liran, the legatus only beamed. His nerves increased in the time it took for another figure to appear behind the half screen, despite at least recognizing Kiaan. The Ducaz leader hadn't spoken with the Nalikjan in close to two years, and his sudden interest in them was strange.

Bright orange irises pierced through the monitor, but Ghyath said nothing at once, allowing the ducaz time to study him. _"As much as I dared to hope, I did not think to see you again, Ghyath. The news of your death was rampant."_

The golden-eyed elohim nodded. _"The Vaga spread the lie intentionally. But I am alive, and glad to see that you are as well, Kiaan."_

 _"The same cannot be said for all my people, nor will it be true if something drastic is not done, Ghyath. Tell me you have some cruel intentions for these Vagari."_

 _"I would not describe it that way, but..."_ He faltered, looking from Bahri to Liran. He was unsure how much of their thoughts should be divulged to someone he wasn't committed to trusting.

 _"You think me on their side, Rynn?"_ Kiaan demanded. _"Look at my world. The atmosphere has returned to the heaviness it suffered under the Overlords all those years ago, and I fear things will turn our_ worse _if these Vagari have anything to do with it. I have been in contact with Elohim already, members of your own Nalikjan who remain on the fringe in Arcadia. There are a few left who are pretending cooperation with the Vaga. Though we formed a kind of friendship, it took them all of these weeks to give up your coordinates."_

 _"There are members of the Nalikjan yet in the capital?"_

 _"Their communications are under close scrutiny, Rynn. They dared not contact you themselves. We want to work together, but there is no strategy yet. Do you have a plan, or not?"_

 _"We have intentions,"_ Ghyath told him. " _We are preparing a desperate act to aid the Ruairi. The Vagari stand on the brink of destroying their planet."_

 _"You desire to help Ruairi, but what of Zuhur?"_

 _"We are not abandoning it either, Kiaan. This is going to be a complicated series of events, I fear."_

 _"I care not about the complications. We need a cooperation between our people. We have already made small strides with those Elohim in Arcadia. I need to know if you are willing to fight with us to rid Zuhur of these Vagari."_

 _"I must speak with my own kind, Kiaan. But I can say with certainty, if it is an alliance you seek, I believe we can come to an agreement."_


	114. Place

Ghyath wasn't entirely happy about the way planning had progresed, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. _I cannot control the terrapins, nor should I dare to try. But infiltrating Central puts them at certain risk of discovery._

The sheer amount of strategizing which had taken place in a matter of hours was so overwhelming that the Rynn was nearly spent, but there were more things to be determined before he could rest.

He had put off going to visit the Ruairi captives for as long as possible. _But avoiding them will not make this go away. I have to settle these arrangements._

With that thought, Ghyath ceased hesitating outside the door of the room which now confined both Aalok and Huziah. The teenagers didn't look up when he entered, not until the elohim spoke to them.

" _Hello, young ones."_

Aalok lunged to his feet at once. _"Is it true, Ghyath? Shukri says you will give yourself up to the Vagari!"_

Ghyath nodded. " _It is part of our strategy."_

 _"No, Rynn, you cannot do it!"_ Huziah pleaded. " _It is not worth losing you to the Vaga. He will not let our people live, regardless of what you do! It would be an utter waste."_

Ghyath glanced between both youth in turn. _"Nothing is going to waste. When the idea first occurred to me, my only thought was to stall the Vaga long enough for an evacuation to take place of Eovis. Since speaking with others, however, a greater strategy has been born."_

 _"Does it still include giving yourself up?"_ Aalok pressed.

" _It does, but there are many layers involved. The first thing I want to assure you of is that three of the older terrapins warriors are taking the mission of retrieving me from Central themselves. They will gain access through the Qif, while dreadful madness is taking place in the city._

 _"Our people are assembling together with Ducaz and members of the Nalikjan who remained in Arcadia. We are splitting up resources to create the illusion of an attack on the city's infrastructure, and a frontal assault on Central. Much of the activity is designed to be obvious and draw attention. But the real mission will be happening in the background, without our enemy being aware of it."_

 _"What is the mission, Rynn?"_ Huziah asked.

" _The elemental dispersers which currently surround your planet are being operated remotely, Huziah. I am having to rely on the Ducaz to relay messages between myself and the Nalikjan who are in sensitive positions. There is an elohim who was had some exposure to the monitoring equipment controlling the weapons, though he has never touched any of it. The idea is that with his help, we may be able to sabotage the dispersers and render them worthless._

 _"In which case, it will take several hours of jumps for the Vagari to move in new weapons. It would afford more time for Ruairi to escape."_

A hint of hope entered the teenagers' eyes simultaneously.

 _"There are conditions to this plan, and it involves a two part strategy in dealing with the Vagari,"_ Ghyath continued. " _You have to play a role in the first half, Aalok. I need you to contact the Vaga, and barter a deal to hand me over to him."_

Gold-rimmed eyes stared at him with disbelief. _"You want me to...Rynn, I...I would do anything to help, but Arzhan can see through people. He has already demonstrated my inability to hide anything from him before."_

 _"It is okay, Aalok. We_ want _him to know he is being set up. The second phase will call for a 'rescue team' to be intentionally captured, while in the process of accessing Central. When Arzhan believes the threat is contained, all manner of insanity is going to break loose. And the terrapins he knows nothing about will be on their way after me."_ Ghyath fought the urge to smile at the idea. _"This will require no physical contact with the Vaga on your part. We only need you to make a call tonight, and then one more tomorrow to tell them where I am being left in Arcadia."_

Aalok turned to Huziah and said something which the Rynn couldn't hear. The elohim's brow creased as the other ruairi stiffened, but then nodded. Ghyath stared on silently while they exchanged a couple more soft words, and then Aalok stepped forward.

 _"Rynn, if it is meant to be obvious that we are setting them up, then I think Huziah and I ought to be part of the company which is captured. It will play exactly into the idea you want Arzhan to believe."_

Ghyath shook his head. " _It is not the role chosen for you."_

 _"The responsibility should be ours,"_ Aalok insisted. _"All of this is for our people, is it not? If someone is going to risk their lives, it should be us. You are giving yourself up to the worst enemy imaginable. We stand ready to do our part."_

The elohim swallowed deeply. He wasn't prepared for the offer, and while Ghyath knew he couldn't allow the youth to insert themselves there, he didn't want to have an argument right then. _"I will speak to the others, and reach a consensus with them,"_ he said evasively.

" _Give us a chance to make things right, Rynn, please,"_ Aalok persisted.

 _"You cannot pay for your actions with Michelangelo, Aalok. That should not be the purpose of volunteering."_

 _"It is our people!"_ Huziah added. _"Why can we not defend them?"_

 _"I will talk to the others,"_ Ghyath repeated. " _Then we can address it again in a while. You are willing to contact the Vaga for me?"_

Aalok nodded. _"I will. Tell me what to say, and it will be done."_

* * *

Shukri stared at the monitor, discouraged by familiar words which still felt like a foreign language. He sensed the purple-masked terrapin's eyes on him, though Donatello hadn't spoken in some time while the elohim absorbed what he was reading.

"I am not comfortable moving forward in this fashion," Shukri admitted at last. "I know it is desperately needed, but my knowledge is lacking."

"Shukri, I understand you didn't create the system," Donatello said patiently. "But isn't it a fact that the Vagari haven't seen this version of the manual?"

"Kenric kept his designs close for a reason, Donatello. If he was here now, I would have no fear whatsoever about gaining control of the system again. While he included me in certain aspects of implementation, I am by no means an expert.

"The only reason we managed to get access to Central's computers before was because we were taking advantage of the secondary processors. Now that the flaw was revealed, I am certain the Vagari addressed it.

"There are several methods we, or someone else, could use to crash the Crystal Network. We can strike their immediate source for communications and surveillance, and those systems _must_ fall before your brothers take one step inside the Qif. But as far as getting into the computer itself, it is much more complicated."

"That's a given, Shukri, but it doesn't mean there aren't ways around it. We have the tools, and we need to use them. If the main system went down again, are you sure we couldn't use the alternate processors?"

Shukri twitched nervously. "We might be able to take it down temporarily, but keeping control would be next to impossible. We cannot go in there thinking to rely on the secondary programming. When the Ruairi sabotaged our surveillance, do you recall how quickly it was restored? The horrendous weather was all that hindered the Vagari during our initial escape. It will not be enough to shut them down for a short time. We need an extended period of opportunity to both aid your brothers, and find a way to destroy the dispersers."

"That's why we're taking a deeper look at the manual, Shukri. Come on. I can't read this stuff, so you need to get back in here so we can figure out how to exploit the wrinkles Kenric built into the system. The secondary processors can't have been his only line of defense."

"I am sure they were not..." Shukri faltered, fixing on the screen. "Rebooting the system is an easy way to disrupt it, but like I said, it would only afford us a short time for control. We cannot afford multiple interruptions."

"What happens during a reboot?"

Shukri scanned down the page he'd been mulling over. "There is opportunity for one of several users to log in and provide directives. We could do many things freely if we were the first ones to get inside, but it will not stop the Vagari from forcing _another_ reboot and taking it back."

"Right, but Kenric was the designer, okay? He must have invented something which trumps everybody else. How do we lock the others out, Shukri?"

The elohim pushed back from the desk, rubbing his temples anxiously. He wracked his brain for several moments, wishing he remembered more of the processes Kenric had set in motion decades ago. _El, I am not meant for this. The computer system is not the work of my hands. I cannot figure out how to accomplish what we need, especially since their technicians outnumber us by so..._

The thought trailed off as something else occurred to him. "Perhaps...maybe there _is_ something we can use."

Shukri returned to the touch screen, lined down the chapter he'd been reading, and opened another. Donatello remained quiet while he searched for the passage which was temporarily eluding him. It required digesting more of the material than he desired, but two-thirds of the way through a technical dissertation which he didn't fully understand, Shukri found what he was looking for.

"There is more than one way to reset the computer," he began. "If we force a _maintenance_ reboot, it ought to allow us to operate in the background, even while normal users log in. The system will look and feel the same to someone who is unaware. Kenric notes that he programmed it this way to allow him to perform his own necessary repairs without hindering the regular activity."

"Okay. So what's the advantage if we're all logged in at the same time?"

"The advantage would be Vagari not knowing we are there at all. The maintenance version is meant to be an invisible, non-invasive presence. Due to Kenric's clearance, we should be able to override anything necessary. According to this portion, he created a code which would overwrite existing safeguards. This only applies if his original parameters are still active, Donatello. You realize I cannot guarantee what the Vagari might have changed."

"Why would they fix something if they don't know it exists, Shukri? They're still using Kenric's computer program, because it isn't worth the time and effort of writing something else from scratch when they aren't planning on sticking around."

"There is a chance it will work, but it does not tell us how to deal with the dispersers."

"Shukri, we're gonna have to play it by ear, along with the one elohim who's at least _watched_ some of the action. I know we can make this work."

"I am not as certain as you," Shukri said stiffly. "I am also uncomfortable with the plan of taking on _Vanxilia_. The tower is not as secure as Central, but it is still a designated garrison. There will be many obstacles to contend with, even if the Crystal Network is down. The Vaga is still capable of communicating with his troops through the same style of hand-held links which we will employ."

"That's why we're instilling so many layers, Shukri. It's all a distraction, from the one thing they don't expect us to be doing. They're meant to believe we're fighting to save Ghyath, not destroying their weapons behind their back. Can you read some more on this maintenance log-in? If this is the direction we're heading, it deserves more attention."

* * *

When Shukri left the computer lab, he felt immensely weighed down, and not at all ready for an assault. He would have preferred to review more material with the purple-masked terrapin, but he was running out of time to give any to Chirayu.

He found the woman waiting outside the door to their own quarters, wistfully staring into thin air. " _You should get some rest,"_ he told her. " _I still have more yet to do this evening."_

She eyed him judiciously. " _I deem you have done enough for one day, lha nylgani. There will be opportunity for finishing in the morning. This night is spent, and so are you." (my love)_

He wanted to argue, but lacked the energy. " _I suppose you are right. Donatello is needed in conference with his brothers at this hour, regardless."_

 _"Shukri, I heard you made hopeful progress. Why do you appear so defeated?"_

The elohim stared at the ground. _"I cannot claim it is hopeful, because none of us know if it will_ work _. This entire mission hinges on us being able to gain control of the network, and there is no guarantee it can be accomplished! I am not Kenric. He would have had no trouble, but I...I am lost in this."_

 _"You are not lost,"_ she corrected. " _You are concerned, and rightfully so. But there is good reason to believe it will work, is there not?"_

 _"There is a chance,"_ he allowed. " _But whether it is 'good' has yet to be seen."_

Chirayu spread her wings suddenly so that they engulfed them both. The silky texture of feathers blotted out everything else as she gathered him in. _"I find it hard to describe my love for you, Shukri, because it is too great. Yet I know that El's intentions for you are better. There is power in this plan – I have sensed it. While I would rather not be separated from you at all, I am satisfied with my own role. This one is yours. I urge you to go forward, not with confidence in yourself, though I do believe in you. Place your faith in El once more. Know that He will open the necessary doors, and you will not do this alone. We will be with you, even unseen, adding to the confusion which will overtake Arcadia. But more importantly, El goes with you. If that does not give you reason for confidence, then nothing will."_

* * *

Tim stared at his father with a deep sense of dread. He knew what was coming; he'd felt it all day, but feebly hoped someone would change his mind in the course of conferences. Now that he faced Leonardo head on, it was wholly apparent the older turtle's mind was made up.

"Tim, I've given this a lot of consideration, and talked to several people. I was trying not to make an emotional judgment call, and I don't believe I am. I can't permit you to come with us tomorrow. As much as I want to protect you, this isn't paranoia. You're not ready to go back there."

"I'm not ready to go _alone_ ," he corrected. "Dad, I can do this. I want to do it. I'm able to handle more than you think."

"You've 'handled' too much already, and paid a high price for it. I'm not putting you within a hundred miles of the Vaga again. This isn't a personal attack, all right? I don't doubt what you're capable of. But in this case, I don't think it's wise."

"You're still making it about the Vaga, Dad. Have you listened to a word I've said? Arzhan isn't the problem. This won't all go away if you kill him."

"That isn't the goal of the mission."

"It won't stop you from trying."

"I'm not planning to hunt him down specifically. But if an opportunity presents itself, do you expect me to ignore it?"

"In this frame of mind, _you_ shouldn't be going!"

Leonardo exhaled sharply. "The decision has been made. You stay."

"This isn't fair. It's not. Parts of me might be broken, but I'm still standing. I haven't quit. I don't need or want to be anywhere close to the Qif again, but that doesn't mean I have nothing to offer."

"No one thinks you have nothing to offer. The injury you've taken could be more dangerous than a physical one, Tim, and going back there might make it worse. I'm not doubting your courage or ability, _musuko_. But I can't allow you to take the risk."

"No, only you guys get to do that."

"They're _necessary_ risks. The Ruairi are running out of time. Their race has only started rebounding from the genetic games the Overlords played with them, and now they're on the verge of being wiped out again." The concern etched in the older turtle's features and the threatening despair of his spirit almost took Tim's breath away.

"We can't let it happen," Leo went on. "And we can't allow them to take on Earth next. You know that's their objective."

"I don't want to stand in the way. I'm only asking for a place on the team!"

"You're not going this time. I'm really sorry, Tim, but the decision is final."

The young turtle blinked rapidly to control his outward response. The finality of the statement told him there was no point in continuing to push. _Which only leaves me with one other option._ Tim forced himself to nod.

"I don't like it, and I can't agree with you," he told his father dismissively. "But there's nothing else to say, is there?"

"Tim, don't leave like this."

"Why should I be here? You still have more to figure out, and I've got nothing to do with it."

"We're not finished, but-"

"Well, I am. You've kicked me off for the moment, so I have no reason to stand around. I'm gonna go, and you can get on with everything. I'm tired anyway."

"Please don't be mad at me. I don't need that right now."

"I'm trying to let it go, if you'll allow me to walk away."

The older turtle sighed. "Okay. I'll talk to you later."

Tim gave him a wave, but couldn't bring himself to say anything else. He glanced over his shoulder while quickly retreating from the conference room, heading the direction which led to their corridor.

He looked back several more times over the span of the short journey to make sure he wasn't being followed, and then changed his course. Tim didn't want to bother anyone else with the lateness of the hour, but if the issue wasn't addressed that night, the teen knew it wouldn't be.

The blue-masked turtle knocked firmly on the unfamiliar door. He'd never been there himself, but he knew where to find the person he needed. When knocking didn't work, he pounded harder. That didn't produce a result either, so he resorted to a freestyle of the most annoying rhythm Jayden had ever invented to wake him up in the morning. His assault lasted all of ten seconds, before the door wrenched open with sudden violence.

The irritation fled the moment Tariq laid eyes on him, and the vagari melted into his normally awkward presence. "Terrapin. What are you doing here?"

"I wanna come in," he invited himself, slipping through the doorway before the alien could protest.

"What are you doing here?" Tariq repeated wearily.

"Tariq, are you gonna have any role in this raid on Arcadia?"

The alien folded his arms. "No one has asked me to take part, young one."

"I'm asking you. I need some help, and I've got no one on my side."

"I find that hard to believe, terrapin. Your family cares for you a great deal."

"They do, but they're also holding me back because they think I'm broken. And maybe I am, but that doesn't make me worthless. This assault is important. I can feel it. No matter what they think, they're gonna need all the help they can get."

"I don't understand what you want from me."

"You can fly a ship, can't you? If you get me to Arcadia, it solves half the problem."

"It's not wise to go against your family, young one. I have no business assisting you in such a venture."

"Tariq, do you remember when we first met? I put trust in you, just because Ghyath gave you hope. I knew then that you weren't like the other Vagari, but you're still afraid to step out. I don't need anything, except a ride. Give me a shot. Then you can do whatever you want. You don't have to fight them."

"This is not about me – it's you," he declared. "Why should I help you do something which your kin have forbidden?"

"Because they're wrong. Because my dad is going into this with some dangerous intentions...and...maybe I can't make a real difference. But I need to try."

"I know he wants to kill the Vaga," Tariq said quietly.

Tim nodded bleakly. "I can't convince him that it won't solve this. I'm not sure anything will stop him at this point. But for whatever reason, I _feel_ like I need to go, and it's not only because they're my team. This means everything to me, Tariq. Will you do it?"

The vagari scowled at him angrily. "You're going to get me into a lot of trouble, terrapin."


	115. Strategy

Arzhan opened his eyes with a start, instantly aware that something of significance was taking place. The vagari sat up slowly and searched out the glowing numbers which relayed the time, calculating that he'd only been asleep for roughly an hour. _That doesn't matter, not when I clearly need to be awake for some reason._

He immediately rose and began to dress, despite having no visible excuse for the action. By the time Arzhan had finished cinching a sash around a fresh robe, the chime at the door indicated someone was on the other side. He pressed a facet on his crystal to open the panel, and smiled expectantly at Muhsin.

" _Greetings, Kumne. What news?_ "

The vagari's brow furrowed in confusion. _"Did someone already call you, Vaga?"_

 _"No, Muhsin, they didn't have to. Please, tell me the news."_

 _"I beg your pardon, Vaga. We have heard from one of the Ruairi who were formerly held captive. But he refuses to tell us what he wants. He says that he will only speak to you. Do you want to waste time with this child, or would you prefer to terminate the link?"_

 _"Terminate the link?"_ Arzhan couldn't believe what he was hearing. " _For what purpose would you dismiss someone who possesses knowledge of our enemy's movement without giving him a chance to speak?"_

 _"I don't feel like he's worth your time, Vaga-Arzhan."_

 _"With whom did he escape, Muhsin?"_

 _"Leaving with the Elohim doesn't mean he has anything you want."_

Arzhan shook his head _. "You're disappointing me, Kumne. After all this time, you still have some things to learn."_ He headed for the desk in the corner, and took a seat with an air of royalty. Then he switched on the network to take command of the waiting link.

 _"You have Vaga-Arzhan. What can I do for you this evening?"_

 _"You can abandon the barrage of my planet!"_ The breathless quality of the teenager's voice gave away his nerves before the vagari even looked at him.

Arzhan smiled with the warmth of knowing he was about to get exactly what he wanted. " _Ah, Aalok. Yes, I remember meeting you. Tell me, how are you faring?"_

The ruairi was visibly flustered by the question, and struggled to attain strength in his tone. _"I did not call you to discuss myself, Vaga. I want to address the terms for ceasing the bombardment of Eovis."_

 _"So you_ do _make a habit of calling home on occasion. That's good to know, Aalok, and a wonderful quality. Many young creatures, the moment they leave the place of their birth, they don't take the time to look back."_

The statement seemed to agitate the teenager worse. Arzhan enjoyed his obvious discomfort while warming up to the true reason for their conversation.

 _"The hour you've chosen is far from convenient, Aalok, but as you seem upset, I would be happy to listen to your offer. That is, if you have what I'm looking for. Do you, in fact, have any means with which to negotiate?"_

The Vaga studied the ruairi carefully across the screen while he hesitated, easily reading the precursor to deception in his eyes. _He means to lie to me, but I may as well listen to his story before rejecting him outright. Allow him to have a little hope, so the fall stings that much more._

 _"I...I cannot deliver the terrapins to you, Vaga."_

 _I knew that was coming. It is curious that he seems to have some other purpose though. I wonder what else he thinks would matter to me?_

Arzhan folded his arms while leaning back in his chair. _"Then to what do I owe this call, Aalok?"_

 _"I have no access to the ones you desire most, but I may have the ability to deliver another. The Nalikjan trust us a great deal, whereas these terrapin creatures want nothing to do with Ruairi."_

 _"Then tell me where they are, Aalok, and we will retrieve them ourselves."_

 _"No, I cannot,"_ Aalok insisted. " _What guarantee will I have of Eovis' safety if you do everything on your own?"_

 _In that, at least, he speaks truth._ Arzhan smiled tolerantly. " _I have no need of the Nalikjan, ruairi. Their kind will either bow or die in due time."_

 _"They would do one of those things faster, were they deprived of their Rynn. You still could find some use for_ him _, I imagine?"_

Arzhan focused so hard on the youth, he imagined his eyes could bore a hole through the monitor. _"Are you honestly capable of delivering such a target, young one?"_

 _"He trusts us, Vaga. We will deliver him to you, if the proposal is acceptable for ending the assault of my people."_

The Vaga made a show of considering the ruairi's words, although multiple lines of thought coursed through his mind. _"Aalok, if you bring me the Rynn, then I believe negotiations could take place."_

 _"Do you give me your word, Vaga? Can we trust you to honor such an agreement?"_

 _"It is your choice whether or not to trust me, Aalok. But if you want any chance of saving those you love, you need to go through with this. I will offer you no certainty until I have seen you perform."_ He chuckled inwardly at the tremor the teenager was incapable of hiding.

 _"We will bring him to you, tomorrow. I will contact your coordinates when he is dropped in Arcadia, and tell you where we have left him."_

 _"Then you don't mean to deliver him yourself?"_

 _"I fear putting myself within your grasp again."_

 _As you should._ The Vaga relaxed his posture. _"Then I will speak to you tomorrow?"_

 _"Yes. It will be done."_

 _"If it isn't, you can expect conditions to only deteriorate further on Eovis, Aalok. I don't play games, so you had better not be trying to."_

 _"No, Vaga. I will call you."_

There was no other warning before the contact was cut, and Arzhan pushed away from the desk to look up at his waiting Kumne. _"I suppose they weren't able to trace the coordinates of_ his _link?"_

Muhsin stared at the crystal in his hand. _"They could not, Vaga. Had they more time, perhaps. Was that why you wished to speak to him? In order that the Piuti might have opportunity to find out where the call originated from?"_

 _"That is a good thought, Kumne. You are moving in the right direction, but it isn't the only reason I chose to deal with that ruairi."_

 _"Why did you? The terrapins are the ones you want. It sounds like he is only biding for time."_

 _"He is trying to trick us,"_ Arzhan corrected. " _You heard what Aalok proposed, Muhsin. What is your opinion concerning his goal?"_

 _"They are desperate and dishonest creatures, who are turning their backs on allies in order to save their family. So they believe."_ The Kumne smirked. " _Not that they have been given a choice."_

 _"But what is he trying to accomplish in offering us Ghyath?"_

Muhsin seemed to realize the answer wasn't as obvious as it appeared. _"Doesn't he want to save his people?"_

Arzhan shook his head. _"Something else is going on. If he meant to deal with me on honest terms, he would have offered the ones I actually want."_

 _"He claimed not to have access to them. I presume he is lying?"_

 _"His manner was deceptive in every possible way, Muhsin."_

 _"Then...why are you dealing with him, Vaga? This doesn't make any sense."_

 _"They aren't offering us Ghyath without reason, Kumne. They have a plan. They are going to try to gain some advantage over us."_

 _"But what advantage could they afford after giving us the Rynn?"_

Arzhan sighed softly. _"_ Ghyath _is the one arranging this."_

 _"Vaga, I can't fathom what you're talking about. Can you explain it simply?"_

 _"The children are not turning him over to me. It's quite obvious he is giving up himself."_

 _"Why would he choose to, having escaped us already?"_

 _"He wouldn't, but to get control of the situation at hand. They are trying to set an ambush: mark my words."_

 _"An ambush?"_ Muhsin laughed outright, but lost his smile when the Vaga didn't share his humor. _"They mean to come to us in Arcadia, where our forces and weapons are strongest. And they think to wage war with us_ here _?"_

 _"They don't want to wage war, Muhsin. They mean to strike where we don't expect it, and force us to make costly mistakes. I have allowed certain Elohim to remain untouched in the city, despite understanding where their loyalty really lies. I knew they could eventually be used for another purpose."_

 _"What will you do with them? Do you believe Aalok means to really hand over the Rynn?"_

 _"He is committed to the action, and I'm willing to allow this farce to play out. They are coming in with a plan. I have several of my own, and I can't tell you what they intend to do exactly. We're going to be prepared for a number of outcomes. It is possible to win many different ways, Muhsin. Some are more immediate than others, but each can be effective. This is an opportunity to force a resolution faster than we would have otherwise. It will likely call for some unusual actions. Do you trust me, Kumne?"_

Muhsin straightened up proudly in his stance. _"I've followed you since I was a boy, haven't I? And I will be with you until the very last breath."_

Arzhan nodded approvingly. _"Loyalty is a valuable trait, Muhsin, and the reason you enjoy such proximity to me. As I honestly trust you in return, I feel the need to help you understand some coming changes which will affect our future."_

The Kumne looked confused by the shift in conversation, but headed for the chair Arzhan pointed him to.

 _"I'm listening, Vaga."_

 _"You're aware of the heartbreak I've long suffered because of the elemental dispersers. They have been a necessary tool for many reasons, but their weight has become nearly too great to bear. The Universes we are sworn to protect suffer because of the efforts to destroy our_ real _targets._

 _"This is the main purpose for which the terrapins must be apprehended, so the gift which was discovered can be put to its best possible use. We have come so far in the process already. Yet dunamis is not the only reason I wish to catch up with my young friends."_

 _"What else, Vaga? You spent hours with the male, even when he spoke so little in return. What is it about him that makes you so...eager?"_

 _"The position I hold is complicated, Muhsin. I know it's perplexed many that I chose neither to take a mate nor to have children of my own. But the joint lives our people lead and the pleasures they derive from one another are not for me. Such relationships are necessary for the perpetuation of our race, but you know I hold myself to a higher purpose."_

 _"I admire your commitment, Vaga. I always have. I also view relationships as necessary for other people, but not myself. It is enough for me to serve at your side."_ The Kumne spoke the words whole-heartedly, and it made Arzhan beam.

 _"It also means that leadership will not be passed down in the same tradition of my father, or his, Muhsin. A bloodline may be powerful, but mere DNA is not a guarantee of potency."_

Muhsin's eye brows rose, but he said nothing.

 _"Consider our own history, Kumne. Remember where the Annunaki started, when they were one? Not splintered factions of a limping dynasty. Look back with me, will you? Our story was changed all because of three brothers. Altered forever, based on the difference of opinions._

 _"By our law, all three had the right to rule. There was no clear distinction as to who was correct. Thankfully, the majority of our people chose to side with our original calling: to protect that which is most sacred and holy in Creation. But I confess, occasionally fear strikes me for our future as a race."_

 _"We are strong, Vaga, because of you. There has never been any power that could oppose us."_

 _"It was not an outside influence which broke our race to begin with. Muhsin, we all carry a potential for weakness, deep down inside us. Just because it doesn't manifest in_ my _mind, doesn't mean another in my line would not suffer from it. The madness of Legatus and the strange infatuations of the Nalikjan demonstrate a tendency towards foolishness._

 _"That is why I have chosen not to trust in a bloodline, Kumne. For someone to rule in my stead merely because they are my son, I consider it the height of arrogance and stupidity. An incredibly special form of understanding is required for this task. I was blessed to be born with the gift, and the one who takes the reins when I can no longer bear them, they need to possess something similar."_

Muhsin nodded vaguely, and Arzhan felt disappointment pulsing in the back of his Kumne's mind. _I have never once misled him about his position, nor given him false hope. He knows it is not for him to lead, but despite my best effort, some expectations remained._

Arzhan's hand landed on his shoulder. _"Muhsin, I have said this already, but I don't mind repeating it. Out of those in my inner circle, I trust you the most. I wish now that I'd left you in charge of extracting the remaining terrapins on Earth. You, at the very least, captured two figures who are exceptionally important for our goals. I put too much faith in Chakor and called you back to my side, because I don't enjoy being parted long._

 _"I want to be able to celebrate this coming triumph with you, Kumne. You do realize why I need to choose another to lead?"_

Muhsin's nod was reluctant. " _Because I lack understanding,"_ he answered, emotionless.

 _"It's not your fault,"_ the Vaga emphasized. _"The gift is something I haven't encountered in any of our kind whom I have probed, from the youngest to the oldest. It is simply that rare."_

 _"Vaga-Arzhan, if another can't be found with the skills you perceive necessary, then what is to come of the rest of us?"_

 _"Nature can be unpredictable, Muhsin. For centuries we've traveled the far reaches of the galaxies, fulfilling our mission by the power invested from El. But with each passing year, my heart grew more burdened. I was not looking for or expecting assistance when Yasir's archived message was located. In fact, it seemed like it was too late to be of any use to us, except for the possibility that the subjects of his last experiment and our greatest hope yet lived."_

 _"The legendaries importance for this moment within our journey can't be overstated, Muhsin. They are set apart for this purpose. That's why they can replicate the gene, when none other has been able. Despite our differences, Nature chose them. Can you deny this?"_

 _"Only a fool would deny their usefulness,"_ he said stiffly.

 _"You brought me two gifts, Muhsin. You retrieved one who carried the original gene. But you also brought me another who demonstrates something equally unique."_

 _"What is so special about him?"_

 _"I see inspiration, Kumne. I perceive vast intution inside him, and it's something I wish to continue to explore."_

Muhsin gained his feet with a jerk. " _He's not merely a pet to you, is he? I thought you were bonded with him because he attempted to kill himself, but it's more than that, isn't it?"_

 _"I would like for it to be more than that."_

The Kumne's reaction of disbelief and anger was so strong, it hit Arzhan like a shock wave. _"But he is not our kind! Didn't the doctor claim they have no real race? There isn't any purity within him, and absolutely no right to rule any of us!"_

 _"Tell me, Muhsin, what purity is there in Legatus or the Nalikjan? What goodness is there left in those who choose mercy for the guilty, instead of protecting what is most innocent? That weakness is part of our bloodline, whether we like it or not. The ruling brothers came from the same father._

 _"We can't trust in blood alone. History has demonstrated this. We must continue to improve and advance in our methods of dominion, in order to uphold Creation in its holy form. I didn't expect this gift to come wrapped in the figure of a hybrid, Muhsin. But of all the mysteries Nature has presented, I don't find it the strangest. If he is the one who bears understanding most similar to my own, how can I argue with it?"_

The immediate anger of his Kumne was morphing into intense regret. _"Vaga, I couldn't follow one such as him. My loyalty belongs to you, but this course of action...it could destroy us. Do you believe our people would ever accept another, an_ alien _, in this most cherished position?"_

 _"Not in a short time. But neither would the terrapin be willing, Muhsin."_

 _"Then why are you entertaining the idea at all?"_

 _"People must be conditioned, Kumne. They have to be taught, and the terrapin needs to be trained. It will take time. It is similar to the way the masses are enthralled by the destructive elemental dispersers as effective weapons of war, and can't fathom the necessity to phase them out of existance._

 _"But we are finally on the verge of leaving that madness behind. After watching the terrapins' DNA transform our warfare, I believe the people will be more open to a future which includes them in our midst, and perhaps one day, at the helm."_

Arzhan held Muhsin's gaze meaningfully. " _Do you still trust me?"_

The mass of emotions rumbling under the vagari's surface were so dark, they seemed to physically cloud Muhsin's features. _"I wasn't prepared for this, Vaga. I don't understand it. But I've followed you my entire life, and I have nowhere else to go. So if you say Nature has chosen, I see no other recourse for our race."_

The resignation which settled over the wild and unpredictable emotions his Kumne harbored gave Arzhan some relief.

" _I won't allow you to be disappointed, Kumne. I swear to you, everything is working out for the best."_


	116. Deviate

Aalok hadn't been able to bring himself to look at Ghyath for several minutes, and now that they were on the verge of finishing with him, the desire was even less. _I am glad they are allowing Huziah and I to have_ any _role, but the idea of simply disappearing in the aftermath...I do not want to do it. Though Huziah has not said so, I have a feeling he is in agreement._

 _Why should we waste what few amazing warriors we have on a distraction? Liran and his Reruqi* could do more dedicated to another part of the mission. Whereas, Huziah and I have little else to offer, and everything to lose if it fails. (*front line)_

They'd been dropped off with Ghyath roughly three miles from Central, with instructions to leave the Rynn for pick up by the enemy, and place a call for their own retrieval.

The golden-eyed elohim didn't speak over the course of their journey either, which had them traveling in the direction of the burned out remains of the building which had been one of the Vagari's first targets upon invading Arcadia. Once they stepped behind the structure, however, Ghyath shook his head in amazement.

 _"It is little wonder that everyone thought we died in that assault. It is clear the Vaga wanted to send a loud message."_

Aalok swallowed while coming up on the elohim's side. " _Are you certain he will not kill you now?"_

 _"Given the opportunity, I am sure he would consider it. Yet my gut tells me the Vaga will want to hear what I have to say, Aalok, and try once more to get me to cooperate with him. I know this is frightening and that you do not want me to do it. But we are grateful you agreed to make these calls for us."_

 _"It is the least I can do,"_ Aalok answered softly. _And not the only action I_ wish _to take,_ he added inwardly.

 _"I do not think we need to drag this out,"_ Ghyath told him. " _I see no reason to go further than the ground floor. You can bind me, and I think you should use an actual stun."_

Aalok loosely grasped a pair of manacles, even while hanging his head. " _I am so sorry, Rynn."_

 _"This is not your doing, but mine."_

 _"No. I am sorry for what we attempted to do with Michelangelo, and for attacking your kind. We were wrong. I have said it already, but I cannot help telling you again."_

The elohim ducked so they would be eye level. " _You cannot change the past, Aalok. I too have done terrible things that I wish I could take back. But only El can make one clean, and redeem the darkness inside us. You cannot pay for it, nor should you try."_

 _"I hope that I see you again, Rynn."_ Aalok's voice wavered, and when he glanced at Huziah, his friend seemed emotional too.

 _"I understand the difficulty of the position you are being put in, Aalok, but it is not without purpose,"_ Ghyath assured him. The elohim held out his hands willingly, and the seventeen-year-old applied the irons in slow motion. _"Everything will be all right."_

 _"You cannot know that."_

 _"No. But I believe it. Once I am down, both of you have to get away from here. Call the Vaga back, but keep the conversation short. Our proximity to Central means you will be much easier to track. Then get in touch with Alarid, and he will come back around to retrieve you."_

Aalok glanced at Huziah, and noticed him bristle at the last part of the command. _"Rynn, I have faith in your judgment, and all the plans you devised with the others. However, in this matter, I am not inclined to cooperate."_

The elohim's eyes widened. _"What are you saying?"_

 _"I find no reason for Legatus, a people who have no prior knowledge of my race, to sacrifice themselves on our behalf. There is no individual more appropriate for the task than myself."_

 _"And me,"_ Huziah inserted.

Ghyath scanned both Ruairi with a panicked look. " _Do not take matters into your own hands! You will make things worse, not better."_

Aalok bit his lip while tugging the gun from his belt. _"We will not ruin it, Rynn. Nor will we allow anyone else to suffer on our account. Please forgive me."_ He raised the weapon with difficulty.

Ghyath threw up manacled wrists to delay him. _"I ask you to go through with the plan as it was intended."_

Aalok exchanged one more glance with Huziah. " _We cannot. I am sorry, Rynn."_ He waited a moment longer for his friend to get beside the elohim, and then fired a single shot to stun their leader.

The younger ruairi caught Ghyath's side when he crumpled, but was incapable of supporting his full weight. Aalok hurried to assist on his other side, and they lowered him to the ground together.

 _"This does not feel right, Aalok. Are we really going to leave him?"_

 _"We have to,"_ he answered tightly. _"The others are all waiting for this to set everything in motion. I will contact them first to communicate the change we are making, and then I will call the Vaga."_

 _"I would rather not see anyone else in this role either, Aalok, but what are we going to do?"_

 _"Attract the necessary attention, and wait for the insanity to begin. You do not have to do this, Huziah. You can go back."_

 _"No. We have both come too far for that."_

Aalok fingered his communicator nervously, even as they exited the remnants of the building. " _I will broadcast to our entire network, so if other changes need to be made, they will be aware of them."_ He paused to take a deep breath and work up the nerve for the announcement. Then he checked the channels to be certain they were all open, and took the plunge.

 _"Everyone, this is Aalok. Huziah and I have completed the first phase, but have yet to contact the Vaga. I need to inform you of a change in plans. Against the wishes of our Rynn and the rest of you, we are taking our rightful place as the sacrificial distraction. I am telling you in advance, so that you may shift positions accordingly. We can find absolutely no reason for Legatus to fill this role._

 _"We do not seek your approval, but ask that you do everything in your power to rescue Ghyath and our people. We do not deserve your help. However, we cannot do this without you. I am not looking for a response, and will not listen to any plea to change our course. Understand, this is something we must do._

 _"I thank you for not giving my people up for dead. If we do not see you again, we will still owe you everything. Goodbye."_

Aalok winced in preparation of the many calls he was about to receive, and systematically began blocking channels one by one. He was still in the process of shutting them down when an unexpected voice got through.

 _"Aalok, give me but a few moments!"_

The ruairi hesitated, poised to block him, but was curious to hear from Tariq.

 _"I will not try and talk you out of it!"_ the vagari went on. " _I ask only that you wait: wait until I can get there. We are still another twenty minutes out."_

Aalok was terribly confused by the request. _"Tariq, I did not know you were coming."_

 _"I wasn't going to, but that doesn't matter. I need to drop off someone else first, but I don't want you to do anything until I am with you. Call the Vaga, tell him where Ghyath is, but then remain under cover until I arrive."_

 _"Why are you doing this, Tariq? You are traitor to the Vagari. They may kill you the moment you set foot in Central!"_

 _"That is a danger, but I think the Vaga may consider trying to extract information from me first. I won't tell you not to do this, Aalok. I ask only that you don't do it alone."_

 _"Why, Tariq? Tell me the reason you are compelled to act this way."_

 _"My life was nothing before I met Ghyath. In many ways, it still is, but he gave me hope that it can be something more. He is willing to give up his life for this venture, and with all he has done for me, I'm not satisfied to stand still and watch it happen._

 _"Vagari won't take the idea of your joint assault with Huziah seriously. They will know there is more to it. That's why the Nalikjan assigned an entire team for this task. But you are correct that Legatus would be of better use somewhere else._

 _"Allow me to join the effort, and I assure you we can make a convincing attempt of breaking into Central."_

 _"We are probably going to die,"_ Aalok said bluntly.

" _I'm aware of that."_

The ruairi lowered his link for a few moments, considering options. He looked at Huziah, whose shrug spoke _for_ him.

 _"If he is not trying to discourage us, we could use the help, Aalok."_

The seventeen-year-old hesitated a beat longer, then brought the communicator close to his mouth. _"All right, Tariq. We will wait for you."_

 _"Send me your coordinates once you are under cover, and don't move from that spot unless you must."_

 _"Agreed. Once we have hidden again, I am going to call the Vaga, and then we will stay where we are."_

 _"I'll be there as soon as I can."_

 _"Will you tell the others what you are doing?"_

 _"Probably, though I doubt Tim will allow me to announce_ his _arrival."_

Aalok nearly dropped the link. " _You are bringing_ him? _"_

 _"He is not joining our foolish mission. I don't know what role he'll play yet, but that's his own business. As for you, do what I said and stay out of sight. I will catch up with you quickly."_

* * *

Arzhan's anticipation built strongly while he waited for Ghyath to be brought to him, but he only presented a calm smile when the contingent arrived nearly half an hour after the Rynn was picked up by Nopf _._ He nodded when he saw his favored specialist with the team, and headed toward him first before taking a closer look at the elohim.

 _"Crael-Pachal. I trust the fusion was a success?"_

The young genius beamed. _"I can demonstrate its effectiveness. Already his energy is depleted, though you can see we haven't engaged a binder. You won't find it hard to control him."_

 _"Well done, Crael. I look forward to seeing more of your work."_

 _"There is so much to come, Vaga."_

 _"I don't doubt that. I would like to speak to Ghyath, though. Would you please wake him?"_

 _"I will. Vaga, with your indulgence, I would like to continue observing him. I find the process fascinating."_

 _"You are welcome to stay. Please rouse him, and I will be with both of you in a minute."_

Arzhan smoothly crossed the room to where Muhsin hovered by the door. _"Kumne, where do we stand with Arcisjuug-Mirtuagani and Fruik Bliot?"_

 _"Arcis is online, Vaga, and ready to set the perimeter at your word. Fruik Bliot is more difficult to conceal. They won't be moved until enemies are confirmed."_

 _"They are out there. I don't know everything they hope to accomplish this evening, but we already have the firm advantage."_ He cast a glance over at Ghyath. " _I feel more secure keeping him in the Qif, but you must be prepared for a good show, Muhsin. We can't make this easy on them."_

 _"We won't, Vaga."_

 _"Any more word on the reserve troops?"_

 _"They have a couple of jumps yet to make. The last I was told, the army's projected arrival should be tomorrow afternoon."_

 _"That could be just in time. Get to surveillance. I expect the Crystal Network to go down soon, and you need to be prepared for it. Were the communicators distributed?"_

 _"Yes, Vaga. If the Network goes down as you suspect, you will still have contact with us all."_

 _"Keep me informed of every change."_

Muhsin signaled his deference, and summoned the bulk of the security team to follow him out of the room.

Arzhan walked over to join Pachal and smiled down at heavy golden eyes. " _Hello, Ghyath. Would you like to tell me what you're doing here?_ "

The elohim had such difficulty forming words, the Vaga motioned his Crael closer.

" _Back it off a little. I require communication on his part. There will be plenty of time for testing limits later._ "

Pachal bobbed his head while making an adjustment on his monitor, then took a couple steps backwards to give him room.

 _"It was kind of you to come in, Ghyath, but I know you have an ulterior motive,"_ Arzhan told him casually. " _I would like to know what it is."_

 _"_ They... _brought me."_ Delivering the three words still seemed too hard, and the Vaga gave his Crael another look.

" _I am still adjusting,"_ Pachal replied.

By the time Arzhan turned back to Ghyath, the elohim's eyes were fully open. _"Ah. That's better. Now, Ghyath, please inform me why you chose to pay us a visit this evening."_

 _"I did not bring myself here,"_ he murmured.

" _No, but you allowed it. What's the purpose, elohim? I know you have one. We are prepared for whatever lurks in hiding, but I thought I could connect with you before any of that begins. Why have you come?"_

Ghyath tried to sit up, but his elbows couldn't attain any leverage. _"I was hoping for an opportunity to barter with you."_

 _"You didn't need the Ruairi to 'hand' you over to us for that purpose. You could have simply called me yourself."_

 _"It would have given you no incentive to listen. The Ruairi are the ones you made demands of. You explicitly told Eovis not to get my kind involved in the matter. How could I assume you would be willing to negotiate peace with us?"_

 _"You are truly here on the Ruairi's behalf?"_

 _"They are the reason we came,"_ he insisted a little stronger.

Arzhan shook his head at the truthful answer. _"You willingly put yourself in this position for them. That was very unwise, Ghyath."_

 _"They are allies and friends. We do not abandon our own in their darkest hour."_

 _"But the Ruairi are not your own, elohim. They are not anything to you. What have they ever contributed to your society, or any other? They are deceitful and self-preserving. I delivered my ultimatum to them, because I knew it was the one thing which could convince someone to return what I desire."_

The Vaga leaned over the table into Ghyath's face. _"You're only prolonging the suffering of your people. You can't hide the terrapins from me forever. Your actions this evening already bring them closer."_

 _"I am not willing to negotiate where they are concerned yet."_

 _"What do you have to negotiate with, if not them? You possess nothing else I need or want."_

 _"Do you truly desire to kill us all, Arzhan? Or would you rather have something closer to a brotherhood? You were the one who tried to convince me to help you before. I still hold sway over the Nalikjan."_

 _"Ghyath, how am I supposed to believe we could be united again, when you refuse to hand over the greatest tool which was ever created?"_

 _"I said I was ready to discuss the matter, Vaga, not that I was prepared to do everything you say."_

 _"You will never be ready to do_ anything _I say, Ghyath. I can't understand why you chose to move forward in this fashion. I know you believe there is hope in this ridiculous errand, but you have only sealed your own fate, in more ways than one. I have much to tell you, but I'm also curious to watch this night unfold._

 _"You should know, we're ready for a challenge. I don't prefer to rely on the cold and mechanical on a regular basis, but when the goal is to overwhelm an enemy with as little risk to our own people as possible, they can be effective."_

The clear confusion in the elohim's eyes made Arzhan chuckle.

 _"I don't care for the droids personally, because they are soulless and incapable of true intelligence. They only serve a limited use, but they shouldn't have a hard time containing whatever your lot has planned for this evening. I will give you a chance to see them firsthand later. For now, make yourself comfortable with my Crael-Pachal. You will be seeing a lot of him, Ghyath."_

He savored the apprehension in the elohim's spirit for a few more seconds before starting to leave. _"It is going to be a long night, I fear. I will meet you again when this is over."_

Arzhan left the room in the care of his Crael and a few Nopf. He noticed someone waiting nearby the moment he stepped into the hall, and nodded at his Safyni. " _Varij, is your team assembled?"_

 _"It is, Vaga. I have been standing by for your instructions, but confess I feel a little...impatient this evening. Knowing they are out there makes it harder to wait."_

 _"You will only have to hesitate a while longer. Your role is all about timing, Safyni. Take your team to the location where temptation was planted, and upon arrival, hold for my command. No matter what happens, I need you to remain in that spot, so you are ready to move when I say it is time."_

Varij crossed a hand over his heart. _"We will get into position, and wait to hear from you."_

 _"I feel your eagerness, Varij, and I'm experiencing it too. I know it's hard to hesitate, but it will be worth it in the end. They are setting themselves up for disaster, and they aren't even aware."_

The Safyni grinned at last. " _Of course they have. No one can oppose your righteous directive, Vaga, even those who pretend to be more pure. They fight to defend disgustingly immoral races, and trade their own lives for what cost? But they care nothing for the glorious Creation which you have defended for centuries. They were destined to fail from the beginning, and it will be a pleasure to watch with my own eyes."_


	117. Separate

Donatello's throat felt as dry as a desert while he silently surveyed the crystal tower. The Elohim had aptly named it _Vanxilia*_ upon rebuilding new sections of Arcadia after the defeat of the Overlords. (Brilliance) He could only imagine how beautiful the building would be under the light of day, and faintly hoped that all the members of the divided team would have the chance to see it.

Presently he was still undercover with a sizable group, but it wasn't destined to remain that way. As soon as the second step was taken their company would be broken up into three smaller factions, and the purple-masked turtle would be left to the impossible task of drowning out concern for their kids, while simultaneously helping crack technology he'd never laid eyes on.

 _No pressure though, just because it's the entire point of the mission, and if we fail, all the risks were for nothing._ The idea made him wince and close his eyes for a few moments. _We're not doing this on our own. We're in the right place to act, and they don't know what we're up to. We still have a chance._

He sensed movement to his right, and turned to watch Nate shake off a tremor of his own. Don nodded toward the eighteen-year-old. "You all right?"

"Sort of," he admitted. "I don't like separating into this many pieces, or how quiet it is. Doesn't it feel unnatural?"

Donny agreed grimly. "It does. But then, the Vagari are _supposed_ to believe they're being set up. If they weren't preparing in the background, it'd be more shocking."

"I'm used to winging it, but we're taking this to a new extreme," Nathaniel mumbled, and then exhaled. "Okay, focus."

The way he softly delivered the words lent the purple-masked turtle to believe he was talking to himself, but Don still wanted to take the opportunity to encourage him one last time.

"Hey, you've got this. We're all happier when we're fighting side by side, but nobody's acting alone. Look after your team. Keep Jayden on target."

Nate nodded to where his purple-masked cousin was deep in conversation with Ghysis. "I'm kind of worried over what they're talking about."

Don winked at the teen, finding humor in his concern, despite everything. "Winging it calls for creativity. Jay can bring some to the table, if you let him."

"I have confidence in him, but I'd still feel better if we weren't going different ways."

Donatello fingered a case which he'd been concealing under the lining of his cloak for over an hour now. "I'm there with you, Nate. Right now, though, I could use your help with Olivia before this starts."

"Are you finally giving it to her?"

"It's too late for Liv to refuse. Are you gonna back me up?"

"Sure, Ojisan. I'll cover her getaway."

Donny tapped the back of the teen's head. "I can do without the sarcasm."

"I'm behind you," he protested.

The older turtle scanned the darkness slowly, first spotting Shukri stealing a few more minutes with Chirayu, and then Olivia sitting apart with Charlotte underneath a blacked out window. He approached the pair causally, in spite of the nerves ramping up inwardly.

"Hey, ladies. Are you feeling okay?"

The red-masked turtle sent a glance toward the window, even though it was impossible to see outside. "Never better," she returned.

Don's eyes landed on his daughter with a protective instinct he couldn't contain, but he forced a smile for her.

"Dad, we'll be all right," she told him. "I still wish..."

"What?"

"Nothing," Charlotte said dismissively. "It's too late anyway."

Donny wanted to pursue the issue, but the way she avoided his eyes told him she wouldn't give up what she was harboring without a fight. _Which I bet we don't have time for._ He looked back at Olivia instead.

"Liv, your mom brought something down from Montreal with her, because she figured you'd end up needing it. But seeing as how you've refused anything to do with this in the past, none of us were in a hurry to try and put it in your hands." Donatello dug out the sword case and extended it her direction. "It's time."

The twenty-year-old stood completely still, making no move to accept it. "This isn't my role, Ojisan."

"Your refusal has nothing to do with your role, Olivia."

"It has everything to do with it. Jonin tried to give both katana to Nate. He's the one who refused to take the second!"

Donatello couldn't quite make out her expression, but he heard a scowl in her voice.

"Why can't you see that not leading doesn't diminish you?" Nate slowly came around the purple-masked turtle. "It doesn't change your skills, or the worth you have to the team. It feels like you've been punishing yourself for years, Liv."

"I'm not punishing myself. I'm being realistic, Nate. I know what I can do, and I know what I can't."

"That isn't true," the orange-masked turtle objected. "We all know you can use a katana. You _still_ give me a good run around, every time you're willing to wield one for katas."

"I do that for you," she insisted. "I don't have any desire to fight with one myself."

"I don't believe that either," Nate countered. "We were both trained to view the katana as an extension of our own body. I've seen it come to life in your hand too many times for you to tell me it doesn't matter."

"That's practice! I'm not good enough to carry a blade of this caliber, and you know it. I proved it at Ravensrock. Why do you keep making me go through it all over again?"

Don's foot struck the ground with the force his frustration. "Enough. No one's dragging you through this, Olivia. You're the one who won't let it go. You can choose, right now, to leave the past behind. The constant second-guessing is holding you back, and it won't work tonight. There's no telling what we're going to face out there. We need everyone at the top of their game, and that includes you."

"You want me to take it, just to make everybody happy?" The red-masked turtle yanked the proffered case out of his hand. "Fine. But it's only a sword. Carrying it doesn't make me worthy."

The older turtle wanted to correct her again, but shut his mouth instead. He looked at Charlotte with a renewed sense of foreboding. "Take care of yourselves out there."

"We know what to do, Dad. We'll be fine."

He reached for her tentatively, barely resisting the urge to baby Charlotte. But his daughter met him warmly without an ounce of irritation.

"I know how hard this is for you," she said in his ear. "But I appreciate being treated like one of you."

Don made himself let her go and backed up a couple steps. "You've got everything you need. Together, there's no stopping you."

"Hey! Throw some of that confidence over here." Jayden's lumbering shadow turned up on his other side without warning.

Don gave his son a lopsided smile. "I'm not worried about _your_ confidence, Jay."

"Well, you should be. Everyone needs love, and that includes me."

Donatello's expression got serious, even though he wanted to smile again. "Jayden, ever since you were a kid, we rammed control down your throat. You can't blame us for being a little overbearing, especially me."

"You can relax, Dad. You guys are good teachers. I won't screw this up."

"That isn't what I need to say. You're probably going to have to do things that go outside the acceptable norm tonight, Jayden."

"Why's that? 'Cause we're on an alien planet trying to find some way to shut down massive weather machines threatening another world? Is there something weird about that?"

"Jay, focus. This is important," he said sterner. "You've been forced to hold back for your entire life. No one really knows your full potential because of it."

Jayden shuffled from one foot to the other, displaying his own first hint of nerves.

"You couldn't afford to unleash it," Donatello added. "But...if you need that strength for any reason tonight, don't hold it in. Not here. You understand what I'm telling you?"

"That you want the Hulk to come out?"

"If you need it," the older turtle said quieter.

"I'll be careful, Dad. I swear."

Donatello took another step to the side, so he could survey the four youth at once. "I'm not worried about what any of you are capable of. Not knowing what we're up against has me paranoid, but you're still ready. We all see it."

"Donatello." Shukri apologetically cut into the circle. "My friend, I received word from the Ducaz. The simultaneous attacks on two of the communications towers were successful. The Crystal Network has gone down, which means the window is open."

Don nodded heavily. "Have you heard from Aurel?"

"He awaits our arrival at Vanxilia."

Jayden nudged the older turtle's shoulder so hard, it nearly sent him off balance. "Go take care of business, Dad. We'll do our part."

Donny looked back at Shukri, and was relieved by the elohim's improved posture which indicated his own readiness. He cracked his knuckles with a deep breath. "Okay, guys. We'll see you when this is over. Take care of each other and... bring it."

* * *

The utter stillness of the neighborhood was unsettling to Nate. He knew it was still too quiet, and judging from the unusual grimness of his giant counterpart, Jayden felt it too. The footsteps of Ghysis bringing up their rear sounded much louder _because_ of how silent the atmosphere was.

Nate bit his tongue to keep from correcting the elohim. _Ghysis doesn't know any better, and since we're_ supposed _to be attracting attention, he won't ruin our objective. I'd still rather announce our presence when we choose to, instead of being discovered prematurely._

The orange-masked turtle halted in place, and motioned for the other two to huddle up. _"_ Ghysis, are you okay coming in the middle of us?"

"I know I am doing something wrong for both of you to keep looking at me."

Nate exchanged a glance with Jayden. "It's not wrong per say, you're just a little...loud," he finished carefully.

"It would not be so noticeable if the street was not abandoned," the elohim tech complained.

Jayden snorted softly. "You should enjoy it while you can. By the time everything goes down, you'll probably miss this part."

"It's safe to say none of us are comfortable here," Nate volunteered. "But we need to get into position away from Vanxilia before setting off any fireworks."

"Yeah, about that, Chokkan." Jayden grinned suddenly, then focused on the elohim. "Ghysis says we don't really need to waste the charges yet. We can make our own fireworks."

Nate's brow furrowed while turning to the alien. "What are you thinking?"

"The power converter used to fuel the energy cells in land cruisers and air ships is a rather sensitive device. Properly sabotaged, it can induce an explosive effect. The cells are contained by a reinforced compartment which cannot normally be accessed without the user's crystal, however...We have him." Ghysis motioned to Jayden, who instantly flexed.

Nate considered the idea. "I'm also carrying a blade that's stronger than steel, or whatever metal they construct their vehicles from."

Ghysis nodded. "You and I could work together, Nate, while Jayden vandalizes his own."

"Hold up. You know how to do this, Jay?"

His purple-masked cousin flashed a smirk. "Switching out the electrical line isn't complicated, Nate. I don't have to do anything except move two wires."

"And you won't screw _yourself_ up in the process?"

"Ghysis diagrammed it. What do you think we've been talking about?"

Nathaniel sighed. "I knew it was nothing good. All right, but I don't want to separate. How do you control when the converters explode?"

"It would usually happen upon ignition of the cruisers," Ghysis explained. "But it is also possible to spark the reaction with something as small as a transmitter." The elohim opened his bag, displaying an abundance of the tiny tracking devices which they were also using to keep an eye on the various members of their team. "They can be planted within the energy cells. Once they are activated by my monitor, the electrical output should be enough to trigger the converters."

"You thought this through," Nate determined. "You're sure it will work? You've done it before?"

"No, I have not done it this way, but I understand how they are engineered. It will allow us to save our real weapons for a more opportune moment, instead of using them up front."

Nate agreed reluctantly. "All right. Let's do it. The sooner we light things up, the sooner Don, Shukri and Ezra can move toward Vanxilia."

Jayden pumped his fists victoriously. "This is gonna be awesome."

"Don't blow yourself up!"

"Not gonna, Chokkan."

Ghysis pointed to the twenty-foot wall they'd been skirting. "I am sure there will be plenty of cruisers to choose from on the other side. With the Crystal Network down, their surveillance will be affected, but the area is probably not empty."

Nate eyed the obstacle. "How are you at climbing, Ghysis?"

"I am not horrible, but that is a little high. I think we need to circle around to a gate."

"No, if anybody's hanging around here, they're probably close to the entrances," Jayden pointed out. "C'mon, Ghysis. We can help you over this thing."

The elohim alternated looking between them both. "Help me how?"

"It's no big deal, okay? Tell him, Nate."

"It's really not. Jayden can give you a boost."

"You wish to throw me?"

"No. Well...sort of," Nate replied. "Look, it's not that hard."

"For _you,_ maybe."

"I'll go up first, okay? I'll be waiting at the top to assist you."

"Will he 'boost' you too?"

The orange-masked turtle chuckled. "Nah. Hold tight for a second, and let me get into position."

Nate backtracked a little to give himself room to run, noting the elohim's wide-eyed expression. _He really didn't know what he was getting into with us. This is the_ mild _part._ He dashed toward the stone surface, first catching one foot on the wall, and then transferring his momentum into a bounce which propelled him upwards.

Nate caught the ledge with both hands and pulled his chest level with the top of the wall, then pushed the rest of his body over. He turned around carefully so he'd be looking down on Jayden and Ghysis and shot them a thumbs up.

"You want me to do _that?_ " the elohim wavered.

"No. Jayden will be your momentum, and I'm gonna help you keep your grip. Let's do this, guys."

"This is not a good idea," Ghysis complained.

"Hey, you volunteered to work with ninjas," Jayden said. "What'd you expect to be doing?"

"Terrapin, if you drop me..."

"I ain't gonna drop you, Ghysis, but you should give me your bag, just to be safe."

"I do not find this amusing."

Nate folded his arms impatiently. "Ghysis, come on. We're wasting time. If you want us to trust you, you've got to trust us."

"All right, all right! I am doing it."

"I'm gonna brace my hands together for ya, Ghysis, and you need to put your foot here in the center. Then I'll boost you up," Jayden provided. "Keep your arms out so you can grab the ledge, and then hold on. It's okay if you can't pull yourself up all the way. Nate's there to help, and I'll be right behind you. Are you ready?"

"No, but let us do it, terrapin."

The orange-masked turtle watched the pair like a hawk, tensing for his cousin's launch. Jayden's aim was good, but the terrified elohim only managed to get one hand on the top in mid-air. Nate spun to grip the edges of the wall with both legs, and seized the alien's other arm.

"Don't panic!" he commanded. "If you struggle, I probably won't be able to hold on."

In a flash, Jayden mounted the wall beside him, and swung himself over the top. Once securely situated, the purple-masked turtle grabbed Ghysis' other hand, and they worked together to pull him up.

"Okay," Nate smoothly moved on. "Now to get down, the first thing you have to do is relax."

"How would you like me to do that?"

"Jayden, jump down so you can help catch him, all right?"

His cousin saluted and vaulted off the ledge, landing out of somersault at the bottom.

"Do you want me to try the same thing?"

Nate laughed. "No. You're gonna hang off the ledge facing the wall to start with. It gives you less of a distance to fall, and Jayden is already down there to make sure you don't hurt yourself. No hesitation. Let's do this."

Ghysis grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, while shakily leaning over the top.

"You can't see him, but Jayden's right there. Trust him, Ghysis, and let go. Do you need me to count for you?"

"No. I will do it." The elohim grimaced with a gasp before releasing his grip.

The purple-masked turtle broke his fall perfectly and gave the alien a friendly pat. "Hey, what do ya know? You survived."

Nathaniel leaped from his perch, twisting through the air before landing nimbly on his feet.

"You make this look so simple," Ghysis accused.

Nate shrugged. "It is simple, for a ninja." The orange-masked turtle looked around, smiling at the shadowy outlines of dozens of cruisers. "How long will it take to rewire them?"

"It's not rewiring," Jayden spoke up. "Literally all we're doing is switching the input/output lines on the energy cells. It takes a few seconds tops, once you're in."

"Okay, but don't get lost, Jay. Stay nearby us."

Nate drew his katana while ushering the elohim toward the first cruiser. "Where is this hatch?"

"In the front." Ghysis glanced around anxiously. "I am sure we are not alone here."

"No, I bet we're not, but stick close to us, Ghysis, and you'll be fine."

"That is what I am counting on."

"Show me where to cut."

The elohim ducked closer to the ground, resting a hand against the undercarriage. "It is right here, where it is reinforced. You can feel the difference in metal."

Nathaniel cautiously used the edge of his blade without applying a lot of force, so he wouldn't accidentally damage anything inside.

Ghysis smiled for the first time in several minutes when he'd carved a suitable opening. "That is a thing of beauty, terrapin."

"Get to work, Ghysis. We have a few more cruisers to go."


	118. Closer

Tariq wanted nothing more than to tie up the two Ruairi somewhere and leave them, but their promise of causing a disturbance regardless of where they were made him hesitate. _If we can survive long enough for them to take us to Arzhan, I think his curiosity may buy some time. Many others would be inclined to kill everyone on sight, whereas he may have some use for us...at least for a while. Hopefully long enough for Legatus to have the chance to do something on our behalf. I may even be able to pretend to cooperate with him._

The vagari was poised with Aalok and Huziah on the roof. They'd chosen to fly there to take advantage of the glassed in Garden Chamber, which Tariq expected to have an easier time infiltrating. _Not that we're trying to accomplish anything, other than getting caught in the act. We need to set off some type of alarm. Even with surveillance down, other security measures will remain intact._

He cast a longing glance at the teenagers and shook his head. _I could stun them both, but I know of nowhere safe to take them, and time is short. When did I become so easy to manipulate? First by the terrapin, and now these Ruairi. El save me, if we survive this, Leonardo will probably kill me himself._

 _"What are we waiting on?"_ Aalok hissed. _"We should have moved already. You said they are approaching Vanxilia."_

Tariq cringed. _Yes, the madness will begin any moment, and we have our own responsibilities to fulfill, though no one would assign them to us._ He was just turning toward the same glass panel he'd been contemplating before when a thunderous explosion shattered the air, resounding several times over in the course of seconds. The sound was so overwhelming, he was tempted to think _they_ were under attack.

But when the vagari raised his head, he was stunned by the size of fireballs erupting from the neighborhood to the west of Vanxilia.

" _How many charges do they have?"_ Huziah gasped.

 _"I can't tell you how they accomplished that,"_ Tariq told him. _"But we dare not wait any longer."_

Without taking any more care for secrecy, the vagari slammed his rifle into the fracture point on the panel, breaking the pane with shattering force. _"It will not take them long to discover us. I can make this attempt seem more real if I assault the energy breakers. I know how to send a couple of floors into darkness."_

Tariq ducked through the opening, soaring softly to the floor of the Chamber. He waited for the youth to float down beside him, and then called to them quietly over his shoulder. _"When we're caught, you need to give them hope of getting something out of you. It is the only way to guarantee they won't slay you immediately."_

 _"Do you honestly expect us all to survive?"_ Aalok challenged.

 _"_ I _want you to survive,"_ he answered tersely. _"Do as I say, and at least pretend you will give them information."_

 _"We will try,"_ Huziah offered weakly.

" _We need to move quickly, and for the moment, stay together."_ The words no sooner left Tariq's mouth, than the hiss of a hatch opening indicated someone was already alerted to their presence.

The vagari instinctively dove for the cover of manicured bushes, trusting the Ruairi would follow him instead of scattering. He winced when brighter overhead lighting flickered on, and tucked his rifle closer to his chest while his heart rate increased.

Tariq sent another look around for his young counterparts, and caught Huziah trembling. The vagari scooted over to reach him and squeezed his arm. " _Stay down. Both of you. I can do this alone. We don't need multiple martyrs for this cause. I will get their attention, and I want you to leave once they drag me from here."_

 _"That is not what we agreed upon,"_ Aalok returned too loudly for his liking. " _It ends now."_

Before Tariq could react or respond, both Ruairi charged from the bushes as one, brandishing rifles like there were a thousand more allies as backup. The vagari groaned loudly while pursuing them. He was mentally prepared to be surrounded by the enemy, but it didn't keep his heart from stopping in his chest when he set eyes on at least fifteen energy weapons

* * *

Shukri tried valiantly to control the consistent urge to twitch because of the nervous energy coursing through his entire body. They had specifically waited to make any move on the Tower until the distractions took off elsewhere, but the unbelievable firestorm from six blocks out was somewhat larger of a signal than he'd anticipated.

The elohim physically jumped when a door hissed open right beside him, and a broad shouldered figure peered outside.

" _Lah yi di mawa lah pejcas lys kankija?_ "* (Who is the one who grants us life?) the figure requested.

Shukri's breath escaped in a sigh of relief. " _El di Taij-kliaa jehce lys pah." * (_ El the Light-bringer draws us near.)

The newcomer backed up through the door and motioned wildly for them to come inside. "The garrisons are emptying, and they go to form a perimeter through the neighborhood."

"Are you Aurel?" Donatello asked.

The elohim nodded gravely. "It is a blessing to meet you, terrapin warrior. I have heard the stories, but never expected to see one of you in the flesh."

"If you can get us into a control center, the honor will be all mine," the terrapin insisted.

"Ah, yes. I have a place selected already. Come with me, quietly. There will be less soldiers to deal with since they are being deployed, but we still stand the risk of discovery."

Donatello's face darkened. "Ezra and I have a fix for that, don't we?"

The Irishman grinned while gripping the handle of his pickax. "I knew you didn't bring me along for my pretty face."

"Quiet," Aurel urged.

"I'm a ninja." The terrapin scoffed. "The only reason we'll draw attention is if we're _trying_ to." Despite the confidence in his tone, Shukri saw Donatello's shoulders slump slightly. He knew the fear which was clenching his friend's body for the others, because it also consumed his own.

 _Our friends and family are risking everything, so we must make this count._ He warily grasped the rifle strapped over his shoulder and pointed for Aurel to lead the way.

They followed behind the elohim in a single file line, with Donatello and Ezra ahead while Shukri brought up the rear. He shook off another shudder and defiantly drew his rifle to fight off the anxiety threatening to overwhelm him. _Even now, you do not stand alone. Stop being afraid and stand with your friends, as they have sworn to stand with you._

Aurel alternated guiding them at a faster and slower pace, hesitating for long pauses that made Shukri feel like screaming. It was possible to hear a little of the activity going on outside, but the sturdy material from which the inner hull of Vanxilia was constructed blocked most of the sound from reaching them.

"You can't see anyone right now?" he heard Donatello asking Aurel.

"Normally I could track the soldiers from this particular garrison based on their crystals. But since the Network is down, we are as blind as they are."

"Part of me thinks I'm better off not seeing them," Donatello muttered. "But do you have any idea how many are still lingering in the area?"

"Not precisely. I know we need to get to the bunker downstairs. It will be more difficult to escape from there if the necessity arises, but if we try to commandeer the main deck, it will be too obvious. Below, we could avoid notice for at least a short while."

"We need more than a 'short while' to pull this off, Aurel," Donatello reminded him.

"I know that, terrapin, but this is the best option I have to offer. There will not be quite as many obstacles below."

Donatello chuckled. "What you call obstacles, I call opportunities."

"I prefer fewer of those too, Donatello," Shukri mentioned.

The terrapin fell back to walk beside him. "Hey. I feel like you haven't taken a decent breath in a few minutes here, Shukri. You've got to calm down. It's not like we haven't been in worse spots, right?"

"I am trying, terrapin."

Donatello extended a fist to him; it was a motion the elohim had witnessed him perform with one of his brothers several times, and therefore understood the appropriate response. Shukri curled his fingers to wrap his friend's knuckles obligingly.

"We're together on this, Shukri. We'll figure it out, and fight our way back to the surface if we have to. Now breathe."

The elohim inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Better. Repeat as needed." Donatello tapped his shoulder, then resumed his position directly in front of him.

Shukri managed to smile at the terrapin's back and take a couple more real breaths.

"I prefer to use the stairs," Aurel said from the front. "We are close, and it is likely we will run into others soon."

"Yeah, the luck we've had doesn't usually hold up," Donatello admitted.

"We cannot afford to set off any alarms," their guide warned. "We could be overtaken in a few moments." He hesitated at the corner of the hall, and nodded toward something the rest of them couldn't see yet. "The steps are through those double doors."

"Why don't you let Ezra and I go first?" Donatello suggested.

When Aurel made eye contact with Shukri, the Banrif nodded vigorously.

"Hang back a little," the terrapin advised. "We'll clear the road if necessary."

Shukri's own focus upon reaching the stairs was only to move as silently as possible. His grip tightened around the rifle, though at the moment, he felt dangerous with the weapon. _I would very likely shoot at the first thing I hear, regardless of what it is._

The silence was both comforting and frightening in a way the elohim didn't understand. _It is good, because I would rather not hear anything, but also bad, because I know there must be others nearby. I would rather be aware of them than surprised._

When the two Elohim set foot on the ground floor at the bottom of the stairwell, they were greeted only by the dim interior, and a door which led somewhere else.

"Terrapin?" Shukri whispered as loudly as he dared.

The manner in which Donatello suddenly reappeared on his left made the elohim almost squeeze the trigger of his rifle. " _Must_ you do that? I could have shot you. Where is Ezra?"

Donatello held up his hands innocently. "Checking the door behind the stairwell. We're covering all our bases."

"It is not safe to startle me right now," Shukri stated severely.

"Easy, Shukri," the terrapin soothed. "We're okay." He turned to Aurel. "Can you get the hall door open?"

"Normally a crystal would be required to access at this level. But since the Network has failed, I can use a manual override." He stepped up to the hatch and traced fingers over the attached touch screen to reveal a myriad of characters. "I managed to witness one of the others use it, only a few minutes ago."

"You mean you didn't already have the code?" Ezra demanded with his own reappearance, causing Shukri juggle his weapon and almost drop it.

"I am not classified as an officer, but a servant," Aurel explained. "I knew we would find some way through."

"I'm just glad you didn't save it for the last possible second," the Irishman grumbled.

"We're in," Donatello inserted. "That's the important thing."

"We're not in yet," the man countered.

Aurel retreated from the hatch as it hissed open and glanced at Donatello. The terrapin hesitated in the doorway, and then backtracked too.

"I hear voices. Stay put for a second."

When Ezra started to follow, Donatello motioned for him not to move.

"I'll just be a minute."

The terrapin's disappearance gave Shukri's heart reason to race again. The urge to retreat to the stairs hit him, but he locked his legs to stand still. The elohim began estimating how long his friend had been gone to give himself something else to focus upon, besides not being able to hear what could be happening on the other side of the door.

 _Come on, Donatello. I can take this agony no longer!_

"Ezra!" the terrapin called softly at last. "Come get this guy for me, okay?"

The Irishman swept out of the door and Donatello immediately passed back in, dragging the longer form of a vagari dressed in the ceremonial gray of the Piuti.

"No biggie," Donatello announced. "There were only a couple of them. I'm gonna shove him out of the way back here, where he's less likely to be found."

Shukri watched mutely while the terrapin made quick work of binding and gagging the computer technician. Ezra entered the stairwell with the second braced halfway over his shoulder. Once he cast the vagari down by the first, the man gave the terrapin a hard look.

"I want a piece of the next one."

"Ezra, there will be plenty to go around," Donatello assured him. "We haven't even gotten into the lab yet."

Aurel shook his head in confusion. "I do not understand your eagerness, human. I would rather not run into anyone down here."

The Irishman crossed muscular arms. "Violence isn't my first choice either, Aurel, but I'd rather get this over with so we can save a few lives without interruptions. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

Their guide's head dropped meekly. "Yes, Ezra. You have my support in taking 'out' as many of these Vagari as possible."

"Get us into the lab, Aurel," Donatello directed. "We'll handle everything in between."

* * *

 ***Disturbing content warning for torture. Sorry.**

* * *

Muhsin coolly surveyed the prisoner who'd already been stripped of his outer tunic, and was stretched in a manacled position to the wall which surely was pulling joints out of natural alignment. He was filled with anticipation while waiting for the answer from his superior as to what should be done with the intruder, but didn't give away any of his eagerness to the one across from him.

 _"I have absolutely no use for the traitor, Muhsin,"_ the Vaga told him. " _Any information he harbors will soon be irrelevant, so you are free to dispose of him how you please. The only thing I request is that you don't make it easy."_

The Kumne smiled to himself. _"I won't, Vaga."_

 _"And this should not be your main focus yet, Kumne. There are fires popping up all over Arcadia. It's nothing our troops can't handle, but I want you ready to respond in a moment's notice if needed."_

 _"As for now, I have some time, don't I?"_

 _"You may begin, Muhsin. I will let you know when to move out."_

 _"Many thanks, Vaga."_

 _"Give Tariq my regards."_

 _"I will tell him you said hello. Has the situation around Vanxilia progressed?"_

 _"Exactly as intended. I am keeping an eye on the Tower for changes."_

 _"I would be happy to oversee the project for you."_

 _"Safyni-Varij is in position to respond when I give the word. I need you available to me, Muhsin."_

 _"Very well, Vaga-Arzhan. Let me know when you have directions. In the meantime, I will visit with our old friend."_

The Kumne replaced his link and strolled over to the chained vagari. The bruises he'd received from enthusiastic Nopf were already darkening, but they'd been kind enough to leave him conscious.

Muhsin used the razor sharp, curved edge of his _kukri_ to convince Tariq to raise his head, admiring the way the blade cradled his chin. " _I have news, Tariq. The Vaga has no use for you. Do you know what that means?"_

The vagari cringed, however slightly, clearly afraid to move with the proximity of the blade.

 _"You belong to me now. Although our esteemed Vaga has no questions for you, I have a few of my own."_ He intentionally needled the kukri against his jawline, slowly increasing the pressure of the blade so the full effect would hit gradually, instead of taking one quick swipe.

Muhsin dragged the edge down his face to the base of his throat. " _I will admit to being baffled by the way you chose to aid our enemies. I can't understand what they might have promised you, let alone delivered."_

Tariq shook when he applied move force to the blade, but it wasn't the reaction the Kumne wanted. He withdrew the kukri from the angular pattern he'd already worn and jammed it into his shoulder instead.

The traitor's cry was fuel for his hatred, and it led him to continue cutting directly through the extended bone which connected to his right wing. The spontaneous tears of his captive's pain were only the beginning of what he hoped to see.

 _"I want you to be completely honest with me, Tariq. Was it worth it?"_

The vagari's frame trembled in a way he didn't seem capable of controlling, but he didn't speak a word.

" _Answer me,"_ Muhsin ordered. " _Was it worth it?"_

Eyes which had been clenched shut blinked open slowly, and then widened as if Tariq were surprised. His gaze fixed into the distance on something which the Kumne couldn't locate.

" _Answer me!"_ he repeated, while tearing his kukri through the secondary coverts of his shattered wing.

Though tears streamed from his victim and breathing was little more a ragged gasp, the strange wonder in his eyes remained.

" _It was. It_ is," Tariq replied finally.

Muhsin's fist struck his face so hard, he felt bone crumble under the strength which whipped his head into the wall. _"Liar! It couldn't be worth it! What did that fool Ghyath say to convince you otherwise?"_

 _"He sh-showed me,"_ Tariq managed.

" _Showed you what? The quickest way to die? That is all that awaits you, Tariq, but I will not be hasty. You will suffer much beforehand."_

 _"Light,"_ he whispered. " _I didn't know, c-could not tell..."_

 _"There is nothing but darkness for you_ _, Tariq."_

 _"No,"_ he rasped. " _It's here now. So bright, I barely see..."_ An infuriating smile emerged with the statement.

" _If it takes me all night, Tariq, I will_ make _you regret it."_


	119. In

Raphael was ready to let loose. Being huddled in the darkness of the tunnel underneath the Qif while the entire show was starting without them was an incredibly frustrating experience. He was trying not to hover over Bahri's shoulder, but dying to know what was being said on the other end of the link to which the alien was intensely listening. Minutes had passed in silence, and every moment signified rapidly growing danger on the surface.

"It worked!" the blue-eyed elohim declared finally. "Shukri is in. He confirmed he was able to sign in under the maintenance format."

"But the Vagari don't know it?" Leonardo verified.

"The base of the system is supposed to appear completely normal, Leonardo. The idea is that everything is running as it should, but Shukri's particular log in permits him something like a...a master key. He is positive we can gain access to what we need."

The orange-masked turtle rocked back and forth on his heels. "What are we waiting for then?"

"No kidding," Raphael retorted. "Let's get in and get out before they have the chance to blow anyone away!"

Bahri gave both of them a wary look. "We still have to be careful, terrapins. It is true they cannot view us right now, but we do not see them either."

"Yes, but the faster we act, the less time they'll have to scramble a response down here," Leo said briskly. "Are you ready to go?"

"I have Shukri's code. I am ready if you are."

Leonardo turned to face his brothers and held out a hand to motion them closer, then nodded at Bahri to join their circle. "Let's try to leave personal feelings out of this. We get Ghyath back as fast as possible, and return to assist on the surface."

"I'm down for wrecking all kinds of havoc along the way, Fearless." The red-masked turtle grinned wickedly.

"Stick to what's right in front of us and complete the mission," Leo reiterated.

"You forgot about having some fun," Mike reminded him.

"Completing missions _is_ fun," the oldest turtle corrected. "Now let's move."

He motioned for Bahri to lead the way, and the elohim went directly toward an innocuous portion of the ceiling which didn't look any different from the other tiles to Raphael's eyes. When the elohim struck it with his kliom, however, it radiated a golden sheen in the torch's glow.

Bahri felt along the edge of the panel, running his hand over a smooth area that shimmered like glass capturing light under his touch. Raphael noted the faint outline of alien characters, and watched the elohim select several of them. The golden glow flashed over their heads a second time, and metal grips materialized from within the hard rock wall.

Once the portion of the ceiling retracted, Bahri used the newly appointed grips of the wall to climb, and Leonardo fell into position behind him.

"Dibs," Michelangelo called to go next, but the larger turtle shouldered him aside.

"You're too old to call dibs, Shellhead."

"There's no age limit where brothers are concerned!"

"I have limits where you're concerned, and you always push 'em too far."

When his younger brother lunged at his back, Raphael caught his leg with a hooked knee and sent him sprawling on his shell.

"Are you coming, children?" Leo called down.

Raphael smirked while being the next one to shimmy up the built in ladder, but the smile disappeared when he laid eyes on the cold darkness of the outer room. Entering the environment had the effect of instantly sobering him, and reminding the turtle why they were there.

The orange-masked turtle joined them with a small grunt and a dirty look in Raphael's direction, but he didn't give his brother the satisfaction of acknowledging him.

"Lead the way, Bahri. Feel free to fall back when necessary, but for now, you're the one who knows where we're going," Leonardo said.

The elohim typed something on the screen of his tablet. "Ghyath's tracker has placed him in the seventeenth vector, which is roughly eight flights up from here. There is a possibility we will be seen in the process, but you are prepared for that eventuality."

"Naturally," Raph said, impatient. "Why don't you get the door open?"

Bahri tucked the tablet under one arm and manually released the hatch with the other. An influx of air accompanied the opening, along with the sound of a nearby conversation.

"Stay back a minute," Leonardo urged and nodded to his brothers. "We'll clear this place as necessary, starting right here. Another light just came on down the hall."

"We have to go that way to reach the stairs," Bahri volunteered.

"Stay here," Raphael repeated for good measure, and drew both sai to fall in behind Leonardo without a sound.

The three brothers moved forward, taking full advantage of the dimly lit area. The red-masked turtle scowled at the guttural laughter which was shared by at least a couple figures, from what he could hear. Not being able to understand what they said didn't make him want to hurt them any less.

He hesitated on one side of the curved entrance to the next corridor, while Leonardo paused on the other wall with a strange look in his eyes. The blue-masked turtle bore an even more confusing grin while reaching into his belt for a shuriken. Raphael watched silently while his brother sent the projectile spinning a few inches of the ground into the next room, and heard the soft thud of it colliding with a wall.

The red-masked turtle was a beat behind Leonardo when he tore around the corner and hurled himself at one of the alien's already bent over examining the shuriken. Raphael raised both arms to body slam two more who only had time to turn around before he reached them.

The sound of wood colliding with bone announced his youngest brother to the right, though he hadn't heard the orange-masked turtle coming.

Raphael cut off the gasp of one of the vagari beneath him with a whip-lash worthy blow to the chin, and then stopped to check the other who was basically comatose already.

Bahri cleared his throat from the doorway, and Raphael rose while the elohim ventured into the space. "Those four are Nopf, but that one..." The alien wandered forward for a closer look of the vagari the red-masked turtle was still partially straddling.

"He ain't dressed like the others," Raph realized. "That make him special or something?" He was surprised by the flash of anger in the elohim's eyes.

"Yes. He is an officer, a Josaad."

Leonardo came up to join them. "Like the one in charge of the ship from Earth?"

"He was not originally in charge of it," Bahri explained. "Chakor did not take control until after Kumne Muhsin must have returned with your children."

"So what are they, like...military terms?" the oldest turtle suggested.

Bahri nodded, and sent another hard look at the Josaad.

"Do you know him or something?" Mike asked.

"We have not met," he answered, and then bent over the other one Raphael had flattened, searching his belt. "The Nopf are part of the security detail, so they always carry energy binders. We should use them to contain these five, and be on our way."

Raphael would have preferred a more "hands on" approach, but settled for slinging the Josaad onto his side to see if he carried his own set of binders. A curious sheen of silver caught his eye from underneath torn tunic, and the turtle made the hole bigger for a better look. The incandescent glow which resulted from the overhead light made the turtle jolt.

"Bahri, is that Arsiterite? Did they fuse that stuff with armor?"

" _They_ did not." The elohim fumed. "The Nalikjan cast a limited number of sets, which were ransacked when Vagari arrived."

Raphael shook his head. "I say you should relieve him of it." The sudden quandary in the elohim's eyes made the turtle fold his arms. "They stole this from you guys, and I ain't gonna let him keep it."

He finished the job of rending his garment, and began feeling around the chest-plate to figure out how to remove it. It took a few seconds to realize that Leonardo was staring over his shoulder.

"Bahri, did they only make pieces like this one?"

"No. At one point there were entire suits, but only a handful."

"The first team of extractors who attacked the kids..." Leonardo mentioned with an edge. "I remember they said their blades wouldn't penetrate the armor, except for Nate's."

"Arsiterite can impact Arsiterite," Bahri filled in logically. "But I think we have lingered here long enough."

"Not until you help me get this off," Raph insisted.

The elohim heaved a sigh while bending down, and pressed his fingers in a sliding motion along the back of the alien's shoulder blades. Then Bahri whipped the chest-plate off with a violence the red-masked turtle wasn't accustomed to from him.

"There. Now can we leave?"

"Seriously, dude, what's eating you?" Mike spoke up.

"It is not the time," Bahri answered. "If we do not-"

The sudden opening of another door to their left made everyone spin, but the elohim was the closest to its path. Raphael couldn't see what was beyond Bahri's frame, but the harsh utterance of an alien language left no doubt that it was an enemy.

Bahri's shaky reply made the red-masked turtle bolt to get between him and the opening, but a blast of energy threw his friend backwards before Raphael could make it. The turtle exploded from the ground with a jump kick that connected to the vagari's rifle, smashing it against the floor.

The alien sidestepped his next charge with startling agility, forcing Raphael to correct and bull toward him a second time. A fist nearly connected with his jaw before the turtle managed to lean out of reach of his much taller assailant. He brought up both feet while lunging backwards, so that when the vagari pursued, a double kick plowed into his torso.

The moment the red-masked turtle hit the floor on his back, he saw his older brother fly over him to drive a katana through the fallen alien.

"Dang, Fearless, way to horn in on him. I had it under control."

"He was trying to call someone, Raph! You want a few hundred of them swarming the Qif? Pretty sure he tried to kill Bahri too."

The reminder sent Raphael into a panic. "Where-" By the time he'd whipped around, he found the elohim already sitting up against the wall with Mike's help, though he was breathing hard.

He dashed to Bahri's side for a better look of him. "What happened? Was it just a stun? Are you okay?"

The elohim shook his head. "It was not a stun. You can tell by the color of the energy, terrapin," he finished, still breathless.

"Then how are you okay?" Leo cut in.

Bahri's gaze traveled to the Arsiterite chest-plate lying face-down on the floor. "I managed to deflect it, mostly. The armor is effective. But I owe you for that, Raphael."

"Nah, man. You owe good reflexes for that. Been hanging around ninjas long enough to absorb a few things. Can you get up?"

The elohim slowly rose while Leonardo retrieved the armor.

"Do us all a favor and put this on, okay? I don't want to watch you take another hit like that one."

Bahri nodded at once, and cast a glance to the vagari Leonardo had killed. That was when Raphael noticed his "uniform" was different too.

"What is he, Bahri?"

"An _Aljiv_. He is an officer on the lower end, but still holds a rank of significance."

"Do you know what they were doing down here?" Leo wondered. "I mean, that's a little strange isn't it? Maybe it's normal for officers and Nopf to hang out on the lower levels, but with the insanity erupting outside, it doesn't seem like the best strategy. You're sure they don't know about the tunnel?"

"I think if they knew about the tunnel, they would have sent many more to welcome us. These were not down here by assignment." The sharpness of the alien's tone incited the blue-masked turtle to catch his shoulder.

"Something's up with you. Now what is it?"

Bahri stole another look of the dead alien. "I should feel sorry for him, yet I cannot. Can we please get out of here?"

"We can leave, but you're still going to tell me what your problem is."

The elohim didn't agree, but took a stance by the door to wait while they finished moving vagari out of sight. Raphael begrudgingly allowed Leonardo the position behind Bahri, expecting his older brother's form of persuasion to be more compelling.

"It's not like you to hide things," Leonardo continued. "Why start now?"

"Because I would rather not repeat it!"

"What does that mean?" Raph demanded.

Leo shot him an evil eye, and focused on the elohim again. "Go on, Bahri."

"It means they are despicable creatures, without an ounce of Light within them. I was like them once, but it does not make certain things easier to hear."

"Bahri-"

"Can we be quiet for a couple of minutes until we reach the stairs? I will explain, since I know you will not let this go. I would appreciate gaining a little ground first, as everyone is in danger."

"We need to get a move on," Leonardo acknowledged. "But since we're behind enemy lines, if there are things we need to know, this is the time to tell us."

The elohim grunted his disapproval and stared straight ahead while approaching another door at the end of the corridor. He tapped in the override code, but then moved aside so Leonardo could check if it was clear.

"We're good," the blue-masked turtle assured them.

Michelangelo slipped in closer to Bahri. "Dude, we don't see you get mad often, so when you do, it's kind of a big deal."

Leonardo intentionally blocked his path. "What were they saying?"

"They were talking about Arzhan, making jokes about his obsession. Can we go?"

"What obsession?" Raphael didn't give up on the explanation, even though Leo let the elohim into the connected walkway. But when he followed out of the enclosed hall, he temporarily forgot all of his suspicion because of the vastness of the domed space they'd entered.

"This is the Qif," Bahri noted. "You have only seen the higher levels in the past, with the exception of Donatello. Ghyath says that when your brother played his part as bounty, he was taken much deeper. Even Michelangelo was not imprisoned by Overlords this far beneath the surface."

"I don't remember any of this place," Mike murmured.

"You wouldn't, Chucklehead," Raphael shot back. "Them bastards were drugging you too much."

Bahri pointed to the outlines of metal stairways leading into darkness. "There are three flights connected with every floor, and we need to travel eight levels."

Leonardo tapped the rifle slung over the elohim's shoulder. "I need to know if you're gonna be able to use that. I get that you don't enjoy fighting. None of us do."

Raphael withheld a snort, barely. _I probably have a better time than most people._

"Given the opportunity, I will defend myself, and any of you," Bahri replied. "Is that what you need to hear?"

"Yes, as well as what those Vagari were really discussing. You said you'd tell us."

Bahri stared at the steps while he began climbing. "Do you understand that if I do not wish to repeat it, I have good reason?"

"I do," Leo said dryly. "But I don't like secrets, and I'll fight you on this for the next eight floors if I have to."

"They were speaking of your young ones," the elohim blurted out. "Terrible things, that none of you would want to hear."

"You said they were making fun of that Vaga guy's obsession," Mike called uncertainly from the back.

"They are his obsession," Bahri clarified.

"We all know he wants that stupid gene-" Raph started, only for the elohim to pause mid-step.

"It is more than that, Raphael, though I cannot say what he intended to do."

"Try," Leo suggested sternly.

"They are not my words, Leonardo, and I only heard a few of them."

"What did they say to make you so mad?"

Bahri allowed the quiet to settle in around them for a few moments before responding. "Their terminology is confusing. They were laughing over the idea of a pet becoming a son."

"A pet?" Leo echoed darkly. "Does Arzhan view our kids as some kind of animal?"

"No, the opposite. The term the Josaad used suggested adoption."

The orange-masked turtle squeezed past Raphael. "What does that really mean?"

"I cannot say, Michelangelo. But it does not make me more eager for them to catch up with you, so we cannot afford any mistakes. Please follow me, and try to put this distraction behind us."

Leonardo stared him down. "There wasn't anything else?"

The elohim couldn't look him in the eye. "Yes. There was...but I am absolutely not willing to discuss it here, or perhaps at all. We have other things to focus on."

After another moment of silence, the blue-masked turtle nodded. "We'll discuss it all right, because my satisfaction can wait for a while. The only goal right now is to get to Ghyath."


	120. Retrieve

Olivia's heart seemed to be racing within her ears. The bridge under which she'd been taking refuge with Charlotte and Chirayu for the last few minutes felt like a hub of enemy activity over their heads. The red-masked turtle was grateful to be playing _any_ role within the group strategy, but at the moment, she considered herself a little impotent.

They hadn't used any of the serious charges the Brayliq was handling, although they had been planted on the underside of bridge columns and supports. Now they were doing nothing except waiting for the right moment for the elohim to set off the trap.

Liv was secretly jealous of the fiery displays she knew her cousins were responsible for, and baffled by how widespread the damage seemed. _None of us had a huge amount of ammunition to start with, unless they were secretly harboring more. I wouldn't put that past Jayden..._

Chirayu swung over from an adjoining support to Olivia's side. "How fast are you able to run, terrapin?"

Olivia exchanged a smirk with Charlotte. "We're ninja, like the rest of our family. You'll find you don't have to worry too much about us, Chirayu."

"I believe that, Olivia, but their weapons have a long range. I am trying to determine how far away we can be, to still have an effective signal with my remote. The disturbance I have already suffered on my channel means that the Vagari are trying to block us."

"Being closer makes it harder to do that?" Charlotte asked.

"It allows me a stronger connection with the charges. I would prefer that the two of you go ahead of me, and I can catch up."

The red-masked turtle shook her head. "Nah, we're supposed to stick together, unless we have a good reason to split up. But I say we do this thing, because I'm tired of listening to them walk over our heads."

"How are Vagari at swimming?" her purple-masked cousin suggested. "Because Olivia and I could navigate the channel effectively, if you wouldn't mind keeping our watches for us. We can hold our breath a fairly long time."

"It is unlikely the Vagari have any interest in water, Charlotte," Chirayu answered. "When wings are waterlogged, they become a burden."

"Then how about this?" Liv spoke up. "Get a head start so _you_ won't be seen. Let us handle the remote, and we'll bail into the channel to stay off their radar. Then our next mission ought to be locating some of their ammunition for more sneak attacks. You know where they keep that kind of thing, Chirayu?"

The alien looked uncomfortable, but seemed to consider the proposition. "I do not know for certain, but I have an idea of where to look. Everything is prepared to go with our charges, except that you need four characters to trigger detonation. I will get it started, and then there is only one more button required for activation." She started to give Olivia the monitor, but the red-masked turtle motioned for her to hand it to Charlotte.

Her cousin accepted the tablet and passed the elohim her watch with a bleak look. "We'll have to sacrifice the equipment, won't we? I don't expect your monitor can survive the water."

"You might be surprised what it can withstand, but once the charges are spent, it has no use to us at the moment. If we are going to do more damage, we _will_ need to locate their weapons store."

"Long as you know where we're going, we'll be good." Olivia took off her timepiece and released it into the elohim's grip. "Fly. Don't let them connect you with this attack and try to chase you down. You can double-back to look for us after it's done. Charlotte and I will exit the channel when it's safe."

"You were the one who said we should not separate."

"It's not the same thing," Liv countered, though the alien's argument was valid. "I know we look like kids, Chirayu, but we're not. Only reason our dads let us come out here is because they know we're ready for it. They trust us, and you can too."

The elohim nodded with difficulty. "Do not delay, terrapins."

"Disappear, and we'll get right on it."

Olivia turned to her purple-masked cousin after Chirayu dropped off the support and took flight. "You okay with that thing, Charlie?"

"I wouldn't have let her leave if I wasn't," the younger turtle mumbled.

"Then what's wrong?"

Charlotte's eye ridges rose. "You're asking that question now?"

"It's better than waiting until we're swimming for our lives."

"It's nothing, Liv. I just feel bad about Tim. He wanted to be here so bad, and he didn't even come to the hangar when we left."

"He said goodbye to everyone beforehand."

"I still thought he'd show."

"Hey." Olivia nudged her back. "He's gonna be okay. Tim's in there. We can see it, and I _know_ you do. Let's be where we are, and we can concentrate on other things later."

Charlotte shook her head. "I'm sorry. You're right."

"I don't blame you for hurting, Charlie. But I bet if he could tell you anything right now, it would be to blow up the darn bridge."

"I'm ready."

"You better be. We need to get distance _fast_ when we jump off this thing."

Charlotte made a small leap to get from one support to the next, and Olivia followed her careful progress toward the center of the channel. She watched her cousin stare down at the device with another beat of hesitation.

"I'm gonna lock it in."

"Do it."

She saw Charlotte's eyes narrow in the faint light from the tablet, and was thrilled by the satisfaction of her cousin obtaining some sort of revenge on her kidnappers. Olivia tensed when her finger flashed across the screen, but didn't jump until she sensed Charlotte spring.

Both turtles were in mid-air when the first shock-wave caught up to Olivia, but the sound of the explosions was muffled by colliding with the surface of the water. The red-masked turtle pointed her head down and intentionally dove deep.

The surface above her was illuminated by brilliant flames, and crashing debris encouraged her to swim faster. She couldn't see her cousin, and had to trust that Charlotte was making haste to get away from collapsing rubble as fast as she was.

The experience of fleeing from destruction and the attention it would attract combined with not being able to connect with her teammates made the journey more harrowing than she wanted to admit. She tried to simply focus on holding her breath at first, but then also caught herself listening, straining for any other sound in the channel to indicate her cousin's position.

With passing minutes the urge to panic increased, and along with it the necessity of approaching the surface for no reason other than locating Charlotte. The red-masked turtle was in the process of kicking that direction when she was hit by an onslaught of bubbles, and both arms flailed out protectively.

Her hands brushed against a familiar, hard surface, and arms responded by wrapping around her cousin's plastron and dragging Charlotte to the top with her. With a few more powerful kicks they both broke the surface, where her cousin fixed her with a dirty look.

"I was _fine_ , Liv!"

"I know that, but I couldn't find you!"

"That's why I came back."

"There's such a thing as being too good, Charlie."

Charlotte breathed out an exasperated sigh. "I know, all right? You can't stand it when I hold back, and you don't like it when I get ahead! Will I ever be able to make you happy?"

Olivia was startled by the outburst, but relieved when her cousin's anger melted into a smile. "Yeah. Keep breathing, and I'll be plenty happy." She looked over her shoulder for a glimpse of their handiwork and laughed. "Not bad. I bet a few people have noticed."

"Which means we need to keep going," Charlie reminded her.

Liv started to move on, but the glint of light off metal in the distance made her pause to tread water. While she watched, two objects rose from the ground with a massive girth that occasionally haunted her nightmares.

"What are those?" Charlotte noticed as well.

Olivia swallowed the nerves the sight produced and quickly turned around. "I've only seen 'em in action once, Charlie, but I was hoping I never would again. Swim like you've never swum before."

* * *

Michelangelo hated bringing up the rear, especially when he was eager to get somewhere. The Qif was as dead as a door-nail, with the exception of the business they'd contended with up front on the lowest level. _All the action is on the surface, and I can't wait to get there. One really important thing to do first though._

He huffed in irritation when the others stopped ahead of him again, and craned his neck to see what Leonardo and Bahri were doing on the next landing. A couple of seconds passed before the blue-masked turtle waved at Raphael and him to join them.

"What's up, Leo?" Raph hissed. "We're doing more than getting in our steps for the day, right?"

Leonardo didn't rise to the bait. "This is our floor. Common sense says we'll run into more bodies here." He glanced at the elohim. "Bahri is going to hang back a little and concentrate on jamming their communicators. When you're dealing with the small hand-held units, Shukri says they're vulnerable to some glitches.

"They operate on a narrower bandwidth than the Crystal Network, and transmitting too many signals at the same time will cause interference. Shukri is gonna have Bahri keep the channels open on the two communicators we stole off the officers downstairs. That way, if anyone else starts trying to transmit in the vicinity, it's likely _nothing_ will be able to get through. He said our own links shouldn't be hampered, since we're accessing a different wavelength."

"Don't forget your gun, Bahri," the red-masked turtle said sharply.

"I will not, Raphael. But you understand we cannot risk a call for assistance being successfully place? Central has not been emptied – I am sure of it."

Mike's nerves surged while considering the possible attack underway on the building from the surface. _Legatus better be okay. I hate that_ anyone _had to sacrifice themselves for this thing. All I wanna do is get up there and make sure everyone is alive. But we gotta get Ghyath first._

"Open the door for us, Bahri, but keep your distance," Leo directed.

At the elohim's shaky nod, the blue-masked turtle extended an arm around his back.

"We're close, right? We'll finish this, and proceed to phase two."

"Please go and retrieve him, terrapins."

The orange-masked turtle gave the elohim two thumbs up, and reached for his nunchucks. He was ready to run, yet forced to rein in his energy again to walk last in line through the hatch to the connecting hallway.

"...don't make it obvious, but give us a little more cover," Mike heard Leonardo murmur, as though talking to himself. In reality, he knew his brother was conversing with Shukri over his own earpiece.

The proof came a few seconds later, when the lights unexpectedly dimmed.

"Yeah, that's good. Looks like a power surge. Maybe you should unlock them all so...Oh? That's helpful. Thanks."

"What's he saying?" Raphael whispered to the blue-masked turtle.

"Shukri figured out which room Ghyath is in, based off his tracker. He'll unlock the door on his end. He can't give us any idea of what's waiting, but I think we're all ready for this."

The three turtles halted in their step upon the echoing sound of footfalls coming their direction from the adjoining hall on the right. Leo hurried to the opposite side from them, while Mike held his breath behind his red-masked brother.

"No fair hogging them all, Raphie."

"Then you gotta beat me to 'em, Chucklehead."

A raised voice followed by faster footsteps indicated someone had noticed "phasing" power on their end, and Mike barely contained a grin when he heard a figure respond. The first barely made it under the pass-through when Leonardo wrenched the alien by the shoulder to yank him his direction.

He felt Raphael tense beside him, but the orange-masked lunged from the ground before his brother could. Mike had the distinct privilege of seeing the next vagari's eyes widen before his snap kick plowed into the alien's face with a resounding crack.

Raphael caught the assailant as he fell to prevent another crash, and scowled at the younger turtle. "Who said you could cut the line?"

"You told me to beat you to them."

"I'm gonna beat you before we're done here!"

"Guys!" Leonardo's command was soft, but didn't lack sharpness. "Move!"

They left aliens where they were this time, not bothering to hide their bodies. The purpose in his oldest brother's stride told Mike that Leo knew exactly where they were heading.

The orange-masked turtle contained his excitement with practiced control, resisting the urge to spin nunchucks while Leonardo hesitated right beside another door.

"Go ahead and kill it," Leo hissed into his link.

The moment faint traces of light disappeared from under the door, the blue-masked turtle pressed forward through the unlocked hatch and flew into the room.

Mike had a brief glimpse of the space from the dim power reflected in the hall, but when the door closed them into darkness, he was in his element. Though he could no longer see his brothers, he felt their presence with certainty, and heard the efficiency of their attack.

Within seconds he morphed into a rotating whirlwind toward the nearest assailant he perceived. Fire from an energy weapon briefly illuminated a winged creature which Mike had to roll to avoid. Then he bounced off a wall and twisted back around the figure to land a shattering blow to the gun, followed by the alien's skull.

A tornado kick propelled him through the mass of two more. He saw the flash of another rifle and leaped sideways, catching the tunic of someone charging blindly toward him. The orange-masked turtle dove over the alien's shoulder and shoved him backward, using the vagari's body to shield him from the energy fire.

A loud crash preceded the weapon flying from his assailant's grip because of _another_ attack, and the limp weight of the alien behind Mike confirmed the vagari's "sacrifice" for him was effective.

He cocked his head to listen, but heard nothing else.

"Guys?" Leo was the first to fill the silence.

" _Terrapins!"_ Ghyath's unmistakable voice cut in before the other turtles could.

"Lights, Shukri!" the blue-masked turtle declared.

Michelangelo blinked in the brightness, and took a proud moment to admire about a dozen laid out enemies before remembering there was a confused friend nearby.

The golden-eyed elohim was fighting to rise, but unable to support himself. Ghyath's face screwed up in a combination of pain and frustration which caused the orange-masked turtle to dash over to join his brothers. The alien wasn't bound, but the way he trembled indicated he'd been hindered some other way.

"Are you okay? Did they drain you?" Leonardo searched him for an energy binder even as Ghyath shook his head.

"I am not... I _know_ what that feels...this is...no..."

The lack of a complete sentence left Michelangelo more concerned for his friend.

"Doesn't matter, because we're getting you out," Leo told him.

The elohim tried to get his feet beneath him, but was required to accept assistance from Leonardo and Raphael. Glazed golden eyes roved over the figures scattered across the room. "I wish you could teach us..." he murmured.

"Maybe on the next trip, Ghyath." The red-masked turtle grunted. "Did they hurt you, or what?"

"I cannot say." The elohim's statement was punctuated with an unusual cry from the normally stoic alien.

"Relax," Leo tried to soothe him. "We've got you."

Mike turned to get the door, and froze at the sight of another vagari standing in front of it.

"Glorious," the alien exclaimed, raising a rifle to point at the orange-masked turtle when he shifted forward. "More magnificent than I dreamed of. You're exactly what I need."

Michelangelo scowled at the stranger, prepared for a sacrificial tackle. That was when the hatch slid open behind the vagari, and the brilliance of a blast pitched the enemy off his feet. He threw up his hands in mock frustration at Bahri. "It wasn't your turn, dude."

"You told me to use the weapon!" the elohim defended himself, but was distracted from being irritated by the sight of his friend. "Ghyath! Is he okay?"

"I will be," the golden-eyed elohim rasped. "You must help...the others."

"Getting you out first," Raph retorted. "We're taking you back to the tunnel."

"If you let me rest, I am sure-" The elohim suddenly seized up in their grip, though the turtles hadn't so much as moved.

"You are going back," Bahri said firmly. "Please bring him quickly, terrapins. We need to leave this place at once."

The suffering of his friend removed all former traces of enjoyment from Mike's mind, and made him so angry he wished he was already on the surface.

When they reached the hall, Bahri stopped in his tracks unexpectedly, and Leonardo stiffened too. adjusting his ear piece.

"Bahri, what is he saying?"

"It is Liran-"

"I _know_ that; what is he saying?" the blue-masked turtle barked.

"They are trying to help..." Bahri faltered, and then paled. He continued listening to whatever was being said over the link, and this time, Leonardo didn't try to interrupt him.

"The Ruairi deviated," he told them at last. "It was announced beforehand, but it must have been while we used the tram. I heard none of it."

Ghyath lifted his head with a groan. "They said they were...I could not stop it..."

"What? What did they do?" Raphael thundered.

"They sacrificed themselves," Bahri went on. "But they were not alone. Liran says Tariq went with them."

" _Tariq?_ " Leonardo was on the verge of shouting. "Vagari have to be pissed at him as it is! He'll end up dead! We made plans for a reason. He didn't even come with us!"

"He came separately, Leonardo. And apparently, he did not travel alone."


	121. Feeling

Arzhan was drawn out of contemplation of the troops he could view from his window by an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't account for what caused it, but snapped up his communicator nonetheless.

" _Kumne-Muhsin, how are things on your end? Have you heard about activity?"_

 _"No, Vaga. It seems most of the attention is being roused in the radius of Vanxilia like you expected, although it's also popping up in random spots around the city. Are you certain you don't want me to get out there? I'm having a good time with Tariq, but I know there are other things to do."_

 _"No. I want you to stay put, and I will call you back."_ Arzhan paced a few steps with link in hand, waiting for some direction from within. _What is it? What am I missing?_

The urge to call Crael-Pachal was the only response to his query. He immediately reached out with his communicator, but after several attempts, realized the vagari wasn't going to answer.

 _"Josaad-Bachil? Aljiv-Lakshin? Am I getting through to_ anyone?"

Unnatural silence persisted, and the sick twinge deepened. After taking a couple of breaths to calm himself, Arzhan placed another call to Muhsin.

 _"Kumne. I need you to get to the Qif. How many troops are you commanding?"_

 _"I have around seventy-five with me on this floor. Vaga, what's happening?"_

 _"I'm concerned we may have a breach."_

 _"Vaga, it's impossible. No enemy could have already reached the Qif without discovery."_

 _"Something strange is happening down there, and I need you to investigate at once. Take half your troops, and go now. Tell me the moment you have made contact with Crael-Pachal."_

 _"I'm on my way, Vaga. I will call you with news."_

Arzhan stepped away from the window. _The Nalikjan surprise me. I didn't expect them to be this aggressive. Still, it makes little difference what they do at this point. It's all going to end, one way or another. I would rather finish here, but their departure would suit my purpose too._

 _I believe I know what they're attempting, but it's dangerous to assume too much about an enemy you're not completely familiar with. I thought I understood Ghyath, but then, I never considered him so brash. There is something else motivating him, making them all bolder..._

Arzhan shifted back to the window with a flash of intuition. _I'm only acquainted with one other set of creatures with such character qualities. The information I was able to glean from the young terrapin tells me he is not the only one of his kind to harbor insane tendencies. Evidence of that is also clear from their strike on the space ship. I knew the others would come after their children, but does this mean they're already_ here _?_

The Vaga was overwhelmed at the thought, and instantly reached for his com-link. " _Piuti-Yajna. I need to confirm your droids' programming. They can detect the chemical signatures of the legendaries just like the drones. Am I correct?"_

 _"They are equipped, Vaga. Have you received information about our enemies?"_

 _"I have a strong feeling they are among those invading, Piuti. I don't want them killed. Control your creations."_

 _"I am, Vaga, but I can't guarantee they won't come to any harm. It's becoming a warzone out here! Have you seen how many areas are catching fire?"_

 _"I have, Yajna, but we still hold a massive advantage. I expect you to use it correctly."_

 _"I will, Vaga-Arzhan. I'll amend the directives in place, and set them to search for their chemical signatures specifically. If they're out there, we'll find them."_

 _"Please do, Piuti, but I have no need of more captives."_

 _"Understood, Vaga. We collect no prisoners besides the legendaries."_

Arzhan hung up the link and smiled, in spite of the destruction unfolding in all directions. _I don't care what they do to this city. That the ones I need so badly choose to present themselves to me now is proof that we are doing the correct thing. Nature is finally rewarding our efforts. After this evening, the masses will understand why we must move forward in a new fashion, and lay aside the old ways. I mean to allow the point to be settled, without any doubt._

He felt peace descending over his spirit, and relished the sensation as it rejuvenated him from the inside out. Arzhan was so relaxed by the time his link went off again, he allowed it to buzz three times before bothering to answer.

 _"Vaga-Arzhan!"_ Muhsin sounded out of breath. " _I regret to tell you that your assessment of the Qif was correct!"_

Arzhan cocked his head, unmoved despite the Kumne's anxiety. " _Why do you regret to tell me?"_

 _"Because someone_ has _been here! We found several dead and otherwise disposed...Also, the Rynn is gone,"_ he admitted with great reluctance. " _I can't figure out how they came so far this quickly, but there is no explanation for the manner of their disappearance. They must still be here somewhere."_

 _"Calm yourself, Muhsin. I want you to look for the intruders, and also release a few issues of drones into the Qif. Include some which possess the fusion. Don't panic, Kumne. They will be found."_

 _"Vaga, there is more. Crael-Pachal lives – he was only stunned. I struggled to get intelligible speech from him, but he claims he saw_ them _."_

 _"Who?"_

 _"Three of the terrapins, here in this very place! They were not the young ones, Vaga."_

Arzhan's breath seized in his chest. _"I knew it. I recognized this move could only have been expedited by their presence! Kumne, I need you to take a few moments to breathe and settle down. Are you listening to me?"_

 _"Yes, Vaga,"_ he answered haggardly.

 _"They came here for a purpose, just as Ghyath handed himself over for a reason. But they don't know what we've already done. They think they're tricking us with multiple points of attack, when in reality, all of their works are worthless. Nothing they are doing will matter soon. So I need you to pull yourself together as the great leader you are, and put on a convincing battle for their sake. Can you do this?"_

 _"I can, Vaga."_

 _"Stay near Central and defend it. I will release you at the right time. I may also have need of you to make an announcement for the masses on my behalf. They need to know I am 'safe'."_

* * *

Liran was having a difficult time waiting for the alternate attack to begin at the base of Central, so his own team could sneak inside the building. He'd been at peace with the role of giving himself up for capture, but the sudden change of plans because of the Ruairi's disobedience left him nervous.

 _This is not what any of us wanted, but it is done now. There is nothing else to do except try to clean up the mess behind them._

The Hiryn peered over the edge of the roof line, checking for the signals of klioms again. He couldn't see anything beyond the increasing hoards of enemy troops. _If they are not able to act soon, we will have to infiltrate without them. I am not risking something happening to those youth, or Tariq. He should not have stepped one foot back in Central. El, why did they have to act outside of our approval? It feels as if everything is coming apart at the seams._

Liran gazed harder at the multitudes spilling out over the streets, and felt his heart skip a beat. _Have we missed You in all of this, El? Did we move too quickly on our own? I want to believe Your hand is with us, but the way things appear at the moment, I fear we have done the wrong thing._

He looked over his shoulder, and grimaced at the growing pile of sentries his _Reruqi_ had already captured. Lieasel was knelt beside the newest addition, binding the vagari's hands behind his back.

" _No signal yet?"_ the young legatus called.

" _No,"_ he said regretfully. " _We may have to move without the other Reruqi."_

Lieasel came to glance over the edge. " _Many obstacles exist. There are any number of reasons our brothers could be hampered."_

 _"I do not blame them for it, Lieasel. I only wonder how much time the captives have,"_ Liran lamented.

 _"Does El not dwell with us all, gri-pata*?" (grandfather)_

 _"You are right. At the moment I cannot see Him in any of this, but then, I do not prefer war or killing."_

 _"None of us do,"_ Lieasel agreed. " _But as for me, it helps to remember why we are fighting."_

Liran nodded his approval and sent another look at the door where his front line hovered, waiting. Maceo and Vidal had been making short excursions inside, and appeared as if they were getting ready for another journey. He raised a hand to motion to them, but never got to call out.

The sound of a tremendous crash below was followed by another which was just as loud, and the slight shudder of the building drew the Hiryn to immediately look over the roof. The outline of two separate land cruisers stood out among the flames licking up over the street level entrance to Central.

He barely had time to absorb the sight before one of the unmanned ships the Nalikjan were controlling remotely dove out of the cloud cover toward the center of the building, adding to the feeling of a coordinated attack.

 _The plan is still in motion,_ an inner voice whispered. _And those that are with you are_ still _more than those against you._

Amidst the background alarms and response from the confused enemy, Liran knew the signal they'd waited for from the opposing Reruqi had been announced. With rifle grasped over his shoulder and spear in his hand, the Hiryn sprang away from the ledge to dash toward the door.

 _"It is time! Multiple attacks are happening now, and we must make haste!"_

He allowed his Reruqi to temporarily take the lead while he used the link to summon Shukri, but never let go of his spear. " _We are going in! Has there been any change of their position?"_

 _"No – the Ruairi remain together! As for Tariq, he has no tracker, so I cannot tell you anything. Do not linger in any place long!"_

 _"How is_ your _mission?"_

 _"I am focusing on helping you and the terrapins for the moment. Aurel is translating things as quickly as possible, and he and Donatello are trying to find something to bring down the dispersers. We do not have a solution yet."_

 _"Keep looking! Is the override the same?"_

 _"It will work exactly as I described. Let me know if you need something specific, and I will do my best to help."_

 _"I will, but I am hanging up now to focus with my team."_

 _"Take care, Hiryn!"_

 _"You as well, Banrif."_

Liran put his link away, but left the earpiece in should anyone else try to reach him. He warred with concern in the back of his mind for the Legatus who attacked the front facade of the building, despite being helpless to do anything for them.

When his pace quickened, the two youth who served as front line parted to let him through to the lead. Mentally he reviewed Shukri's original instructions concerning the transporter to access, and the floor they needed.

Liran took note of the numbers and characters which intermittently labeled the hallways, and helped guide them where they needed to go. It appeared Maceo's and Vidal's side trips had effectively thinned out the floor ahead of them, so that they ended up not seeing anyone else before reaching an elevator.

 _That, or the enemy is otherwise occupied._

Liran found the transporter doors open and the car waiting for them as if someone had called it. The sight made him wary of stepping on-board, but he went forward, regardless. He hovered near the side of the doors while his Reruqi came on next, gripping their rifles even as Lieasel ignored his for favor of his crossbow.

Liran selected the floor Shukri had mentioned, clutching spear closer to his side while traveling down the fifteen required levels. He backed up slightly as the transporter came to a light stop, instinctively preparing for the presence of enemies.

He wasn't shocked when the doors opened to find Vagari waiting on the other side, but the Nopf didn't appear to expect _him_. The Hiryn gave them no time to recover, heaving spear so hard that it impaled straight through the first two, then he hit the ground to give the front line space to fire.

After their initial shots were off, Liran jumped to his feet and darted from the transporter to the right sight of the hall. He caught the motion of Lieasel in flight out of his peripheral vision, and heard the distinct release of the young legatus' crossbow. He resisted the temptation to watch his grandson, fixing on the figures who were still coming instead.

Liran spun his spear around to strike the barrel of a gun aimed at him, hurling the weapon several feet. He ducked under hands which clawed for his throat before he could redirect the spear, and brought up his knee to meet the vagari's gut with a loud cry.

The sound of running footsteps caused him to explode with greater violence on the one within his grasp, so he would be prepared to deal with what was coming next. There was regret even as he twisted and snapped the spine of the Nopf like it was made of paper, and threw his spear with all the force he possessed into the pack of approaching sentries.

He then hung back a moment to allow the Reruqi time for laying a little more cover fire, before running forward to retrieve his weapon from the chest of a sightless Nopf. Liran noted the abundance of arrows Lieasel was collecting on his way back.

" _I need to reuse them! I am trying to save the incendiary variety for a while yet,"_ his grandson proclaimed. _"I do not have nearly enough."_

Liran felt the urge to hesitate when heavier footsteps indicated a larger group approaching. _"Load up a couple, Lieasel. I feel we are going to need them."_

He didn't fight Maceo and Vidal from pulling him behind them, and grimly watched Lieasel switch out his arrows. The Hiryn tensed when electricity surged around the corner in _advance_ of the enemies, and flattened against the floor when the strange energy nearly collided with them.

 _"Reruqi-"_

Liran felt a hand grasp his shoulder, and Vidal spoke into his ear.

" _We are all right! These must be dealt with_ now _!"_

 _"Lieasel!"_ he bellowed, watching the youth creep forward on hands and knees.

" _Stay down!"_ his grandson urged, bringing his bow up to bear.

Liran inwardly begged the source of all Light for protection when a second, larger blur of electricity surged over their heads. He hardly controlled the urge to tell Lieasel what to do, but managed to keep his mouth shut while waiting for the Vagari to reveal themselves.

The crackle of electricity preceded their arrival with a device that resembled canon more than gun. The sight was all it took to get Lieasel to release tactical arrows. The resulting explosions were a combination of both the legatus' incendiary projectiles and the odd weapon the Vagari were presenting.

Their unholy union left Liran's ears ringing and his adrenaline pumping so hard that when hands grasped his shoulders, he almost struck Maceo without realizing it was him.

" _Are you okay, Hiryn?"_

The Chief blew off nearly attacking one of his reruqi with a chuckle. " _I am not used to running with the young ones."_

 _"We are not used to it either,"_ Vidal told him. " _But we do not argue your effectiveness."_

In the sudden stillness of the hall, Liran sought out his grandson, who was gathering arrows again. _"You are all right? There are probably more nearby."_

 _"Yes!"_ he reassured him. " _We remain on guard."_

Liran felt sadly moved while stepping over the badly burned bodies of Vagari. _Oh, El. Would that it had never come to this. I knew we would be here eventually, but it is a price I never wanted to pay._

He remained tense while approaching the room they sought, and punched each character into the keypad with deliberate motions. He then stepped aside once more so the front line could get in position with rifles, and allowed them to lead the way into the space.

" _We are clear!"_ Maceo announced.

The Reruqi fanned out across the dim room, and Liran and Lieasel entered behind them.

The Hiryn's spear remained in hand while he made a rapid sweep of the right side, but he lowered it upon picking out a jumbled mass of familiar wings. He hurried toward mufti-faceted feathers, and found both Ruairi youth in a heap, as if someone had thrown them away carelessly. He searched Aalok for signs of life first before turning to Huziah.

" _Do they live?"_ Maceo peered over his shoulder with concern.

 _"Yes. I do not think them grievously injured."_ He tapped the energy binders on their forearms. " _We need to get these off before we go anywhere."_

 _"Gri-pata!"_ Lieasel's voice rang out in alarm, causing Liran to bolt upright from the floor. " _We have Tariq! You must come!"_

Liran left the Ruairi in Maceo's hands and ran across the room to his grandson. When he caught sight of their vagari friend, words escaped him completely.


	122. Partner

Bahri gripped his friend's hand tighter when he saw the signs of another spasm overtaking Ghyath. He was doing his best to help the Rynn be more comfortable, but the elohim barely seemed to notice his presence where they lingered in the hidden tunnel.

In the background he was aware of the blue-masked terrapin pacing, and heard snippets of the harried conversation he was having with someone on the link.

"...No, Don, I don't want you running after him. We need you where you are. I'm glad Tim's not far, but it makes more sense to send someone else."

"Ghyath," the blue-eyed elohim called gently, hoping the medical extract was taking some effect.

Luminous irises reflected much paler than normal and stared overhead without focus, but when Bahri squeezed his fingers, light pressure returned that time. " _Good, brother. Stay with me. We are going to get you help."_

 _"_ Bahri, what's wrong with him?" Michelangelo asked in a low tone. "Do you have any idea?"

"No," he admitted. "That he suffers is clear, but I cannot find a physical reason for it. His reaction alone lends me great concern, because Ghyath normally has a high tolerance for pain. I do not know what was done, but we will find the source. I only wish I could help him now."

"What was that thing you gave him?" Raphael called from the other side.

"An extract to change his perception of the agony. The dose I applied should have aided him in resting."

The orange-masked terrapin gave him a quizzical look. "But it didn't...it's not working?"

"Not yet. I am tempted to give him more, but not knowing what the Vagari have already forced upon him makes that dangerous."

"There's gotta be something we can do," Raphael insisted. "We have to get him out, if nothing else. He needs your doctors!"

Bahri nodded. "It is next on the agenda, as soon as we reconnect with the-" A click in his ear indicated someone trying to reach him, and he motioned to Raphael to wait a moment. "I am listening, go ahead!"

" _Bahri, I did not want to do this, but I fear I have no alternative."_

Hearing Liran's soft voice, the elohim switched to their language. " _What is wrong, Hiryn?"_

 _"We managed to recover them all, Bahri, but now have run into a rather serious problem. The Ruairi were not badly injured, so I released them along with my Reruqi. But Tariq's condition is severe. I do not expect he would survive the escape through the Aqueducts that the rest of us have planned."_

The elohim's body stiffened. _"Where are you, Hiryn?"_

 _"We are in the Qif; we only made it to the upper deck. I have been receiving some assistance and instruction from Shukri, but he cannot help us with this. We have fought through some significant battles already, and there is just Lieasel and myself to carry on since I sent my Reruqi away with the Ruairi. We_ need _to get Tariq to the tram within the tunnel."_

 _"All right, Hiryn, but you have to tell me exactly where you are."_

 _"Shukri helped us stow away under one of the platforms, but I fear we are trapped now. I can hear constant footsteps on the other side, and the door will not move at all. I would not terribly mind waiting for them to depart since they seem unaware of us. However, Tariq may not have such time left."_ The legatus' whispering suddenly made sense.

" _Hiryn, do not draw any attention to yourselves. We will come. What level were you accessing?"_

 _"We are on the very outskirts, where the underground meets the street, as Shukri calls it."_

 _"I will tell the terrapins, and we shall be on our way. I wish you would have communicated the need for assistance sooner. You did not have to come this far alone."_

 _"I did not want to distract from_ your _mission."_

 _"It is not a distraction. A second team waits for Ghyath to arrive on the other end of the tunnel. We will send him out, and come to find you."_

 _"Forgive me for not telling you what we were doing, Bahri."_

 _"I require no apology, Hiryn. Hold on. We will be there as soon as we can."_

When Bahri hung up the link, he found all three terrapins staring at him expectantly.

"What's up?" Leonardo asked.

"Liran's team was able to recover the captives. The Ruairi seem to be all right, but Tariq is not."

The blue-masked terrapin dropped his head in his hands, but the elohim quickly continued.

"The Legatus split up. Liran's front line have departed with the youth, but he and Lieasel came down to the Qif in an attempt to get Tariq out faster."

Leonardo groaned. "They're out there right _now,_ Bahri?"

He nodded reluctantly. "They are trapped under a platform which they were trying to hide beneath. Although undetected for the moment, he calls for aid."

The blue-masked terrapin shook his head. "All right. Then you need to get Ghyath the shell out of here. We'll help them escape the Qif, and then hit the surface with the others."

"Leonardo, I am going with you," Bahri insisted. "You cannot communicate with Liran, and you do not know the Qif."

"Who needs words when we've got fists?" Raphael offered dangerously.

"It will not work." Bahri stood up straight to assert himself. "You must allow me to assist."

"Then who will help Ghyath?" Michelangelo wanted to know.

Instead of answering, the elohim bent over his friend, and snapped his fingers to try and get his attention. He achieved a blink from Ghyath, and took it as a signal to continue. " _You must travel alone, brother, but there are others waiting to meet you. I will see you later."_

 _"Leave no one behind,"_ he said slowly.

" _We will not. You will be all right, Ghyath_."

" _Yes,"_ he affirmed. " _Go. Go, Bahri."_

Bahri double-checked Ghyath's safety harness, said one more short prayer over him, and shut his friend into the tram. Without a word to the terrapins, he jogged to the controls and activated the shuttle. Once the golden-eyed elohim was in motion, he crossed his arms stubbornly. "I am going with you."

Leonardo clearly wasn't happy, but didn't reject him again. "I can't believe everything we planned went right out the window."

Raphael shrugged. "Since when did anything ever go exactly the way we want it to, Leo? You knew we'd be winging a lot of this."

"That shouldn't have included my _son_ stowing away."

"Where is he, Leo?" Michelangelo inserted. "Do you know?"

"Don is picking up his signal a little west of Vanxilia. My guess is, he's trying to hook up with his cousins. Don't know what I'll do when I catch up with him."

"One thing at a time, Leonardo," Bahri advised. "You always say to focus where we are."

"The idea of my teenager out there _alone_ in the middle of this makes that harder, Bahri."

The elohim winced. "Yes. I see how it is difficult."

"But we don't have a choice, so..." Leonardo hesitated a moment. "Let's go get Tariq."

* * *

The young blue-masked turtle had no idea if he was running the correct direction. The only thing currently driving him was staying ahead of the gleaming hoards which ended up being faster than he'd anticipated. He'd gained a little ground on pursuers by cutting through a channel, only to discover more of the wretched droids coming in from the north.

The urge to berate himself was strong, but he resisted it to devote more energy to escaping. _A lot of the obvious activity has come from this neighborhood. I know where Don is, but I don't want to interfere in the tower. I'd be happier to find one of the other groups, even though I know they'll be ticked at m-_

The thought was interrupted by a dark blur cutting across his path, and _almost_ tackling him. Tim avoided the shadowed figure at the last moment, twisting sideways to slam into a fence, and ended in a heap. He scrambled upright and was grasping for his kusarigama when a twinge in his spirit stayed his hand.

 _"_ Dang it, Kamryn, you startled me!"

 _"_ What are you _doing_ here?" The woman stalked toward him with an authoritative tone which made it hard to believe she'd never had a child.

"Isn't it obvious?" he retorted. "You'd better move! I don't know if those droids put off any scent, but there's good-size group coming this way!"

Tim took off again without waiting for her approval, and the woman easily fell in step beside him.

 _"_ What's your purpose?" she continued.

The blue-masked turtle picked up more speed without answering the question. He wasn't really trying to escape Kamryn, but he had no desire to explain something he shouldn't have to.

"Tim, do you have any idea how upset your dad is?"

"I could imagine, Kamryn, but right now I don't want to! If you'd like to live a little longer, you should concentrate on running instead of lecturing me."

He heard her growl in response, but was more distracted by the nagging sensation of something hovering just over his shoulder. The turtle lunged forward on instinct, catching the woman's arm to drag her down with him. The suspicion proved correct when the illumination of energy signaled over their heads.

 _And now they're shooting at us, when they weren't before? What the shell..._

Kamryn gasped in the background right before colliding with him again and snagging the rifle off her back. Tim gained his feet, grasping the sickle end of his kusarigama in one hand and drawing up the excess slack of his chain with the other.

"Does this seem like a good idea to you?" the woman challenged. "No one belongs out here alone!" She took a break from chiding him to fire off several shots, then nudged his back with hers to encourage him to circle with her while the laying down a wider radius of energy.

"What do you call what _you_ were doing?" he returned stubbornly. "Keep your head down!"

Tim swung the weighted end of the chain to gain momentum, before launching the weapon at the slender shadows running toward them. Once he'd expertly looped three of the invaders in one shot, Kamryn open-fired on the droids.

"Your uncle Donatello sent me to find you! He said your dad is worried sick. I'm a floater – I go where I need to be. That's _my_ role!"

"And what's mine?" Tim wondered sarcastically. He jogged slightly ahead of the woman to retrieve his chain, and spied the outline of something much bigger in the distance. "Oh, c'mon." He groaned. "We have to keep moving!"

Kamryn landed behind him. Though she didn't fight his command to retreat, he felt her scowling. "Your role has nothing to do with this. You disobeyed your father-"

"He doesn't get it, Kamryn!" the turtle bellowed, looking back over his shoulder to track enemies. "If he's not careful, he'll make this situation with the Vagari worse!"

"Is that why you came out here?"

"I came out-" Tim cut off rapidly when he caught a flash out of the corner of his eyes and changed directions with a curse. "I'm here because something big is going down tonight!" he corrected, bringing up the sickle end of his weapon to hurl at the droid dropping over the fence nearly on top of him. "I knew it was where I needed to be!"

"Part of being on a team is following orders!"

"The other part is knowing when to ignore them."

They both flew separate directions when laser fire singed the ground at their backs.

"Can we pick this up later?" he yelled, breathless.

"I'm sure your father will have plenty to say about it!"

"Then let _him_ say it. We have to get our hands on heavier weapons before the big brothers catch up!" His head whipped toward Kamryn with a realization. "Your found me by scent?"

"It isn't hard to differentiate-"

"What about the others? Can you help me find them?"

"They split up! But I have smelled traces-"

"Perfect, because I need you to track them."

"Am I supposed to take orders from you? Your uncle told me to get you out of the action!"

"Kamryn, _no one's_ getting out of the action! Even if you drag me back to Don, you'd only be leading a bunch of killer robots that way too. Isn't our job to be the distraction?"

"It's _our_ job to the distraction! You weren't supposed to be here."

"Let it GO, all right? We need to get to the others before we're cornered, Kamryn. It kinda seems like that's their goal, doesn't it?"

The woman sighed. "We have little choice now."

"Finally on the same page. Which way do we go?"

"I'm not convinced I ought to be doing anything you say."

Tim bit his tongue to keep from swearing at her, because there was no time for another argument before a second batch of shadows cleared the wall to their left. He fell into defense without thinking, whipping the chain around like a blur over his neck and arm, then performed a reverse spin with the weighted end to snap the head of the nearest droid. He did an elbow change to alter his direction without losing momentum, and carried through the attack on three more in a row.

He heard Kamryn's rifle discharging, but was less aware of her than he'd been before. That was until the sound of her cry reached him. Tim snapped out his leg to change the spin of his chain again, and wrapped it around the throat of robot clinging to the woman's back.

Tim had time to see Kamryn break free, but the sheer number of droids surrounding them was overwhelming in quantity. The fact that robots seemed less apt to use their guns once in close contact told the turtle there was unconventional safety in being trapped in the middle of their hoard, but they _still_ needed to get away.

When he realized he couldn't see Kamryn, he nearly panicked. A few seconds of panning the group proved where droids were trying to pin her. The turtle inserted himself squarely in the middle of the pack with a forward roll, then alternated between legs, sickle, and weighted chain to attack from every possible angle.

It was a strange relief to fight emotionless, cold beings that required no guilt to maim or "kill". It left no need for hesitation, or reason to avoid being completely ruthless. The freedom to unload the full fury of his strength was, in a way, liberating.

Kamryn's snarl reminded him that the woman was on his other side, and caused him to turn at the right moment to watch her rip the head off a droid. Tim backed closer to her now that they were both on their feet again, hoping to provide a small measure of cover for one another in turn.

The minutes they spent fending off the robots were enough to convince Tim that no matter how many droids went down, there were more to take their place. _This won't end well. We've got to run._ He spun into Kamryn intentionally to get her attention and leaned closer to her ear.

"This isn't working! You're great at climbing, right?"

"I can handle myself! What are you thinking?"

"Another tactical retreat." He yanked the sickle end of his kusarigama from a robot's head and motioned with it toward another bridge a few yards to their right. "Gain a little ground and try to lose them again. Do you see what I'm thinking?"

"Yes, but getting rid of them is easier said than done."

"That's why we need to reach the others! Are you down for this?"

"Down for what? None of you have ever explained that phrase!"

"It means we need to cooperate."

"I thought that's what we've _been_ doing!"

"Just follow me for a minute, okay?" He leaped out of the fray, recognizing that the moment they left tight formation with the droids, they'd probably start shooting at them again. In mid-run, he switched out the sickle end of his kusarigama for a hook from his belt.

He headed straight for the canal, dashing through waist deep water to hurl the hooked end of his chain at the arched bridge.

"Go, Kamryn!"

Tim gripped the other end of his weapon taut as an anchor while she leaped to catch it, and climbed hand over hand to reach the top. The gathering host at the water's edge left the blue-masked turtle concerned about whether they would follow him into the culvert or try shooting again. The dreadful thought also led him to wonder about the impact of the energy on someone who was wet.

The woman's shout alerted him that she'd made it, and he needed to get his own shell in gear. When laser fire burst over his head, he first assumed droids were shooting at him, but then realized it was Kamryn trying to lay some cover while _he_ climbed.

Her hands reached out to snatch his arm when he neared the bridge, and the turtle almost glared at her attempt to help him. _As if I can't do anything myself. But she's not trying to baby me, at least...it doesn't feel like it._

He rolled over the edge while return laser fire struck the stone structure and remained on the ground for a second to catch his breath with the woman. Tim found glowing green eyes studying him with an ominous quality, and her silence left him unsettled. "What? Are you still mad at me?"

"No, I..." She struggled for words strangely. "You really are like them."

"Like who?"

"Your father, uncles...It's clear you don't need me telling you how to do anything." Then her eyes narrowed again. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't take their instructions to heart."

"Can we not do this? Don't you think it's time to find the others? Maybe gain a little more destructive power against this army? They've been setting off some impressive displays."

"That has more to do with Ghysis, I bet," she told him. "And yes, we should find them. We can't afford any more rest, because they're coming."

At Kamryn's motion, Tim realized the droids were climbing the sides of the bridge like slender spiders. "That's creepy. What part of hell do those things come from?"

"I know nothing about them, Tim, and not very much about you. I still don't agree with your actions, but it's apparent that you aren't as...hindered, as I imagined."

Tim _did_ scowl then. "You and my dad both. Going through all that with the Vaga might have screwed me up, but I haven't forgotten everything they ever taught me. Good thing too, because I think it'll take all we've got _combined_ to get out of this mess in one piece."


	123. Solution

Focusing on the technical readouts Aurel was translating for him was getting harder for Donatello with every minute that passed. On one hand, he could hear Shukri in the background making changes and intermittently providing instructions for his brothers who were _back_ in the Qif. On the other, he knew that Kamryn had least located Tim, but not what either of them were currently doing.

 _Or anyone else for that matter. Wish we'd had more time to plan this thing. While I'm dreaming, a little more control over the situation would be fantastic._

With a deep sigh, the purple-masked turtle realized he hadn't listened to a word _his_ partner had been saying, and the elohim was gazing at him expectantly for some sort of direction.

"I'm sorry. Where were we?"

"I cannot find a way to move them, Donatello. The process would be simple enough, if the dispersers were not actively engaged. Since they are locked in attack formation, I cannot force them to retreat."

 _Of course it isn't easy. Since when is anything?_ He shook his head with frustration, and then noticed Aurel was still looking to him for inspiration. "They must have an existing fail-safe," the turtle grasped. "Machines like that have probably lost control at some point. What about safety features?"

"My access codes are incomplete, Donatello. It allows me the ability to see what the machines are currently kicking up in the atmosphere of Eovis, but I cannot alter it." Aurel's arms flailed helplessly. "I do not know if it possible to change anything from this terminal. We need more information! Even if I could only decrease a bit of the intensity to give them a little reprieve, I would be happier at this point. The dispersers are currently at their max capacity, which means Vagari have increased the ferocity since our interference began."

"Okay, but since they're exercising remote control, isn't it possible to cut off their contact with the machines? The long range involved with the dispersers has to come with some ability to hinder the signal. What happens if the Vagari can't connect with them?"

"I doubt it would do Eovis any good. In one sense, it could make the situation more complicated. The dispersers have been programmed for these storms, Donatello. This means that if the Vagari's remote access was interrupted, the weapons will likely continue at the same level of currently destructive force until there is nothing left of the planet."

The turtle paced a couple of steps. "All right. So we can't turn them off, and if we try and block their signal, everything will still go to hell."

"That is what I am telling you, terrapin. It leaves me at a loss for how to proceed. It may be necessary to call off the rest of our people if this is not going to work."

Donatello balked at the idea. "We're in too deep. We have to find something else."

His gaze tracked to where Ezra stood warily by the door, watching out the window. The Irishman's silence indicated he hadn't seen anyone in several minutes, but Don could feel his nerves from where _he_ was standing.

"Donatello, I do not want others to die needlessly for my failure," Aurel said quietly. "Would it not be possible to call them off?"

Donny leaned against the elohim's chair. "We're not done," he declared. "We haven't explored every option. We still might be able-"

The flash of a screen to his left made the turtle's mouth drop, and he fixed on the monitor while an individual vagari made some kind of announcement. He couldn't understand a word of the message with the exception of the use of "Vaga", but the calm nature of the alien left him greater reason for concern. He noticed Shukri shifting out of the corner of his eye while listening to the stranger, but the turtle didn't try to interrupt until the screen went dark again.

"Okay, what was that, Shukri? Was he talking to us? Is the Vaga on to our position?"

The elohim shook his head. "No, that was Kumne-Muhsin. He was not addressing us directly, Donatello. The message sounded like it was for the general populace. It contained a warning to stay indoors and avoid windows and combatants. He also assured the people of the Vaga's safety in Central, out of harm's way."

"But why?" Don stared at the blank monitor as if it possessed the answers. "Why did we see it?"

"I cannot tell you, terrapin, except that the conference feature is one of the few ways to address the population without the Crystal Network. They must have used the public channel to broadcast every available outlet. It is the best way to distribute a mass message without the use of crystals."

"So it wasn't meant for us."

"It does not seem like it, terrapin." Shukri exchanged a look with Aurel. "Are we at an impasse?"

"I do not know what to do, Shukri," he lamented. "I cannot affect the intensity, or force it to call off the attack. I have not found a way to access its safety features, nor am I certain of how they would be used. This is the first time I have had real a look at the equipment-"

"Hold on," Donny said suddenly. "You say we can't turn them off or make them go away, but let's look at this from another angle. How do the dispersers target a specific area? I'm assuming it has to be programmed?"

Aurel nodded. "Coordinates for a particular location must be set."

"Can you cancel the coordinates?" Shukri asked. "If it has no directive, that is, there is nothing set for the dispersers to attack, will it in fact continue to expend the storms?"

"Canceling out the coordinates was one of the first things I attempted," Aurel told him. "While in this mode, it will not allow me to zero out the components."

"Canceling them isn't the only option," Don pointed out. "Maybe there's something else more effective we could try."

Both Elohim looked at each other cluelessly, but Ezra laughed deeply in the background.

"I get it, turtle. I know what you're thinking."

"Have you tried just _changing_ the coordinates?" Donatello suggested.

"Moving the path of the storms might help, if we knew where the population was less dense," Aurel faltered weakly. "But it will not stop everyone from suffering its effects."

The turtle grinned at Shukri and Aurel in turn. "We're not gonna target Eovis."

The Banrif's stare took on a glazed appearance while he considered Don's words. "Aurel. Could the dispersers be manipulated into destroying one _another_?"

Donatello folded his arms with satisfaction while their guide turned back to the computer.

"I have the data on the weapon's coordinates, but it is hard to determine how the storm's energy will be distributed outside the atmosphere. They may not fire at all."

"Have them target _themselves_ ," Donny directed. "In all likelihood, they'll malfunction."

Shukri laughed at once. "I may be able to affect the link they share with the Vagari's remote through my override. Aurel, reset the coordinates of attack, and I will see if I can crash their communication with the dispersers long enough to finish this. That way, they will not be able to make any more changes after the new orders are fired."

Donatello felt a sense of relief at possessing a course of action, but it wasn't a cure for all his nerves. _There_ is _no cure, except for this to work. Everyone's stalling them to give us a chance, so we have to pull this off._

* * *

Finding the Qif darker than when they'd accessed it the first time was a bit unnerving for Leonardo; mostly because he knew Shukri wasn't behind it. The elohim had been a consistent buzz in his ear for several minutes, but now his voice had fallen away.

The blue-masked turtle wasn't terribly disappointed by the Elohim's departure from his head. _We need Shukri's help, but I also have to pay more attention to where we are. That's a little hard when he's telling me everything else going on._

Leonardo sent a backward glance to the stairs to search out Bahri, and found the elohim had be separated by more than three flights now. He immediately pulled up short to allow their friend time to catch up with them, and his brothers huddled near his shell to wait.

The oldest turtle had only been standing still for a few moments when the hollow echo of footsteps reverberating beneath them got his attention. The sound was entirely too loud to be attributed to one elohim.

With a growl the blue-masked turtle descended flights they'd only just finished climbing, backtracking steps with a single bound to get to the next landing, and then the one below that. He dropped right into a cluster of Vagari Nopf, with the knowledge that knocking them out wasn't an option this time.

Katana moved seamlessly in both hands, dispatching enemies with as little sound as possible. A crash to his right caused Leo to fix his red-masked brother with a glare, who only shrugged in response.

"Sorry I ain't as dainty as you, Fearless."

Leonardo didn't take the time to correct him, focusing on the immediate figures in his reach instead. He'd taken to attacking energy rifles first, enjoying the action of slicing the barrels from the weapons before enemies had a chance to fire.

When he felt rough hands grasping his shoulders from behind, he slammed backwards, using his shell like a battering ram against the chest of the alien trying to close a circle around him. Leo connected with the vagari so hard that he heard the Nopf lose his footing, and the turtle back-kicked to knock him off the platform.

The whistle of a nunchuck in his other ear brought Leo's attention to the right, where his younger brother laid out an assailant who was probably twice his weight with simultaneous blows that sent the alien careening off the landing too.

The blue-masked turtle cringed, even while whirling to hone in on another opponent. "This is getting too obvious, guys!" he announced grimly. "If we keep sending them over, everyone will head this direction!"

"Sure, it's okay for you and the Chucklehead to have fun," Raph complained, while casually butting his head in an upper-cut motion to his attacker's chin. "God forbid anyone else be satisfied!"

"I'm more concerned with surviving than making you happy!" he snapped, impaling a Nopf who was trying to hook an arm around the red-masked turtle's neck.

"Shell, Fearless! Get your own bad guys!"

"No one's claiming enemies tonight, Raph."

"Tell that to the Numbskull, Leo!"

"It's not a competition!" the youngest turtle piped up. "But if it was, _my_ speed would win it."

Leonardo dodged the lunge of two Nopf springing toward him, ducking directly under their arms to get to Michelangelo. "Go find Bahri! He might still be further down!" He felt like cursing the necessity of having their friend along; mostly because he didn't know where the elohim was.

Mike made a face at being told to abandon the fight, but obediently flipped over the head of the one in his path, and made for the stairs.

With the orange-masked turtle gone, Leo sought out his other brother to get to his side.

"Hey, thanks, Leo. You believe the little peon really thinks he can take out more of these guys than me?"

"Are you honestly bothering to keep track?" Leonardo grunted while blocking the blade of a scythe, and redirected the weapon so hard that it flew from the surprised vagari's grip.

"The hard part is keeping track for both of us! You know Mikey exaggerates his numbers."

"And you don't?" He managed to send a smirk to Raphael before slashing the throat of one, and using a side push kick to knock another aside before killing him.

Leo winced when the shattering force of his brother's heel strike launched another off the platform. He ignored the knee jerk reaction to aid Raphael when the next vagari got hands on his shoulders, knowing better than to interfere again.

Raph's arms shot out in a circular motion to break the enemy's grip, and his body whipped around to create momentum for a spinning back kick that hurled the vagari off the landing as well. "What am I exaggerating, bro?"

"If we keep doing that, it's going to attract more attention!"

"Pretty sure we've already done that, Leo!" his brother retorted. "The bad part is, we still gotta get to Legatus!"

Leonardo sighed inwardly, even while returning full attention to enemies. _We're wasting time here, we don't know where Bahri is, and somewhere out there, Tariq's in huge trouble. On top of which, everyone else is fighting for their lives outside, and God only knows what Tim is doing! We might have jumped the gun tonight._

The firing of a rifle reminded the blue-masked turtle he wasn't as focused as he should have been, and the near miss centered Leonardo where he was. He exploded from the ground with a jump kick to meet the shooter, smashing the gun on contact. Leo saw the flash of additional weapons in the distance down the metal platform, and had the sinking feeling they were in for a lot more company.

"Raph, we might have to abandon ship! We need to get Mike and Bahri!"

"What are you sayin', Leo? We ain't going nowhere while these guys are still breathing!"

"There are more coming and we're running out of time! If we can't stop-"

The blue-masked turtle didn't get to finish, because the whistle of something whizzing over his head made him hit the deck. The object was moving too fast to identify, but made easy clearance with his form. He couldn't figure out what was happening until flames lit up the hallway in its wake and shook the entire landing.

Leonardo looked back to see Raphael bounding toward the flight of stairs, and throttling an enemy who was trying to beat him to it. A familiar gray head rose up from behind them, causing the older turtle to run that direction too. He had to dispatch another Nopf in his path with a neck snapping grapple before he could get near the young legatus who'd been beating a vagari off with bare hands.

Leo stayed in front of the Lieasel to protect him from the coming surge, and heard his brother swearing in the background.

"Leo! We gotta get them outta here!" The slight panic in Raphael's tone gave the blue-masked turtle incentive to listen, but he couldn't interrupt his own flow of defense with more enemies rushing in.

The whoop of Michelangelo reentering the scene provided the support Leo needed to give him a chance to backtrack to where Raphael was standing over the massive legatus leader, who was protecting another figure with his own body.

At his arrival, the red-masked turtle darted off to join Mike, leaving Leonardo to see what they had on their hands. He dearly wanted to ask questions, but had to settle for giving Liran a quick once over. The Hiryn didn't seem badly injured, but his body bore evidence of the fight it'd taken to get that far.

One look at the vagari beneath him explained Raphael's change in demeanor. Crouching over Tariq, Leo was tempted to believe the alien was already dead, but the light tremor of his body suggested otherwise.

"I'm sorry, Tariq," he murmured, because there was nothing else to say. "We'll get you out of here, I promise."

The appearance of another shadow over his head made Leonardo respond with a jab, but Bahri's quick dodge saved him.

"Leonardo!"

Relief escaped in a sharp breath, but then he glared at the elohim. "Where the shell did you go?"

"I was distracted by a video announcement, and then I was avoiding this! I am not much good in the middle of it."

"Which is why we didn't want you to come back in to start with! Talk to Liran, Bahri. Find out what happened, and if he's okay."

The elohim bent over the still heaving legatus, and they exchanged a few soft words. Liran resisted Bahri's effort to address blood trailing from his scalp, and said something very emphatically before turning back to Tariq.

"He says that it was you who probably drew their attention, Leonardo. They were able to escape the platform, because minutes after we came back into the Qif, the troops moved on."

"Can the Vagari see us, Bahri?"

"The Crystal Network is yet down, Leonardo. They may have some other method, but now that we have what we came for, it makes no difference. We need to pick up your brothers and run before things get even worse outside!"

"What about outside? Did you hear something?"

"The garrisons are all emptying – it was the point of Muhsin's announcement."

"I thought they couldn't communicate."

"It is a different mode, Leonardo. His directions for citizens to remain indoors tells me that things are going to deteriorate further."

"How many enemies are we talking about?"

"Leonardo, I cannot answer that! Only a few will remain to protect the Vaga in Central, so-"

"He's staying put?"

"I'm sure he has taken cover with some of his best."

"But everyone else is headed outside?"

Bahri gazed at him warily. "Leonardo, what are you thinking _now?_ "

"That it would be great to end this tonight, Bahri!"

The elohim took a sharp breath. "Pursuing him would probably end badly."

"Or it could be the most strategic thing we've done so far."

Bahri hid his eyes with a groan. "It was not supposed to be this way. We must get the others out before we do anything else."

"Agreed, but if we go through with it, you're not coming back in this time."

The elohim returned with a real glare of his own. "We can discuss _that_ while evacuating everyone else."


	124. Garrison

Charlotte hardly dared to breathe from their hidden position behind a cruiser. Intentionally getting this close to a heavily armed battalion wasn't her idea of a good strategy, but it suited the necessity of finding more supplies with which to keep the enemy occupied.

The purple-masked turtle had no idea how long they could remain in their current location without being discovered, but every muscle was tensed and ready for conflict she knew was coming.

"It will not take much longer," Chirayu whispered. "They are preparing to move out, in response to the Kumne's charge. If we wait but a little more on them, we will have the chance to get in."

Beside her, Olivia growled something unrepeatable. "Wish there were twenty more of us, and we could take them on right _now_."

Charlotte noticed her cousin's hand stray to the hilt of her katana, and release the sword like she'd been burned. Before she could think about addressing it, a loud tone made her wince and want to cover her ears. However, the sound made Chirayu brighten.

"You see? They are leaving. All we have to do is go inside and get what we need."

The plan sounded easy enough, but Charlotte was aware few things ever went off without a hitch. She flattened against the wall on the other side of the cruiser, holding her breath while troops departed in formation, separating in different directions once outside the fenced in perimeter.

"That's the benefit of arriving when we did," Liv whispered. "No one would figure we'd be stupid enough to come in here before they left."

"That's quite a claim to fame." The younger turtle huffed.

Olivia merely grinned at her. "Well, it will be, after tonight. C'mon, stick with me, Charlie. It'll be all right."

She didn't share her confidence, but wasn't about to say so. The emptying out of the lot took longer than the purple-masked turtle wanted it to, but even she could admit the maneuver was going smoother than expected.

Her eyes traveled to Chirayu, watching the elohim for an indication of when it would be time to move. The ease of the woman's practiced calm made Charlotte feel right at home in her midst. When the alien stole out from the other end of the cruiser, the younger turtle didn't feel the need to question it. She simply trailed behind Olivia onto the dark lot, which appeared abandoned.

 _Appears,_ she reminded herself. The garrison which stood in the center was still lit up, indicating the presence of others inside. _Significantly less now that_ they've _gone though, so there's that._

The elohim flew slightly ahead of them, landing on a second story platform. Chirayu disappeared from sight momentarily, leaving the girls to wait in the shadows. From the way Olivia studied the structure, Charlotte knew she was plotting her ascent. _It's a good time to find my own footholds._

The purple-masked turtle didn't hear the woman returning, and ended up badly startled when the elohim peered down on them with a wave. Olivia motioned for her to go first, and Charlotte scaled the side of the building with the assistance of three different inset window panes.

Chirayu was waiting for her at the landing, but noticeably didn't offer a hand. The younger turtle interpreted it as a demonstration of respect.

"Your kind would fit in quite well with the Brayliq," the alien stated wistfully. "I think the Nalikjan did not have much experience with courage before meeting your fathers."

"They had the courage to fight back, even as you are now," Charlotte pointed out, then stepped aside to give Olivia room to climb up.

The elohim ushered them over to a door which was already a few inches open. "Shukri's override was effective."

The three females slipped inside, with the red-masked turtle choosing a position directly behind the alien. Charlotte wasn't used to bringing up the rear. Having neither Jayden nor Tim at her back was a slightly naked experience, and she didn't like the feeling.

 _But I have to deal with it. This place better have some worthwhile weapons left._

She was grateful for how quietly the Brayliq traveled the corridor, almost as if they'd had the same training, despite the difference in their species and ages. The narrow hallway they were using gradually widened out, until it opened into something resembling a foyer.

Chirayu paused near a wall with a glowing yellow strip, and accessed the touch screen with a couple of deft swipes from one hand. "We are in the right place," she announced shakily after a moment. "But we need to get higher."

Charlotte didn't miss the agitation in her voice, and her cousin didn't seem to either.

The red-masked turtle shouldered in beside the elohim. "What's the matter? Are we going to be in trouble here?"

Chirayu shook her head, pointing to her earpiece. "The trouble is not with us. Kiaan calls desperately for aid in the southwest."

Charlotte frowned. "That's...bordering one of the tunnels to the Aqueducts, isn't it?"

"Yes. If it is overrun, we may lose the exit completely."

Olivia grasped the woman's arm. "Will someone answer? Is there anything that can be done?"

"I cannot say," she returned bleakly, though her gaze tracked to the window. "The artillery we retrieve could possibly make a difference, but I doubt we could get there quickly enough."

" _You_ could," Liv insisted. "Chirayu, you'd make it faster if you flew."

"I'm not going to abandon the two of you."

The red-masked turtle shrugged, unconcerned. "We'll hook back up with Jayden and Nate. We can do this. Let's get what we need, and you should go after them!"

Chirayu didn't look convinced, but she did start moving again. The elohim led them around the foyer and paused by a set of gleaming doors. Her fingers felt around the wall for the control panel, and she revealed another touch screen.

Once the doors slid open, a transporter was revealed. When all three were on board, Chirayu surveyed the turtles cautiously.

"I would prefer not to do things this way."

"We're ninja," Olivia reminded her. "It's why we're here, carrying these weapons. We'll take care of each other."

"They would not want me to leave you."

"What happens if we lose the tunnel?" Charlotte demanded. "We could kiss a lot of other people goodbye. Are you gonna stay here and babysit us, or give everyone else a better chance of living?"

"I have not decided," she replied maddeningly.

Charlotte wasn't about to let it go, and would have continued if it weren't for the way Olivia shook her head slightly.

When the transporter arrived at the floor Chirayu selected, the purple-masked female experienced another surge of adrenaline for which she lacked an immediate explanation. _I'm sure the unknown factor is driving it._ She nervously grasped the staff of her naginata while waiting for doors to open.

The hall on the other side was dark and quiet, but the action of Chirayu stepping off the elevator had the opposite effect. A piercing alarm reverberated through Charlotte's entire body, and made the young turtle spin in all directions to search for enemies.

She heard Chirayu speaking to someone else in the background, but knew the words weren't for her or Olivia. Her red-masked cousin was the first to spring away from the elevator. _Where_ Liv was going, the younger turtle didn't know, but she was following.

The elohim trailed behind them, still speaking rapidly in her own tongue. The alarm persisted for all of sixty more seconds before cutting out. The small measure of control their own people retained was encouraging, but the damage had probably already been done.

"We need to get out!" Chirayu called urgently.

" _You_ need supplies," Olivia shot back. "We're already here, so make it count!"

When her cousin started moving again, Charlotte hurried to get beside her.

"Where are we going, Liv?"

"Chirayu has to go back up the southwest, even if it takes the two of us abandoning _her,"_ Olivia said meaningfully. "We can give her the time she needs to acquire weapons."

The plan wasn't appealing, but Charlotte didn't disagree with her assessment. She was careful to stay on her cousin's heels, but the sound of another transporter approaching the floor made both turtles come up short.

The red-masked turtle drew sai in a flash, and Charlotte raised the naginata. "Chirayu. Go back the way we came, stay out of sight. Charlie and I will handle this. You've got to load up and get to the Ducaz. See if you can steal a ship!"

"I am not leaving you!"

" _Yes_ , you are, or this was for nothing! They're not going to kill Charlotte or me either way, but a lot more people could die if you don't go along with this. Think about them, Chirayu! They're counting on you."

Charlotte wanted to insert something herself, but the sound of individuals loading off the elevator made her dart forward instead. _Hit first, and hit harder._ She sensed the wind of the elohim pursuing, and turned her head in annoyance. "Don't kill everyone else on our behalf!" she commanded. "We'll make it out, Chirayu! Believe us!" The purple-masked turtle's tone was as fierce as she could muster.

When she whipped forward, the red-masked turtle was ahead of her, already turning the corner. Charlotte gave the alien one last pleading look. "Go, _please!_ "

Then she careened toward the corner, met with the gasps of surprise erupting from the other side. The vision of Olivia launching herself through a pack of unprepared Vagari like they were nothing more than rows of dominoes was almost funny; or it would have been, if not for the seriousness of the situation.

Charlotte kept naginata close to her body, regretful to be trapped in such close quarters that didn't allow room for her to use it properly. But on the other hand, she didn't hear the elohim behind her, which indicated Chirayu was listening to them.

She dealt out a sharp blow with her blade to the first vagari in range, but was hampered from spinning the weapon the way she wanted to. The blast of two rifles caused her to leap from one side of the hall to the other, and snap kick a much larger opponent who lunged at her.

Fingers glanced across her shell while she soared through the air. The purple-masked turtle jerked out of their way, briefly touched down on the floor, and flew back into a frenzy of spins and punches too quickly for anyone else to touch her.

"Charlotte!" Olivia shouted for her attention.

The moment she'd finishing propelling into a persistent Nopf's midsection with stunning force, Charlotte sought out her cousin.

"We need to run!" the red-masked turtle reminded her.

 _Right. We've got to get these bastards out of here to give Chirayu the opportunity to ransack for weapons._

"C'mon!" The humorous sight of Olivia rolling over the back of a hefty vagari was tempered by whatever insanity they were embarking on together.

Charlotte used her naginata to encourage the Nopf to clear a path, impaling the one who didn't take the hint to get out of the way fast enough, and scrambled to reach Olivia. "What's the plan?"

All her cousin did was point to the window at the end of the corridor. "Exit stage right! Gonna need your help with this."

"With what?"

"Just hold on!" Olivia pulled up short again when they reached their goal, and turned around while sheathing her sai.

Charlotte gave her a nervous glance while the rest of the troop caught up with them. The younger turtle swallowed when her cousin raised a finger to beckon the lead Nopf to come after them.

There was no chance to ask Olivia _what_ she was thinking, but when she saw the red-masked turtle capture the charging alien by one arm, she jumped to catch his other side. In a flash she interpreted the flip her cousin was attempting, and helped hurl the enemy directly through the window.

Charlotte buried her head to protect her face from shattering glass, but Olivia was already dragging her through the ruined pane.

" _Quick,_ Charlie, they can _fly!_ "

The purple-masked turtle's only goal was to stay with her cousin and not break her own neck. _With all the roofs we've hopped, that would be ridiculous. I'm sure as heck not going down that way._

She slipped awkwardly on the unfamiliar angle of the first slope before correcting, and then reaching Olivia's side. Two figures were already diving after them, and the younger turtle dropped lower to the roof before swinging naginata in a wide arc.

Charlotte connected with the first vagari who nearly landed on top of them while Olivia's feet plowed into the other, flinging him off the edge and crashing toward the ground below.

When laser fire struck the tiled roof, both females went a different way. Olivia cursed loudly as the initial shot was followed by several more.

"Are they nuts, or do they actually want us dead? Even if we were only stunned, a fall from here could kill us!"

Charlotte didn't bother telling her cousin that the Vagari's technology could repair much worse damage than falling a few stories. All the thought did was reinforce the guilt she felt for Tim being left behind in the first place. _I don't have time for this right now!_

She remained in a low crouch to provide better stability, and scanned the sky with naginata poised to attack.

"Charlie!" Olivia called once more. "We need to get down from here! We're still more limited than they are because of their flight."

The purple-masked turtle agreed with a nod, and followed her cousin when she leaped off the roof to another about fifteen feet down. Charlotte slid across smooth tiles, using her feet to dig in to the edges for traction. She was prepared to shadow Olivia's next jump, when laser fire struck the roof on both her left _and_ right.

Charlotte hurled herself into the air off the ledge, but didn't escape a powerful surge which collided with her shell. By the time she'd plummeted to the next roof, the feeling was gone from her legs, and she couldn't keep from crashing onto her plastron.

Olivia was at her side in an instant, yanking her up. "Are you all right?"

"No," she answered through gritted teeth. "I was hit! Liv, go! You have to go!"

"I'm not going without you! We've practiced for this, Charlie!"

"Not paired with jumping off a roof!"

Her cousin dragged her off the tile and into a fireman's carry. "We all know I can bench press you."

She swore the red-masked turtle smirked, but tried to avoid making eye contact. "Liv, don't kill us!"

Olivia had the audacity to laugh while hopping from the edge of the roof to another landing. "Charlie, I lost you once. I'm not doing that again!"

Charlotte couldn't think of a response, so she shut her eyes for the duration of the flight, and prayed Olivia wouldn't get shot.

"Are you okay? Is there any pain, Charlotte?"

"It doesn't hurt; I just can't feel anything below my waist. Liv, what are you going to do?"

"Knowing you, you'll be over this thing in five minutes, Charlotte. All we have to do is stay alive in the meantime and get the shell out of the way."

"How?"

"Let me worry about it, all right?"

Charlotte was concerned that it would take longer to recover feeling than her cousin estimated, and that losing their current pursuers wouldn't be a piece of cake either. She was so lost in thought, the younger turtle didn't realize they were on the ground again until Olivia backed up against a wall.

"We'll get away," Liv stated softly. "It'd be easier with your help, but naturally you've got to take a break."

Charlotte eyed her cousin incredulously and Olivia laughed again.

"We made it down, didn't we?"

" _You_ made it down – I got myself shot!"

"Charlie, this isn't a big deal. We just have to..." Liv interrupted herself with a curse. "Oh my word. I'm so stupid."

"What? What's wrong?"

"It's a dead end. I managed to drop us in the worst place I could have!"

Charlotte raised her head to look around. There were walls on three sides, and one obvious way out.

"They're already gathered on the other end; I was _trying_ to go around them! I thought we could head this way, but now there's...I'll get us out of this," she stammered.

Charlotte caught her breath while receiving inspiration. "Liv, wait. We can get out of it, but we have to work together. Take my mask and give me yours – quick!"

"What? How's that supposed to help?"

"Because I'm immune to the band, and those idiots won't be able to tell us apart!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Olivia, just do it!" she hissed urgently, slipping her bandanna off. "Take this and give me yours."

"You're not gonna tell me why—"

She swiped red material from her hand. "No time! You're me, and I'm you! Don't forget that!"

Olivia grumbled something darkly while donning her mask, but they both tensed under approaching footsteps.

"Now the hard part," Charlotte whispered. "Surrender."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"You wanna make it through this? Do what I say. Don't fight them, and don't bother setting off your beacon."

The pained look on her cousin's face resonated deeply with Charlotte. "You had _better_ know what you're doing."


	125. Listening

Arzhan was pleased by the way things were progressing, but not with the resistance he was receiving from his Kumne. _"It doesn't have to make sense to you, Muhsin. I have no doubt you could take them yourself, given the chance to overwhelm the legendaries. But that isn't what I want from you."_

 _"I have enough men, Vaga! Why are you insisting we pull back?"_

 _"Too many of our own are being killed in the Qif, Muhsin. I already have these creatures exactly where I need them, and the loss of further lives will prove nothing."_

 _"You actually want us to let them go?"_

 _"Be assured, Kumne, they aren't really escaping. I have them, whether it is finished tonight, or tomorrow. It will be over soon enough."_

Muhsin was silent for a long moment. _"You are certain?"_

 _"As sure as I am about Ghyath. It will be all right, Kumne. Pull back slowly, and don't make it obvious. Allow them to deal with those already in their path, and don't send any more. I have a feeling about what they will do next, and it means I need you with me. Everything is falling into place as I hoped. More death is not required in order to destroy those whose fate is sealed, and I don't want to risk losing any of the legendaries that way either."_

 _"All right, Vaga. I will call them off and meet you upstairs."_

 _"Good. We may have more company soon, and I want you to meet them properly. Don't allow them to get away too easily, Kumne."_

 _"I will tell the troops, and be up shortly."_

Arzhan dropped the link with Muhsin, and switched out his signal for Varij. " _What is your position, Safyni?"_

 _"We are still waiting, per your instructions, Vaga. Can you give me any idea what is happening in Central? I feel like I'm missing a lot."_

 _"They have killed many of our own, Varij. There is no cause for celebration yet."_

 _"You sent us here to intercept, Vaga, but as of yet, we've done nothing. What are we waiting for?"_ Varij asked with unusual bluntness.

 _"There is a purpose for everything, Safyni. Do you trust me?"_

 _"Yes, Vaga, but I'm ready to move."_

 _"Victory is already at hand, regardless of what the circumstances tell you. I feel it's almost time. Don't give yourself away yet. Have serafine prepared for dispersal, but do nothing without my word."_

 _"I won't, Vaga. Will it be worth it though? How many deaths do we have to suffer for the sake of capturing the terrapins alive?"_

 _"They don't die in vain, Varij. I take no joy in their fall. But everything we'll be able to accomplish with the legendaries will make up for the loss we suffer this evening. They're out there, Safyni. All of them. I have even sensed my special friend. I require you to take the terrapins alive. This is not negotiable. What you do with anyone else is your own choice."_ Arzhan felt the thrill of pleasure his last instruction sent down Varij's spine.

 _"They will pay for attacking us."_

 _"They will, Safyni, in more ways than they realize possible. I will call you back soon."_

 _"Many thanks, Vaga."_

Arzhan hung up the link and wandered over to his Crael, who was hovering beside a monitor viewing drone footage of the Qif.

" _The way they move is extraordinary, Vaga-Arzhan. I never imagined the sight. I can't wait to get samples from all of them."_

 _"It's going to be a lot of work, Pachal, but our goals are closer now than they've ever been. How badly will Ghyath suffer for the present?"_

 _"I can do whatever you'd like with him, Vaga."_

 _"I don't want him to have a good night, although a small respite would provide them a deceptive source of comfort."_

 _"Do you mean to let them escape?"_

 _"I don't want them to leave the city, Pachal, but it makes no difference if they do. Reinforcements are nearly arriving, and their departure would give us a chance to gather information on the entire Nalikjan. There is no reason for fear or concern, Crael. The favor of Nature falls upon us again. Their overconfidence in revealing themselves proves it._

 _"Our enemies defeat is certain. I want you to keep an eye on the drones for me. I'm going to continue observing Vanxilia, but I'd like to know when my visitors will be arriving."_

* * *

Leonardo caught his breath for an instant while wiping off a katana on the tunic of a downed foe. At one point the stream of Vagari seemed endless, but the unexpected light at the end of the tunnel couldn't have appeared soon enough for his liking. Leaving Liran cradling Tariq behind them was maddening when the alien was injured so badly, but separating hadn't been an option.

Under the thinning out of the enemy, he felt confident enough in his brothers' combined strength to double back to where Bahri was still assessing injuries.

"We have to get him out," the elohim announced flatly. "His life signs are dropping too far."

"We're going," Leo assured him. "The bridge is almost clear."

"That does not make sense," Bahri returned. "Something is not right here, Leonardo."

"I agree, but that doesn't mean I've changed my mind."

"We have risked the Qif twice already, and this occasion was almost more than you could handle. To chase after the Vaga further would be suicide that not even _you_ should attempt."

"I hear what you're saying, Bahri, but if we have an opportunity to end this, I don't want to run away."

"What price will you pay to end it, Leonardo?"

The blue-masked turtle shook his head. "Raph and Mike are with me. I respect your opinion, Bahri. I honestly do. But the stakes are so high and the lives at risk are too many to let this chance slide. We're not walking."

"Liran also does not agree with this course of action, and you have not told Donatello!"

 _Don't plan to either; not until we're on our way._

"Ghyath would object if he were here too," Bahri added.

"Yes, he'd probably rather do it himself. Exactly the way he sacrificed his body tonight, for nothing. This is happening, Bahri. You don't have to agree with us. We're still going." Leonardo looked over his shoulder upon Mike's cry of triumph. "Seems like we're almost ready to move."

Raphael appeared on his left without a sound. "Think he'll let me help him?" he suggested gruffly, indicating the legatus.

Leonardo gave Liran another once over while his brother stood by to assist him. "Bahri, I think the Hiryn's been roughed up enough. You need to send Liran out too, whether he wants to go or not."

Raphael offered support to aid the legatus in rising, while Bahri murmured a few words to get the alien to trust some of his weight to him.

Lieasel appeared on the elohim's other side, and they exchanged a couple swift sentences before taking charge of Tariq together.

Leo sheathed katanas and picked up the Hiryn's spear. He was duly impressed by the mass of the weapon, and shot Liran a grin while handling it for him. The alien sent him a thumbs up, making the blue-masked turtle laugh.

"Whoa, Leo." Michelangelo whistled. "Are you fighting with a tree trunk now?"

"No, Mikey, but I'll let _you_ carry this thing if you don't shut up."

The orange-masked turtle pretended to zip his lips, and gestured for Leonardo to lead the way.

The blue-masked turtle started down the nearest flight to continue their descent in the Qif, but the third trip they were going to take back was already weighing on his mind. _Bahri's right, and I know it. There's no wisdom in this. Only an opportunity, a chance to cancel everything the Vaga has planned for Earth, Eovis, the Nalikjan, and God knows who else. We have to do it. If we don't, who will?_

The sudden click of someone trying to reach him made Leo reach for his link, but he didn't slow down. "This is Leonardo."

"Dad?"

 _That_ voice stopped him in his tracks so hard that Mike bumped into his shell. " _Tim?_ Where are you? What are you doing?"

"I'm here in Arcadia-"

"I know that much! Are you all right? Where are you currently?"

"I'm fine. Kamryn found me, and we're tracking down the others. I'm gonna be okay, but you won't be."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're going after him, aren't you?"

Leo knew who he was referring to, but didn't intend to admit it. "I'm more concerned with what _you're_ doing! I can't believe you came out here after we specifically agreed you weren't ready."

" _We_ didn't agree on anything, Dad, and that's not the point. Kamryn and I saw the message too. Their Kumne broadcast it everywhere."

"The message?"

"Yeah, where the Vaga provided his location for you? Dad, this is a set up. That wasn't for the citizens' benefit. He's playing you!"

"I know you're concerned about my anger, but you don't need to be. I'm under control, Tim. I'm not going to lose it."

"Dad, it's not you – it's _him_. Arzhan wants you to think he's vulnerable, and he's not!"

"Tim, we have to do something. Do you understand that? I'd love to kill him a thousand different ways for whatever he did to you, but this isn't about revenge right now. The threat has to be neutralized before it destroys everything we care about."

"I need _you_ to understand," Tim said, softly determined. "Killing him, if you can even get that far, won't solve the problem. It won't. I have a strong feeling it'll only make it worse. I can't tell you what that means, but you've got to take my word for it. Get out of the Qif, and don't look back. Just get out!"

Leonardo stood frozen in time, considering his words for such a long moment that Mike's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Bro? What are you doing?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted, then returned to the link. "Tim, I...I need a couple minutes."

"Don't do this, Dad. I know what I'm talking about where Vagari are concerned. I've learned more about them than I ever wanted to. I was inside the Vaga's head so many times, there's stuff I'll probably never forget. But that's why you have to listen to me when I tell you, he's not the problem."

Leonardo continued to hesitate, and in the stillness, felt an odd tickle on the back of his neck. He instantly reached back, expecting Mike's hand, but slapped something much smaller. Grasping the tiny object in between his fingers, he brought it forward in slow motion and laid eyes on a drone.

With a curse, he crushed the device and hurled the pieces at the ground. "You're right, Tim! He's been watching us this whole freaking time, and like an idiot, I didn't see it. We're getting out of here, and I want you to run for safety too!"

"No one will be safe for a while yet," the teen answered. "Thanks, Dad."

* * *

Shukri couldn't account for how it was possible to hold his breath for as long as he had been. Part of him felt like he was on the verge of passing out, while the rest was resisting the urge to bounce from elation. They were witnessing the results of the elemental dispersers being consumed by the storm of their own creation, and seeing it happen before his eyes was like watching a dream come true.

 _Ghyath has escaped. The Ruairi live and Tariq is fighting...for the moment._ His face fell while remembering Bahri's description of the vagari's condition. He hadn't worked up the nerve to look at any of the scans the elohim had transferred yet. _There will be plenty of time to pour over his injuries later, or...there will not be. El, please lend him strength. I cannot bear to lose one who was so close to finding Light._

"Shukri, check this out!"

Donatello's voice drew the Banrif back to the room he was currently in, and his eyes widened over the sudden loss in power and darkening of one of massive weapons they were observing on a screen. Shukri eagerly bent over Aurel's shoulder for a closer look.

"What are the statistics?"

"It is crippled, Shukri!" The guide managed a relieved smile. "We could not turn them off, but by your method-"

"Donatello's method," he corrected.

"It is working! The other is in the process of failing as well." Aurel shoved away from the desk. "Everything you have set out to do, it is almost accomplished."

"Not everything," the terrapin said grimly. "We still have to get everyone out of the city. Shukri, have you connected with Kiaan?"

"Not him specifically, but I spoke with Iyas. Even with the activity in the southwest and northeast, the tunnels have not been breached. He believes we can still use the Aqueducts to evacuate."

"Are the ships in position?" Ezra called from the door.

"They have had to sacrifice a couple already in the course of attack," Shukri acknowledged. "We yet have a few undercover, but they will not descend until we are making a real escape."

"Who is flying them?" Aurel sounded worried. "It is a terrible risk to take!"

Donatello chuckled. "They're on remote, Aurel. They'll be destroyed all right, but nobody will go down with them."

"Oh! So they are nothing but a distraction?"

"Like everything else," the terrapin replied, patting Aurel's shoulder. "You've done great. We're almost finished here. If I can just figure out what the kids are doing with themselves, I might be able to relax a little."

"I have not been able to reach Chirayu for a while either," Shukri mentioned with concern of his own. "Admittedly, I did not try hard since I was tied up with other things. But she promised to connect with me again after she was separated from the others."

"Let me bring up her location for you," Donatello offered, typing something into his scanner. "I've still got her in the southwest, and...she's surrounded by friendlies."

"Friendlies?" Aurel echoed.

"Good guys. She's not alone, Shukri, so I'm sure she'll be fine." The terrapin turned back to his machine. "Olivia and Charlotte are together too. Life signs on their implants look perfect. Don't appear to be moving much at the moment. I wish I could call them..."

"Chirayu said they left too quickly for her to give them the link," Shukri lamented.

"It'll be all right," Donatello said to himself. "We can look them up when we leave."

"What are your brothers doing?" Ezra asked. "Are they heading out on the tram with the others?"

Donatello shook his head. "Not with the rest of us back here, no. They sent Bahri ahead with Tariq and Liran, but even Lieasel insisted on staying behind with them. Bahri is going to drop my brothers off where they can access the street level. The hardest part may be finished, but we _still_ have to get out."

The terrapin sighed deeply. "Of course it didn't go perfectly, because it never does. But all in all, tonight could have been worse."

Ezra's eyes went wide at the statement. "You're not supposed to say that sort of thing before we're safe, are you?"

"Guess I'm feeling lucky for a change, Ezra."

The words no sooner escaped Donatello's mouth than the electricity suddenly died, casting the entire room into darkness.

"I'm not taking responsibility for this!" the terrapin declared.

"Well, who are you blaming?" The Irishman scoffed. "I said you spoke too soon!"

After another moment the emergency lights flickered on, and Shukri's monitor came back to life. He immediately strove to reenter the system with Kenric's user number.

"Can you get back in, Shukri?" Donatello hovered anxiously behind him.

"I am trying! Give me a second."

Even as he attempted to type in the correct credentials, his monitor turned white. Shukri began initiating another reboot, but a conference link made connection before he could finish. The elohim backed away from the screen, but Donatello caught his chair.

"What's that? What's happening?"

"Someone is calling, and I doubt we wish to speak-"

"Greetings, my old friend."

Shukri shrank in the seat under the gaze of the Vaga.

"I was wondering if I gave you enough time to complete your mission. Based on the information my Piuti passed on to me minutes ago, you were successful. I congratulate you."

Shukri traded a baffled look with the terrapin, but he couldn't find words to respond.

"Oh, yes, Banrif. I have been aware of your presence this entire time. Hello, terrapin. It's wonderful to see another one of you. I'm glad you were able to help here. Please thank Aurel for being of assistance as well."

Shukri rapidly shifted to look at their guide, whose pure terror had him sinking in his own seat. "I...we...the dispersers..."

"Are destroyed, I know," Arzhan said patiently. "You have my sincere gratitude. I have been trying to demonstrate their weaknesses in addition to their depravity to my own kind for several years. With your obstruction this evening, I will garner more favor. Thank you for going along with me. Now if you would be so kind as to remain where you are, I have a few associates coming to greet you."

The monitor went dark again, and Shukri leaped to his feet. Yet the moment he stood, a terrible sensation like breathing fire consumed his throat. With the first wrenching cough that followed, the elohim knew exactly what was happening.

"Terrapin!" He wheezed. "You must flee!"

Shukri felt Donatello's hand grasp his arm, but then fingers were suddenly gone as if his friend had disappeared. Over the heaving of his own chest, he faintly heard more coughing in the background. His head bounced off the floor when he collapsed, but the flames trapped in his lungs made other pain hardly noticeable.

The ceiling was the last thing he managed to fix on before the world went dark.


	126. Postal

Safyni-Varij felt lightheaded as if _he'd_ been drugged while waiting for the doors of the lab to be opened. He gazed at the four figures crumpled on the floor, then walked directly past them to get to the monitor, and tapped a button to restore power. The communications window was no longer active, so he punched the icon to establish a link with the Vaga.

" _Safyni-_ -" one of those behind him tried to interrupt, but Varij silenced him with a glare.

" _I need a minute."_ Varij took a deep breath to steady anger. _I can't wait to speak with the Vaga about it later. I must hear this from him_ now, _face to face._

Confusion and frustration warred with disappointment while he waited for his leader to respond to the conference.

" _You are right on time,"_ Arzhan declared without greeting.

Varij sent the unconscious forms of enemies another look before turning back to the Vaga. _"We were_ not _on time. They destroyed the dispersers because you forced us to wait!"_ The accusation bubbled up before he could stop himself, but after considering his words a couple of silent beats, he didn't regret it.

 _"Safyni, I require for you to do as I say, even when the actions don't make sense. Are you going to complete your mission?"_

 _"What mission?"_ he demanded. _"You caused us to lie in hiding until the enemy did irreparable damage to our tools. Their direct actions within the computer system could have influenced the life or death of many of those in the Qif! How do you consider this a sound strategy?"_

 _"I don't answer to you, Safyni. We can discuss this in detail when you return, which should be immediately."_

Varij glanced at the Vagari behind him uncertainly, then turned to the screen. _"You...let them do this, didn't you? Why, Vaga?_ Why _would you allow their kind to kill your own people?"_

" _I'm not responsible for their presence here, nor the actions they took."_

 _"But you wouldn't let us stop them!"_

 _"Safyni, if you choose to go down this path, no one will help you. Turn back now, and bring the terrapin to me."_

Varij stared down the screen without bothering to veil his fury. " _You have no explanation for these actions? Only an order that I must accept your reasoning without understanding it? Why did you let them do this?!"_

 _"Quoh-Uktar,"_ the Vaga called solemnly. " _I require you to complete this mission for me."_

Varij looked between the monitor and the Quoh directly behind him. " _What are you doing, Vaga? Why won't you answer this question?"_

 _"Remove him, Quoh."_

The Safyni ripped his arm out of Uktar's grasp when he dared lay hands on him. _"Don't touch me! Vaga, you owe me an answer! I have obeyed you faithfully for years. Now you would seek to remove me for challenging your questionable decisions?"_

 _"Get him out of my sight, Uktar. You are in command."_

 _"He most certainly is_ not! _"_

 _"Take Varij into custody. If he resists, you have authorization to kill him."_

"What?"

The moment the link terminated, Varij spun to find five rifles trained on him. His eyes roved over each vagari rapidly, searching for an ally. _"You can't do this! I'm not wrong! He_ let _them do these things. There is some kind of deception happening here, and we can't stand for it!"_

 _"Varij, put down your weapon, slowly,"_ Uktar ordered.

" _This isn't right and you know it! I haven't done anything!"_

 _"The Vaga's word is law, and you refuse to respect it,"_ the Quoh returned.

 _"He doesn't respect_ us! _He is only telling everyone what they want to hear. Don't listen to him, brothers, please!"_

 _"Don't make us kill you, Varij,"_ Uktar replied coldly. " _You may not be willing to carry out orders, but we are."_

Varij searched the circle of encroaching vagari for a friend once more. _"All of you feel this way?"_

 _"Surrender and throw yourself at the Vaga's mercy, Varij. You may save your life, if not your title."_

 _"What kind of life would it be? One spent serving a glorious leader I_ thought _I knew, to then be discarded as garbage? Such life is not one I desire."_

 _"Put_ down _your gun, Varij,"_ the Quoh commanded louder.

 _"Unlike the rest of you, I don't need one,"_ Varij stated, suddenly calm. " _Do you know why?"_

Uktar lifted his communicator to display the flashing beacon which indicated he'd summoned assistance. _"You have a little more time to cooperate with us, before others arrive. I suggest you do as I say."_

Varij eyed his former comrade coolly, even as he hurled his weapon across the room. _"The reason I don't need a gun is because I make a point to be friendly with the Piuti. They have the best equipment, you know. Experimental things the rest of you haven't laid eyes on."_

Varij shifted a small box from inside the pouch of his right sleeve, and closed his hand around the cold metal before depressing the button. Electricity surged from his palm to the closest vagari on his right, and he mashed the device several more times so the current would continue directly from one soldier to the next in the blink of an eye.

Even after it had painfully consumed them, he held the button down until all the energy was spent. Their deaths were nowhere near as satisfying as he'd hoped. Varij threw the now worthless device aside, and glared down at the other figures of his contempt.

Focusing on the terrapin with a low growl, he snatched an innoculater from his belt and jammed the tool into the creature's arm. The alien jerked as though he'd been stabbed, clutching his throat with a mighty gasp. He was clearly disoriented and coughing so hard that it seemed he couldn't take a decent breath, but Varij had no time for it.

"Get up, you idiot."

When the words had no effect, he kicked the creature's side hard enough to partially flip him over.

"I said get UP! I didn't just throw my life away so that Vaga can _still_ have everything he wants!"

The terrapin finally looked at him as his airway regulated, and the daze lifted like a spell had been broken. He turned around to gaze upon unconscious friends and unfamiliar enemies, before fixing on Varij again with suspicion. "What happened?"

"Do you want to know what happened, or what is _going_ to happen, terrapin? There are any number of Nopf on their way here as I speak. One of my former associates activated a beacon, so we probably have minutes before being overwhelmed. Would you prefer to wait for them, or could you find it in yourself to _get up?_ "

The terrapin gained his feet with a small amount of remaining unsteadiness. "I don't understand. Why are you helping us?"

"I'm not helping you!" the vagari shot back condescendingly. "I'm hurting _him._ "

"Him? Who...what are you _talking_ about?"

"Do you honestly care, terrapin? Or would you like the chance to escape?"

The creature shook his head. "I'm not leaving without my friends. Whatever you just did, you need to help them too."

Varij scowled at the stranger. "I won't do anything for those fools. You're lucky I even released _you!_ "

The alien's face hardened. "Would you rather stand here and argue about it until those Nopf arrive? It sounds like you don't want to catch up with them either. I'm not bluffing, vagari. I'll take my chances on the fact that your leader wants me alive before leaving my people behind."

Varij stared at the terrapin shrewdly, regretting how far he'd thrown his weapon. _But with how recently he was drugged, what kind of fight would he be able to put up? I can do this, with the right tactic._

The vagari managed a disarming smile. "I see it would be faster to assist you."

He tensed inwardly while watching the terrapin crouch over the Banrif. The moment his enemy's attention was diverted, he formed a fist. While he was aiming for the back of the alien's head, the terrapin twisted at the last second so that the vagari only managed a glancing blow to his mouth.

Varij was relieved to watch the alien flop sideways and land on his shell. But when he bent down to retrieve him, both the terrapin's legs flashed faster than he anticipated, plowing hard into his midsection. The force of the blow knocked him off his feet and he suddenly found it impossible to draw air. The vagari was still grasping to regain control of his chest when a pair of familar brown eyes suddenly stared down at him.

Varij expected to be struck this time and stiffened in response. His attacker merely brought two fingers to bear on his shoulder blade, right where bone transitioned to wings. He only had an instant to feel bewildered before sharp pain seized his entire back. Breath came in rapid gasps while the alien increased his paralyzing pressure with shockingly little effort.

The terrapin's free hand swiped away the blood streaming from a cracked lip, even as he contained the vagari quite easily with the other. "You wanna play dirty? I can go that route."

" _How_...?" was the only word Varij could currently force out.

"You guys know next to nothing about pressure points, huh? You'd rather focus all your energy on these high-tech weapons. I'm a fan of technology myself, but the simple things can be even more effective. Your fancy arsenal doesn't mean much when I'm pinching just the right spot.

"Unfortunately for you, we've made friends with a lot of your 'brothers'. They didn't mind us poking and probing to find _your_ race's unique nerves, which are a little different than ours. This one in particular is pretty darn sensitive, isn't it?"

Varij couldn't answer. Coherent speech escaped him as what felt like electricity spasmed through every muscle in his back.

"I've never technically applied this much force to someone either, but you've got at least a hundred and fifty pounds on my frame and seriously pissed me off. I'm going to ask you this question again, and you have one chance to get the answer right. Are you ready to help me?"

"... _blessed El_..."

"So is that a yes or a no?"

"I will!" Even if the worst physical pain he'd ever felt wasn't enough to convince him, they were running out of time to escape.

Varij panted heavily for a few relieving seconds when the terrapin let go, and then propped up on shaky arms. "I hate you," he rasped.

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual. But who do you hate the most?"

In reply, Varij took the innoculator from his belt and held it out to the creature. "One shot each. I will not be responsible for anyone who falls behind!"

The alien wrenched the device from his grip, and rapidly used it on each of his companions. The gasps and violent coughing of his counterparts was promising, but the Banrif didn't seem to be responding quickly enough for the creature's preference. He knelt over the elohim while carefully keeping Varij in his peripheral vision.

"Shukri? Wake up! C'mon, open your eyes!"

Varij stared at the alien who clearly shared DNA with the young one he'd been charged with, and was suddenly struck by the humor of cooperating with him. Memory of the intense pain the terrapin inflicted fled as his blood lust for revenge rekindled.

"Get your friends up, terrapin, before it's too late."

Upon rising, the vagari found Shukri staring at him with bulging eyes. Derisive laughter bubbled up at once. "Hello, Banrif. How are you feeling? Well this evening?"

"Would you shut up?" the terrapin retorted, annoyed.

"Donatello, we dare not trust this one!" Shukri insisted. "He is an officer directly under the Vaga!"

Varij shrugged haughtily. "I'm also the one who provided the antidote. I don't ask you to trust me, or have any intention of saving you. I simply would rather not let the Vaga get what he wants. It sounds like something you could agree with."

Shukri glared at him with open disdain. "What is going _on?_ "

"He wants the Vaga to be unhappy." The human approached from the background, and his curious accent intrigued Varij. "I can get behind that."

"How do we know he will not turn on us?" Aurel murmured, backing away from Varij with a fear which delighted the vagari.

"You don't," he told the elohim. "I have no love for any of you. Yet my hatred for the Vaga runs deeper than any soul I've known. I'm not going to be your friend, morons. But if you're inclined to move, the time to escape is now."

* * *

Olivia wrestled uselessly with the chains that bound her hands tightly in front of her plastron. There was little point in fighting with the manacles, but she couldn't bring herself to quit trying to escape.

There were no words for the frustration that pulsed through her mind when she managed to catch a glimpse of her cousin over her shoulder. Charlotte hadn't budged since being thrown into the cruiser behind her. The younger turtle wasn't bound the same way she was; instead fitted with a curious cuff which covered her forearm.

Olivia nearly hissed her name, before remembering she wasn't supposed to use it. _I don't understand what she's doing. Surrendering prevented them from hurting us, but I don't see this as an improvement to our situation. And_ why _didn't she want me to call for help?_

The way manacles covered her wrists made it impossible to access her watch now. Olivia huffed angrily under her breath. _I seem to end up in this position too often. Getting really sick of it. I wanna know why Charlotte made me do this._ She shot another look at her prone cousin, and her brow furrowed when she caught the younger turtle lifting her head slightly.

"Ch..." she whispered, almost saying her name again.

Charlotte shook her head emphatically, then laid it back down silently.

Olivia closed her mouth like a steel trap, and glared at the ceiling. _I don't know what's going to happen, but this humiliation had better be worth it._

She heard voices in another language drift over the seat in front of her, and met the gaze of a dark-haired vagari who happened to be looking back. Amber eyes narrowed in response and she bared teeth at him with a growl.

"They are truly like animals," the alien told his companion, speaking his first snippet of English since picking them up. "You are ready to return to the lab, yes?" he then offered to Olivia.

She gave him the most threatening look she could imagine, but didn't correct his assumption. _Charlotte was right about them not being able to tell us apart, but that doesn't explain why she wanted to switch places. I'd have done it gladly to save her some pain, yet trading identities doesn't feel helpful to either of us in this case. If I could get my watch, activate the panic button,_ that _would be useful. Instead I get to play the damsel in distress again. Ugh, I want to hurt them!_

The urge to sulk was just setting in when the cruiser came to a jarring halt, which caused Olivia to collide with the seat. She cursed the driver while trying to turn back over, and discovered her cousin's frame had shifted too. She took the opportunity to whisper in her ear.

"Are you really okay?"

Brown eyes slid open halfway with a nod, and clenched shut again. Olivia wanted to ask more, but the frantic voices of those exiting the cruiser caused her to clam up with concern. The acrid scent of smoke hit her a couple seconds later, and she instantly tried to twist and see what was happening.

She had the chance to see the glow of flames licking around the side window, right before the back door was flung open. The first vagari threw Charlotte over his shoulder, while the next grabbed Olivia by the legs and dragged her out of the vehicle.

The older turtle refused to curse at him when he dropped her, unwilling to give the vagari anything else to be smug about. The only thing worse than being hauled around as a prisoner of war was letting the aliens _enjoy_ it. _I swear to God though, if someone—when someone comes to save us, I'm blaming all of this on Charlotte. I never wanted to cooperate with the idea. If we'd played it my way-_

Breath seized in her throat when she noticed her cousin stir on the back of the alien handling her. The minute movement didn't even prepare Olivia for the younger turtle's hands to close around her captor's throat, and snap bone with a sickening crack.

Charlotte fell into a forward row as her victim collapsed, and lunged to her feet before another could pop up beside her. The vagari furiously tapped the display of his hand-held monitor instead of attacking the turtle, and her cousin watched with a bored look for a few moments.

"Charlotte!" Liv cried after her, forgetting the rule not to refer to her by name.

With a startling primal cry, the younger turtle landed two punches that connected with either side of the vagari's jaw, and leveled him in less time than it took Olivia's captor to pursue Charlotte.

Olivia fought to sit up while the alien went after her cousin, furious to have been left behind on the ground in such a helpless position. Even the sight of both Charlotte's feet slamming into the enemy's chest with a force that flipped him backwards wasn't really satisfying. She couldn't help scowling when the younger turtle dashed over to check on her.

"You okay? I'll be right back!" Charlotte added, without giving her a chance to answer.

"But..." A mere syllable erupted before her cousin backtracked to the land cruiser which was near being consumed by flames. Anger flared up stronger in the span of time it took for the younger turtle to return.

"What are you doing?!"

"I got our stuff," she answered evenly, dropping both sword case and Olivia's belt beside her. "You wanted it back, didn't you?"

"I would have rather not lost it in the first place!" Olivia snarled, despite the relief over her cousin being all right.

"I'm sorry about that, Liv, but they'd already gotten the better of me, and you weren't gonna fight your way through the troop on your own!"

"You coulda let me try!"

"Would you hold still?"

Olivia was baffled by the sight of the hook-shaped pendant in Charlotte's grasp, until her cousin used the object to break open the manacles, and then moved on to her feet. Curiosity momentarily overwhelmed irritation. "Where'd you get that? How did you know it would work that way?"

"Because it's the same crap the Vagari had to use to contain me." Charlotte tapped the cuff on her forearm. "I'm immune to the energy binder. They can zap me all they want, and nothing happens."

Olivia whipped off her cousin's purple bandanna the moment she was free. "Why didn't you just tell me that?"

"I tried to! But because they thought you were me, they didn't even drain you. Do you see the advantage here?"

The older turtle took back her mask and quickly replaced her belt. "Can we agree not to surrender to anyone else tonight? I can't handle the humiliation."

"I'm just glad you're not hurt, Liv."

"No kidding! What happened to the cruiser?" Olivia pointed to the inferno of a vehicle. "Did we luck out, or what?"

"It's dangerous to refer to luck in the middle of these events, isn't it? I think we need to get moving!"

"Hang on, Charlie! Are _you_ all right? Probably stupid to ask, but can you feel everything now?"

The purple-masked turtle nodded. "I'm good – ready to run. Are you?"

Olivia was prepared to bolt, but didn't get to say so because of another small cruiser heading right for them. She snatched for her katana while diving out of it's path, and lunged back to her feet angrily. Whoever dared to get in their way was about to face her full fury for everything they'd been through in the last twenty or so minutes.

When the hatch opened, she wasn't prepared for the sheepish figure who peered out. "Guys, get in!"

The red-masked turtle lowered katana while shock struggled to wear off. "You're not supposed to be here!" were the only appropriate words to come to mind.

"And you said you'd never carry that thing in battle!" Tim retorted. "We're all surprising each other today. Get in!"

Olivia gave Charlotte a dubious glance before running to meet the cruiser, fuming once more. Inside, however, the purple-masked turtle was the first to get her hands on their cousin.

"What the shell, Tim! Why didn't you say anything? How could you just show up this way?"

"You guys were pretty satisfied to leave me behind," he said tersely. "Why would I tell you I had plans of my own?"

"Who's driving?" Olivia demanded loudly.

Kamryn whirled around in the front. "You might want to strap in!"

Charlotte started toward her. "What are we doing?"

"We're trying not to die," the woman replied. "Would you like to join us?"

Olivia finally surrendered to a laugh while flopping down on the seat. _I can't even. No matter what happens here, this night is going down in our history books._


	127. Stand

Ghysis had never before experienced such a profound sensation of simultaneous fear and excitement. The scope of his project with the two young terrapins had morphed into the massive death trap which was currently set, waiting only on a nearby army of droids to spring it.

The passing minutes had the effect of making the elohim more nervous, especially since his companions had been out of his sight for nearly half an hour. The complication of such a trap was that it couldn't be moved; the only way to pull it off was to force their enemies to come to them.

It was for that reason that Nathaniel and Jayden had departed, with the goal of laying down an intentional trail. Ghysis wasn't in favor of the idea when they left, and felt no better about it now.

When his eyes shifted to the link, he was tempted to contact the orange-masked terrapin for the fifth time in as many minutes. Ghysis initially resisted the urge, but hiding in the dark while waiting for them to summon an army was taking a toll on him. Before he could talk himself out of it, he placed the call.

"So are you set up for this, or not?" Nathaniel's greeting was so surprising, Ghysis didn't have an immediate reply. "You said you'd be ready, Ghysis. Where are we exactly?"

The elohim cleared his throat with embarrassment and dragged a finger over his monitor to verify the signal which was connecting five dozen tracking devices; the largest payload of transmitters they'd planted thus far.

"I am good, Nathaniel. I was waiting for you to call. I assumed you already would have."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I've been getting weird feedback on my earpiece, and it had me paranoid. You said the Vagari could potentially hack the frequency we're using."

"Yes, it is a danger, terrapin. Are you close by?"

"Probably seven minutes out, but we have confirmed targets. A ton of them."

"You must remember to get proper clearance from the garage, Nathaniel. I am counting on you to tell me the right moment to set things off."

"I'll let you know, Ghysis. Hold tight a little bit longer, and I'll call you back!"

The breathless quality of the orange-masked terrapin's voice made Ghysis' nerves spike higher. _But he still sounded confident._ That same confidence buoyed the elohim in spite of fear, and renewed the resolve in his spirit.

Putting his link away, Ghysis concentrated attention on scanning through the screen depicting various trackers which were networked together and awaiting command for activation. He was satisfied by their status, but a flashing character in the upper right hand corner of the monitor stood out like a beacon. He punched the icon for more information, and a gasp escaped upon discovering the low level of the available signal.

" _No. No, this is not happening_ now! _"_

Ghysis typed rapidly to diagnose the problem with existing communications. He wanted to believe it was a temporary issue or one that could easily be resolved with adjustment, but all of the signs pointed to technological interference.

He sent a panicked glance from the balcony on which he was perched to the garage a hundred yards to his east. _I cannot use the remote to detonate without a proper signal. But if I move a little closer..._ Ghysis briefly considered calling the terrapin back, and decided against it. _There are things in motion which cannot be altered. I must get this to work, or they will be in tremendous danger._

Ghysis glanced over the edge of the balcony, then slowly scooted his frame over the ledge exactly the way Nathaniel had showed him. With a deep breath, he let go of the platform, and dropped the remaining twelve feet or so to the pavement. The elohim landed awkwardly, stumbling backward when he couldn't quite get his feet beneath him. He picked himself up, shook off the residual pain from the knee which had been twisted in the fall, and began to circle the garage housing the cruisers they'd prepared.

Ghysis said a silent prayer while rounding the perimeter, hoping for a better signal with which to work. He wasn't encouraged by anything he saw on the first sweep, and was forced to creep closer to the structure than he wanted to.

The elohim caught himself giving more attention to the output reading than he was his surroundings, waiting for confirmation that he'd obtained enough power to communicate with the trackers. The small increase was an improvement, but the shaky quality of the signal was no guarantee of its reliability.

"Ghysis!" Nate's voice cut back in. "Jayden and I went straight through the garage, but now we're heading for cover. We don't have much of a head start, which means they're almost in position. Are you ready?"

"Nearly, terrapin!" he answered, though he felt anything but.

"We _need_ you to be ready! Is something wrong?"

"No," the elohim lied without hesitation, eyes fixed on the tiny shafts of light cutting through the perimeter which he _knew_ preceded the army. "I am prepared to do this."

Decision cast, Ghysis dashed toward the structure, alternating between his monitor and watching where he was going while running between cruisers.

"Are you sure? Because it _sounds_ like something's wrong!"

Ghysis didn't answer him, because he was busy praying for stability in the remote connection.

"Ghysis, talk to me!"

"You must give me a minute to fix something," he stalled for time.

"If you can't set it off, you need to get the shell away from here!" the terrapin ordered. "They're out there, and this area is about to be overrun!"

"That is what I am waiting for," the elohim said flatly. "But I must be certain first."

"Certain of what? Ghysis, where are you, and what's happening?"

"Can you view the enemy from your position, terrapin?"

"We made it back to the roof, and I can see where we left _you_. Where did you go?"

"Vagari are interfering with my signal, Nathaniel," he said honestly. "I had to come closer to make a connection."

"Closer where? Tell me you're not down there, Ghysis!"

The elohim looked at the screen to find that his current position lent him a signal which was roughly half of its normal strength. It was better than anything he'd witnessed in the last few minutes. "I cannot see them as you do. You must tell me when the enemy is close enough."

"Ghysis, _how_ close?"

"That does not matter, Nathaniel. Where are _they?_ "

"Huddling like locusts on the outskirts of this thing. You'd better tell me where you are before I come down to find you!"

"Do no such thing, terrapin. It would be a waste."

Ghysis swallowed while lowering the link. He didn't want to do anything that would cause him to lose the signal he'd fought to achieve, but the longer the droids lingered outside, the danger of the terrapins descending to find him increased.

He stretched for the rifle slung over his shoulder and began shooting, discharging energy in all directions. The brilliance of the blasts illuminated the darkness in short bursts. Ghysis only hoped they were tempting to the enemies.

The elohim kept up his imaginary assault with thin air for a couple of minutes, ignoring the repeated hails on the link from the orange-masked terrapin. That was until the minute lights indicating ARCIS' presence appeared in vast quantity within the surrounding shadows. He reached for the link one last time.

"Nathaniel. This was a greater honor than I dreamed of. Thank you for taking care of me this evening. I trust you will continue to look after each another."

"Ghysis, what are you DOING?"

"Goodbye."

* * *

The force of dozens of synchronous blasts combined into an earth-shattering blow which left the building they were perched on shaken. Nate stared at the devastating effects of the explosions as though hypnotized, until Jayden snatched his shoulder.

"Chokkan, what did he say? Where did Ghysis end up?"

The orange-masked turtle attempted contact twice more before lowering the link in slow motion. "I think he's gone," he replied shallowly.

"He got out of there?"

Nate shook his head, crouching lower over the roof so he wouldn't have to look at his cousin. "He told me he had to get closer, Jay. I don't think he was trying to get away."

"But he might have, Nate! We've got to get down there and look!"

The eighteen-year-old's throat constricted as he shuffled upright. "He said goodbye, right before the blasts."

The purple-masked turtle hurled his ono with an angry cry, burying it in the roof.

"I couldn't stop him," Nate said weakly. "He wouldn't tell me what was going on, not until..."

Grief was interrupted by the sudden realization that their building was surrounded on the ground by several more glinting shadows.

"Oh, wow. Of course, there are plenty to go around." Nate shot a look at his cousin when he didn't say anything, and found Jayden glaring at the roof. "Okay, look, Jay. Whatever you're feeling, I'm feeling, it's got to be channeled the right way."

Brown eyes bored into him with sudden intensity. "Is it totally messed up that I'd rather be killing Vagari than destroying their stupid toys?"

"I understand." The orange-masked was diplomatic. "But we have to act with the hand we're dealt, and right now, it's them."

The younger turtle peered over the side of their building with a gasp. "Oh, shell. Would you look at those buggers _climb?_ Did you know they could do that?"

Nate forced himself to gaze down, and saw the droids were indeed crawling up the side of walls like arachnids. Despite the chilling sight, he wasn't intimidated. "If they feel like coming up here so we can destroy them, I say more power to 'em."

The unusually loud screech of a speeding cruiser interrupted Nate's demonstration of confidence for his cousin's sake, and he laid eyes on the vehicle careening down the block. It was an amazing sight to watch the ship travel so fast while also being covered by the spindly forms of ARCIS droids.

Nate bent lower against the ledge to track the cruiser as it spun in a circle, and the sound of shattering glass indicated it had been penetrated by enemies. From their position it was hard to tell what was happening, but the orange-masked turtle wasn't tempted to wait.

"Jay, c'mon!"

His cousin didn't ask questions while following his trajectory off the roof, and they both nimbly worked their way to the ground. Nate intentionally landed on top of a droid and sliced off its head, before whipping around to motion to Jayden, who was engaged in much harder core destruction of robots that looked like grasshoppers next to him.

"These guys are no fun!" the younger turtle complained, catching up to him.

"Just out of curiosity, what's your definition of 'fun', Jayden?"

"Maybe something that could last more than two seconds against me?" The purple-masked turtle's scoff was cut off by the blast of a rifle that sent him rolling sideways evasively.

"If you get shot, it'll be over that quick!" Nate cried. "Watch yourself!"

He saw the doors of the cruiser opening in the short distance, around the same time as the vehicle went up in flames. A _very_ familiar figure spiraled off the side of the ship, and the style alone gave his red-masked cousin away.

That knowledge sent him running harder down the block with Jayden on his heels, but he had to stand back for a moment at the vision of Olivia _using_ the Arsiterite blade.

"What did I tell you?" he demanded, then jumping into the fight beside her. "You'll never go back now!"

"Is this the time for a debate, Chokkan?" she retorted, drop-kicking a droid out of mid-air. "Where have you _been_?"

"A little busy!" He grunted, driving katana through three separate rifles before they could discharge.

Olivia moved seamlessly behind him, leveling the ARCIS units the moment he disarmed them. The shadow of someone flipping over their heads distracted the orange-masked turtle, and he turned, expecting Charlotte. Instead, he was met by the unbelievable sight of his youngest cousin flooring two droids with the weighted end of his kusarigama, and spinning the weapon to finish them off with the sickle.

"Where did _he_ come from?!"

"You'll have to ask Tim, Nate. We haven't gotten a straight answer from him!"

Nathaniel chopped a droid cleanly in half and relieved another of its head in the fight to get to the blue-masked turtle's side. "What are you doing here?"

"Geez, how many times do I have to explain it? Could you give me a few minutes, so we can do one big group lecture?"

Nate gave him a dark look, but the sound of something a lot bigger than ARCIS canceled out what he'd been about to say. He hooked the youngest turtle's arm to pull Tim back toward Olivia, and shouted Jayden's name.

From around the side of the fire-riddled vehicle his massive cousin appeared, followed by Charlotte and a final lithe shadow he identified as Kamryn.

"I told you, Chokkan! These guys are no fun!" Jayden smirked at the ground littered with remnants of the droids.

"Maybe, but I think a little more fun is on the way," Nate lamented.

He waved for everyone to huddle up with him in anticipation of what was coming, even though he couldn't see the monsters yet. Olivia was the only one besides him who seemed genuinely concerned.

"It's them, isn't it?" she asked. "We saw Heavy Metal out there."

Nate nodded grimly, just as the first of the over-sized robots rounded the corner. No one had any words when it was trailed by another two.

"Weaknesses?" Charlotte squeaked after a moment.

"We never actually fought them," Liv admitted.

Jayden's chuckle was more nervous than entertained. "Sure, they're big. But look how they move! They've got nothing on us, except a couple thousand pounds."

As if in response, the lead unit launched a brilliant ray which traveled faster than Nate could blink, and the group scattered to avoid being hit.

"And that, they've got that!" Jay corrected.

Inwardly, Nathaniel knew it would be easier to take down the targets if they concentrated all the effort on one at a time, but it was doubtful Heavy Metal would allow them such opportunity.

The orange-masked turtle took rapid stock of their environment. The shortage of structures with the exception of the decimated parking garage and the one dormitory style building made the possibility of fleeing to high ground nonexistent. _We need to steal another ship. We could try a lot of things, but-_

The report of laser fire _behind_ them forced him to whirl and catch sight of air ships hovering less than half a mile from their current location. He felt nails dig into his arm, and turned to face his red-masked cousin.

"There's nowhere to run," he told her.

She held up her wrist. "I activated my beacon. Think you should too."

He nodded with agreement. "Wisdom is knowing when to call for help. All we have to do is stay alive until someone else can get here." Nate tapped the blade in Olivia's hand. "Arsiterite is the strongest material known in these parts. Bet it will pierce their armor."

"We're gonna find out, aren't we?"

"Liv, take Tim," he advised. "I'll stay by Charlotte. Jayden! Stick with Kamryn! They're big, but they can't be that agile. Use it against them!"

When he noticed the purple-masked female coming out of the corner of his eye, Nate surged forward. Charlotte matched his dash without breathing hard.

"Any plans, Chokkan?"

"All I can think is to aim for the head! I'll try to keep it's attention, get it focused on me. You go for the kill strike!"

"Me? You're the one with a magical katana!"

" _You're_ the one with miraculous DNA!"

"We all carry the gene now!"

"Don't all have your endurance though, do we? I'll draw his fire – you go for the head!" he repeated.

"Whatever you say, Nate!"

Nathaniel went straight for the massive robot while Charlotte tracked to his right. The orange-masked turtle dove toward the monstrosity's lower body, forcing the bot to adjust the built-in blaster on its arm downward to follow him. Nate shot in between its legs to get behind the droid, and drove his katana into gold-plated armor.

Although the blade penetrated, it seemed to do as much harm as a safety pin. The eighteen-year-old reached to retrieve his katana from the robot's body, but didn't have the chance to jerk it back out before being shot at again.

Heavy Metal spun with greater speed than Nate anticipated, forcing him to leap out of the path of successive shots which scorched the ground. He backpedaled without taking his eyes off the droid, and held his breath when Charlotte vaulted from the ground and hurled naginata through its neck.

The droid's response was quicker than _either_ of them expected that time. A huge fist shot backwards, catching the pole of the naginata the younger turtle still gripped to pull it out, and flung both Charlotte and the weapon over its shoulder. Nate lunged to follow her trajectory, managing to partially break his cousin's fall.

"Okay," he allowed, glaring at the Heavy Metal which was still in possession of his katana. "Guess we gotta attack at the same time. Up for round two?"

Charlotte leaped to her feet and spun naginata in a wide arc. "I could do this all night!"

"I don't share your enthusiasm, but I do applaud you."

"C'mon, Nate. Let's get your katana back. That thing doesn't even know what to do with it."

"Stay right on me," he urged. "We need to go up and straight over."

"I'm game, Chokkan."

Nathaniel made another beeline for the monster, twisting to fly over its shoulder, while Charlotte aimed naginata for its head. The orange-masked turtle cleared the robot's body, but heard his cousin's cry of distress in the background. He landed on his feet and snatched for his blade again, while searching right and left for Charlotte;

Even as his katana jerked free from the over-sized frame, a leg the thickness of a utility pole connected with his plastron, pinning him to the ground. He swiped his blade furiously, only for it to bury harmlessly in the arm of his attacker. Heavy Metal shook off his weapon like a bee sting, and continued crushing his body against the pavement.

Nate heard another shout from Charlotte, but could do nothing except _watch_ the cursed machine slam into her with a force that sent the younger turtle flying limply backwards. The same fist descended toward him while he fought to make headway with its greater weight, and he could do nothing but cringe in anticipation of the blow.

The scattering of rocks preceded something sliding across the ground to his left, but Nate couldn't utter a sound before his _other_ purple-masked cousin's bulky frame launched underneath the droid with a roar. The pressure of the robot's leg fell away as Jayden ran straight _through_ the beast with his ono, completely separating its upper half from the rest of its body.

The orange-masked turtle sat up, and couldn't get beyond his knees while gaping at his cousin.

"What?" Jayden only sounded a little breathless. "Don't worry, Chokkan. The Hulk only comes out on special occasions."

"Charlotte!" Nate choked.

Jayden's near smirk disappeared while he yanked the older turtle off the ground. His head was spinning so hard that he barely kept his balance while running alongside his cousin, but the relief of seeing Charlotte up-righting on her own made it irrelevant.

"Show off," she declared.

The temptation to laugh only existed for a moment, before Nate focused on the other Heavy Metals, the sea of ARCIS pin-point lights covering the perimeter, and the air ships doing nothing but waiting. "Jayden. We really need the Hulk to stick around."


	128. Kamikaze

Donatello tried to take a deep breath, but exhaled as shallowly as before. He couldn't quite drown out the maniacal laughter coming from the cockpit, and it left him feeling extremely disturbed.

The purple-masked turtle sent a worried look to his tense companions in the back of the Interceptor. "Does anyone else think it might be time to bail?" he hissed softly.

The repeated blasts of laser fire from the fighter ship they were occupying was frightening in its frequency, but even more so because of their odd sponsor's enjoyment.

"I did not want to follow him to begin with!" Shukri whispered back fiercely.

A louder explosion drew the purple-masked turtle to look out the window. The immense black clouds rising from an obliterated power station made Donny shake his head. He couldn't understand a word of what Varij yelled from the controls, but his tone of voice suggested chilling exuberance.

"This guy is unhinged," Don said softer than before.

"That may be," Ezra allowed. "But it happens to be working in our favor at the moment, so I'm not inclined to discourage him. Are you?"

Donatello shook his head. "I'm not opposed to his destruction, but what happens when he turns on _us?_ "

"He is unpredictable, and therefore dangerous, no matter whose side he is on," Aurel added. "I am in favor of getting away from him as soon as possible."

The Irishman snorted. Ezra was the only one who didn't seem at all bothered by their situation. "He's fighting on our side, even if he doesn't see it that way."

The turtle gripped armrests tighter while the Interceptor made a rapid change in altitude. "He's also flipping _crazy,_ Ezra."

"I can deal with that, as long as the Vagari are the ones suffering his wrath."

"Do you not grasp the amount of damage he could do to us all?" Shukri demanded under his breath. "In his state of mind, he may kill _anything_ within his path! I think we need to try and take the ship."

"I do not advise it," Aurel countered. "Varij is probably willing to crash before giving up that seat. He is already behaving insane, and aggressive action on our part could make it worse!"

"Then we knock him out," Donny stated reasonably. "One of you can handle the craft. We need to circle back around so-" The click of his earpiece caused the turtle to hesitate and feel around for his link. "I'm here – what's up?"

"Don, what's happening with the kids?" Leonardo demanded.

"I haven't connected with them, Leo! Been a little tied up with...escaping." He snuck another wary look at Varij. "Did you talk to them?"

"No, but we've got _five_ beacons going off! You haven't seen this?"

"Five beacons?" The purple-masked turtle flicked his own timepiece, which wasn't registering anything except the clock. "Leo, I might have shorted out. Give me a minute!"  
He yanked his bag off the floor at his feet and quickly dug through its contents to locate his scanner. The moment he turned on the machine, he noted the alerts his brother had referred to with a curse.

"Yeah, I see them now, Leo."

"Do you know what's happening? I've tried calling multiple times, but I can't get through to anyone on the link!"

"Their transmitters put all the kids in the same vicinity, bro! Whatever's going on, they're in it together. Keep trying to reach them, and I'm going to work on our escort."

"What does that mean?"

"Leo, you don't want to know. But we're gonna get to them, okay? I'll send you their coordinates. Are you going to be able to communicate with Lieasel? Does he know how to break into a ship?"

"We'll figure it out! Get me the information, Don, we need to move!"

"Okay. I'm transmitting them to your link now. I have to go, all right?"

"Whatever you're doing, hurry up!"

"You too!"

Don hung up the link and turned to his friends. "Okay, new plan. The kids are in trouble, and we have get over there."

"Wait! Where are you going?" Shukri rose from his seat when Donatello unbuckled.

"I need to have a discussion with our pilot."

"You cannot reason with him, Donatello!"

"Maybe not, but I bet I can appeal to his desire for revenge. I have to try, either way. Stay here, and if this doesn't go well, I need you guys to tackle him. Then we'll be stuck with whatever consequences we're dealt."

The turtle shifted up front before anyone else could object, but moved much slower when he reached the cockpit. "Varij?" he called cautiously, noting the way the vagari stared vapidly at the screen displaying the street-level mayhem.

"I was wondering when you'd come to see me," the alien said calmly without looking up. "I assumed you'd want to play some part in this."

"I'm glad you're...enjoying yourself." Don winced with the words. "But we have a problem, okay? Our people are down there about five miles to the south, and they're sending us a distress signal."

"In this environment, you find that surprising?"

"No, not really. But they need help, and I bet there's a ton of things you could destroy along the way."

Varij shot a suspicious glance at him. "You're not in control of my path, terrapin. _I'm_ the one laying down my life for nothing but the noble cause of hindering this master deceiver. I have no intention of letting anyone else manipulate me again."

"That's not it," Donny said quickly, hating the necessity of telling the truth. "Listen. All of our kids are there, including the exact two your Vaga had before. Do you want him to get them back, and more besides?"

The vagari jolted strongly in his seat. "The Vaga's pet is with them?"

The flash of anger which hit the purple-masked turtle almost did him in. "His...pet?"

"Arzhan desires the blue one more than anything in life. I will die long before he lays hands on him again!"

Don consciously forced himself to unclench fists. "Then I have their coordinates, Varij, if you'd like to head that direction."

"Give them to me, terrapin, and then you should find your seat again, unless you would rather watch everything firsthand with _me_. We will meet more obstacles before we get that far." The laugh the vagari finished with left Donatello cold.

"You're not gonna go kamikaze, are you?"

"I don't know 'kamikaze'."

"If you're planning on crashing intentionally, would you let us off first?"

Varij shuddered with excitement over the suggestion. "Killing any of _you_ would dash the Vaga's hope terribly. But the idea of you surviving while also slipping through his grasp is ultimately more frustrating for him, and satisfying for me. That is why you have the good fortune of living, terrapin."

The alien flashed a twisted smile, but then appeared to grow serious. "I have many things I wish to accomplish before their officers manage to reach us. I do hope you weren't counting on me to get you out of Arcadia."

"No," Donatello readily agreed. "We'd rather escape on our own."

The alien leaned back in the seat to give the turtle a lingering glance. "I tell you, if you can leave this city in one piece, terrapin, I'm willing to admit you deserve to live."

"We still have the means to surprise you, Varij."

"I hope that is true. If this entire evening ends the way Arzhan desires, I'll be extremely unhappy. That isn't something you want to see."

Donatello backed slowly away from the cockpit, goosebumps rising over the vagari's parting chuckle. _The sooner we get away from this nutjob, the better._

* * *

Muhsin was amazed by the path of destruction he was following, especially because of who was initiating it. The vagari was determined to be the first one to find Varij, since he had his own intentions for what to do with him. He had no real desire to tell the Vaga about the madness he was seeing yet, but as Arzhan had requested information in a timely fashion, it didn't seem he had a choice.

" _Vaga-Arzhan, do you hear me?_ "

" _You are coming in, Kumne. Have they cornered Varij?_ "

" _No, Vaga,"_ he said apologetically, even though it wasn't his fault. _"He escaped, and the enemy is with him."_

 _"With him? Do you mean to say Varij turned entirely?"_

 _"I can't understand his motivation, Vaga, but his current destructive actions leave me no choice for how to proceed."_

 _"I would have liked to see him face to face one more time, but you are correct, Muhsin. Any mercy he might have been able to receive is long since rescinded. Halt their escape and kill him at the earliest opportunity."_

 _"I will deal with him, Vaga; you have my word. Are you still tracking the ones who ran from Central?"_

 _"Yes, and we discovered the most interesting underground network beneath the Qif in the process. It explains how they were able to get_ in _so quickly. I honestly believed the terrapins would approach me themselves, but it doesn't technically matter. We only have to wait a little longer. Once you have dealt with Varij and all of this is over, I want you to attempt contact with the reserves again. I need to be aware of the timing of their arrival."_

 _"I still think we can finish it tonight, Vaga, but I'll deal with this traitor before doing anything else."_

 _"Catch up to him quickly, Muhsin. I don't want news of his actions traveling far. He must be removed, and we need a story to account for what happened in Vanxilia."_

 _"I can easily come up with something. Do you intend to tell the public about the dispersers at Eovis?"_

 _"Once the atmosphere is under control, yes. I'm counting on you, Kumne. I sense a great deal of frustration within your spirit. Don't allow emotions to overwhelm your instincts."_

 _"I won't, Vaga. On my word, I_ will _destroy all traitors."_

* * *

Leonardo peered around a corner at the deceptive calm of Arcaria's street level. The quiet section they'd emerged upon was no guarantee of safety. He spanned every direction carefully while waiting for his brothers and the legatus to join him.

Lieasel mimicked his concern, shifting his crossbow while searching for enemies. The blue-masked turtle's arm hovered around the alien's shoulder, while contemplating how to show him what they needed to do.

The only thing which immediately occurred to him was to point out a large land cruiser sitting on the street nearby, then motion to himself, followed by the sky. The young legatus broke away from him for a closer look at the craft, and then shook his head.

"It...no fly?" he returned questioningly. Lieasel touched the ship and then stamped one foot, reinforcing what the turtle already understood.

"Yeah, I know it doesn't fly..." Leonardo was searching for some way to communicate his desire to _find_ an air ship, when Raphael came up on his other side.

"Fearless, let's just take it, huh? It's better than nothing."

The idea irritated the older turtle, but he wasn't willing to put several minutes into finding the alternate vehicle he actually wanted. Instead, he activated his link and called Shukri. "Hey. What are you guys doing right now?"

"Holding on for our lives!" the elohim declared under duress.

"Who is this escort?"

"Donatello said we should discuss that later. What do you want from me, Leonardo? I doubt I can do very much, but I am willing to try!"

"I need you to talk to Lieasel and make him understand what we have to do. We've got a possible vehicle, but I don't know if he's experienced with hijacking."

"Give him the link, Leonardo. I can talk him through this."

The blue-masked turtle extended the com-link and earpiece to the legatus and took cover with his brothers beside the craft. Even crouched in the current stillness, he felt uneasy. Something about being tracked by the drones through the Qif without being aware of them left him feeling utterly paranoid and exposed, as though someone was still looking over his shoulder.

 _This night was messed up from the get-go. We took way too many risks, especially where the kids are concerned. Now they're in trouble, and we're struggling to make it there. What if I'd chased after the Vaga like I wanted to?_ He huffed in annoyance, and felt a hand come in contact with his knee.

"You're still getting their signals, right?" Mike spoke up. "If their beacons are intact, it means they probably are too. We're gonna get there, Leo."

"I'm not convinced bringing them here was the right thing, and I _knew_ Tim shouldn't have been." He fumed.

"Fearless, none of us completely agreed with ya," Raphael pointed out. "He's your kid, so we ain't got the right to tell you what to do. But it doesn't sound like he screwed everything up."

"I never said he did," Leo returned shortly. "But you don't send someone into battle when they're fighting symptoms like his."

"I think we shoulda discussed it some more. That's all I'm sayin'."

"You can talk as much as you want, Raph." _It doesn't mean I have to agree with you._

The sound of a hatch being released made Leo jerk around to see Lieasel opening the main door of the cruiser. The legatus motioned for them to come inside and headed up front, still discussing something in-depth over the link which Leonardo couldn't understand.

"I'm glad they're together," the orange-masked turtle volunteered. "They can hold out. And Donny's on the way there too, right?"

"Yes, although he never actually told me how they're traveling." _Which probably means nothing good, but as long as they arrive in one piece, I don't care about the method._

Raphael opened his mouth, but Lieasel burst back into the cabin before he could speak.

"Leonardo!" The alien motioned to the turtle severely to follow him.

His obvious apprehension made the oldest turtle head up front at once, but also wave his brothers to sit down. "Stay here. We don't need to crowd him. I'll be back in a minute."

He gazed at the young legatus warily while hurrying to the front end, and Lieasel simply pointed him to the crystalline screen mounted on the right hand side of the craft. The blue-masked turtle froze at the accompanying image of a vagari who took up the majority of the monitor. He started to ask Lieasel what was happening, when the individual called out to him.

"I'm only seeking a couple minutes of your time, terrapin. It's the least you can do after the trouble you caused and men you've killed."

Leo scowled into the face of the stranger, hoping the expression conveyed across the screen. "Don't talk to me about the men you've lost. They're only a fraction of the races that you and your people have destroyed for hundreds of years."

He glanced toward Lieasel, motioned for the legatus to return to the controls, and looked back at the monitor. "Never mind the fact that you picked a fight with _us_."

"I didn't start _this_ fight though, did I?"

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Leonardo cut to the chase, though he also wanted to know how the vagari was able to track them down.

"I was disappointed that you didn't come to see me, Leonardo."

"How do you know me? I would remember if we'd been introduced."

"I don't know you from personal experience, but I was able to glean quite a bit from your son. You are living up to your reputation, from what I can determine."

The blue-masked turtle's body stiffened while he tried to keep his cool. "Arzhan. Thanks for the invitation, but we've got somewhere else to be. I'll give you a rain-check, okay? I promise to kill you later."

The Vaga's laugh was an infuriating sound. "You have made matters much worse tonight than you realize. I could yet give you an opportunity to do things less painfully. I'm still willing to deal with you terrapins gently."

"None of us are prepared to deal gently with _you_ , Arzhan. In fact, I swear to you with every fiber of my being, I'm not going to stop until you go down. None of us will. No matter what it takes, we're going to fight."

"I understand you all possess suicidal tendencies, even if your son is the only one to take it literally."

Leo cocked his head at the strange statement, and was still trying to process what he meant when the vagari sent him a knowing smile.

"Oh. He didn't tell you? Well, I'm not surprised. His spirit was never the same after he attempted to take his own life, but you have _my_ people to thank for it being unsuccessful."

Leonardo shook with the fury that filled him as the alien's words sunk in. "You know _nothing_ about my son's spirit."

"I understand him more than you do, terrapin. I will say that Tim was much easier to deal with after being broken. Getting into his head before then was a near impossible feat."

The blue-masked turtle clenched both hands together while he briefly looked down, and then raised his head to face the monster with a hint of a smile. "That goes both ways, Arzhan. After all, _Tim_ was the one who warned me not to chase you down. He recognized the trap where I didn't. I may not be able to compete with you on this level yet, but at least my teenager can."

He drove his fist into the crystalline screen to shatter it, and found Lieasel staring at him. "Get us out of here," he requested, regardless of the language barrier. _I_ will _deal with that Vaga myself, if it's the last thing I ever do._


	129. Savage

Kamryn couldn't escape the feeling that she was in way over her head, barely treading water in the amazing onslaught to which there seemed no end. There was a part of her which was in awe of the incredible displays by her counterparts. In particular, the manner in which Jayden was commanding the attention of two "Heavy Metal" at once was astonishing, but it didn't change the fact that there too _many_ enemies.

She couldn't see where all the others were actively engaged, and it left her fearful for their welfare. _Which is ridiculous, since I'm sure_ they _are doing better than I am._

The droids' tactic in dealing with the woman made it hard to attack them directly, as the laser fire focused on her wasn't set to merely stun or burn. She returned the favor with her own gun, but it didn't seem like she was making a dent.

Kamryn leaped from the path of three simultaneous attacks, rolling over the top of their burned out land cruiser to fall in a heap on the other side. When hands tried to lift her the woman almost got violent in response, before Olivia's face appeared out of the smoke.

"Are you all right?" The turtle seemed barely effected by their atmosphere.

Kamryn insisted on rising herself with a low growl, just in time to be targeted again. She saw the flash coming out of the corner of her eye, but muscular arms shoved her the opposite direction before she had a chance to react. While spinning back over, she saw the red-masked take a hit from one of several rifles, and Olivia immediately slammed against the cruiser for what small protection it offered.

Kamryn crouched low to the ground in a near panic, firing back blind shots from her rifle while hurrying to check on her friend. Olivia threw up hands to ward her off before the woman could touch her, and scowled in the direction of energy blasting over their heads.

"I'm fine!" she insisted, if a little breathless.

But even in the low lighting, Kamryn's enhanced vision picked up the blistering streaks of contact burns covering her right shoulder.

"It's fine!" Olivia repeated. "I avoided it, mostly."

"If you stay at my side, they could kill you by _accident_ , Olivia. They want me dead. You can't try and protect me like that!"

"You don't get to choose for us," she insisted, straightening up slightly. Olivia didn't hide a grimace while attempting to rotate her shoulder, and switched katana to her left hand. "Hey, it's cool. We trained on both."

"That doesn't shock me, Olivia. I'm sorry I'm not strong enough to stand with the rest of you. Maybe I could be with a few years of training, but for tonight, I'm fairly worthless."

"You only think you are. If you—behind!"

Kamryn spun, firing her gun before laying eyes on the figures the turtle referred to.

"Maybe you're not what you were meant to be," Olivia said, grabbing her arm to pull her around the backside of the cruiser. "Maybe somebody twisted your body in ways that no one ever should. But if there's a time to use it, to take full advantage of those abilities, it's got to be now! Go savage, Kamryn. They're nothing but scraps of metal. You can freaking take them apart!"

The woman shot her an uncertain glance. "I suppose...if I'm going to die anyway, it doesn't matter if I lose myself."

"That's not how I would put it, Kamryn, but whatever works for you right now!"

"Don't let me hurt anyone that I shouldn't..." She faltered, but kept deliberate eye contact with the turtle. "I don't know if I'll be able to tell the difference."

"I think you will, but we have to _go_ , Kamryn."

"I'm afraid," the woman confessed.

"So am I, but I'm still going back out there. We'll do it together. In three, two..."

Instead of listening to the turtle count, Kamryn focused inward. For as long as she'd coexisted with the animal instincts which shared a large part of her brain, they'd been chained and relegated to the background.

The hidden reserves of their power encouraged Kamryn to do things her old self never could have, but she had never abandoned to them. Internally, the woman was more nervous about the beast inside her head than the small army surrounding them, but there was nothing left to do besides surrender.

The woman symbolically laid humanity aside while dropping on all fours and letting go. Sharpened hearing detected footsteps louder than before, but she didn't reason over whether the difference in sound was real or an illusion. When she blinked rapidly vision was suddenly clearer too, but this also wasn't questioned.

With a throat-splitting snarl she launched from the pavement, tearing into the first object in her path with a violence that left behind nothing but pieces. The heat from an energy blast seared from a gun before the flash even lit up the area, giving Kamryn the chance to evade it, and pounce on the one firing.

She didn't wonder about the new strength in fingers which tore metal, or how she was finding it possible to read the next move of the attackers before they were performed. With the aid of another cry which resonated from deep inside her, Kamryn put on a burst of speed which caused her to collide with body after body.

She was vaguely aware of the gun still hanging over her shoulder, but was no longer interested in firing it. Cold metal came to life in her hands so that the weapon became a weight to indiscriminately attack anything that moved.

When another large blast fired directly over her head, her initial reaction was to dive to the ground to avoid it, but then to find out where it'd come from. Upon seeing the massive droid gearing up for another shot, there was absolutely no hesitation in running toward it.

Muscles tensed and then fired, sending her flying without the necessity of her telling them what to do. She wound around the canon protruding from the beast's arm and held on. Even the sensation of wildly being swung around didn't dissuade her, because she _wasn't_ going to lose her grip. Instead, she hung on with a bellowing yell, as she lost the last vestiges of self awareness.

* * *

Jayden was horrified by the woman's actions in wrapping around Heavy Metal's gun, yet he couldn't _get_ to her because of the one still in his path. Fear resonated in the back of his mind, but only in the form of anxiety for the family members he couldn't see, and the insanity of the friend which he could.

The purple-masked turtle swung his ono in a wide arc, making another attempt on the canon attached to his current opponent. The gun forced him to keep a small distance with the droid because of repetitive shots. He was getting seriously annoyed with the artificial intelligence, but even more by the air ships hovering on the other side of the lot where they were already fighting all manners of robotic assassins.

 _Freaking cowards. They're the ones I wanna get my hands on! But if we gotta go through all their junk heaps to get to them, I think we're up for the challenge. At least, we would be if our dads were here._

His ax missed the gun by a fraction, and anger increased while he watched the other droid's efforts to dislodge Kamryn. In an act of desperation, Jayden wound up and then threw his ono as hard as he could. His weapon struck his opponant's shoulder as it spun around to aim at him, and the force behind the blade separated the limb from the droid's body.

With a shout Jayden charged, building momentum by the short dash for a collision. He spun in mid-air so legs were in position to strike the boy's neck and snap the head from its body. The droid's other arm swiped across his frame and made brief contact with the turtle before the shattered robot hit the ground with an impressive crash.

Jayden jumped off the droid, only to notice a familiar shadow a couple yards away handling the shaft of his ono. With a whoop he descended on his father so hard that exuberance bowled the older turtle over. "You're here!"

The teenager relieved his dad from the weight of his ax at once, hefted the weapon over his shoulder, and set the older turtle back on his feet.

" _You're_ amazing."

The tinge of awe in Donatello's voice made Jayden grin wider. "I'm enhanced. Too bad for them."

The joy left his face the moment he heard another animalistic snarl and whipped around to find Kamryn still clinging to the arm of other huge droid, who was striking her against the ground to no effect.

"Think she needs a hand, Dad!"

"I'll distract it," the older turtle volunteered. "Think you can get her off of there?"

"I dunno, Dad. I sorta think we should go the other way around!"

"I don't know that I'm capable of doing anything other than getting its attention!"

"You _can_ do anything!" the young turtle exclaimed. "You broke the dispersers, didn't you?"

"That's another story," he shot back with a grunt, rolling to the side when laser fire from opposing ARCIS tracked their direction. "Rather not talk about it yet! Let's finish with _this_ disaster before focusing on other crap."

"Okay, Dad! I'm ready if you are."

Don responded by using his bo to vault himself across the space which separated them from Heavy Metal. Once in front of the droid, his staff became such a blur that Jayden could no longer tell what the weapon was made out of. The robot tried to lay the older turtle flat with the same limb Kamryn was attached to, but Donatello dodged and avoided his arm, calling out to the woman at the same time.

"Kamryn, let go! We'll work together!"

By all appearances, she either didn't hear the turtle or chose to ignore him.

"Kamryn!" he tried again. " _Let go!_ "

Donatello's plea was more urgent this time, probably owing to the fact that the monster's limb had started glowing. The older turtle hurled himself at the droid, only to be cut off by his other arm and cast several feet the opposite direction.

"Dad!" Jayden's first inclination was to go after his father, but the very real danger the tenacious woman was in seemed worse.

With a frustrated sigh he brandished ono over his head and sprinted at the robot. When the other arm swung at him the sixteen-year-old jumped over it, and came in for a landing on Heavy Metal's back. With a hacking motion he swung his ax repeatedly with all of his might.

Despite its body faltering, the light from his gun arm continued to expand until Jayden took the ono directly to the bot's shoulder and severed the limb from its socket. The woman tumbled to the ground with remnants of metal, and the teen went after her.

"Kamryn, _move!_ " he commanded, getting a hold of her tunic to drag the woman to her feet.

She broke what was little more than a supportive grip and flipped out of reach before he could get both hands on her. "Kamryn!"

The woman paid him absolutely no heed while bounding off, leaving Jayden behind to remember his father. He switched directions with a wince. The teen hated letting their friend to get away when she was acting so strange, but had to think about his dad too.

He spotted Ezra before finding his father, but wasn't disappointed to see the Irishman.

"Hey! My dad went down some-" Jayden paused upon realizing _who_ the man was hovering over, and then plowed through the semi-circle a few droids were trying to form around them.

"Jayden, you've got to get him out!" Ezra barked.

By the time the young turtle bent over him, however, Donatello's eyes were open.

"What happened to her?" his dad asked at once.

"She didn't listen to me either, but I don't think she's hurt. What's her deal, Dad?"

"I'm not sure." He gained his feet sooner than he should have, and ended up staggering against Jayden.

The report of a much larger gun made the teen shove his dad back down, and reach out to snatch Ezra too. Dread seized him upon the sight of a small, black air ship hovering over their heads, but the way it turned guns on the patient crafts waiting for the end of their current battle made Jayden laugh instead.

"Is that thing one of ours?"

Don shook his head. "No, well...sort of. He isn't actually a friend, even if he's technically helping us. It's confusing." He jumped to his feet again. "We need to get everyone out of Arcadia while we still have the chance!"

"How do we get away, Dad?"

"We're working on it! But we have to catch up with the others first."

The younger turtle stuck close to his father's side, prepared for any sign of difficulty which would necessitate him removing Donatello from the battle entirely. But even though his dad _looked_ shaken, he didn't act like he was having a hard time when it came back to running.

A flash of silver crashing through the ARCIS units in their path preceded Charlotte's war cry, and Jayden strode over the three droids she'd destroyed in seconds to get to her.

"Not bad, Charlie!" He greeted her with a wave while she withdrew her naginata, and took notice of their father behind him.

"Dad! When did you guys get here?"

"Little bit ago! Do you like our back up?" The older turtle pointed to the air craft above them with a dark chuckle.

"Is that your doing?"

"Not really, but we're taking advantage of it. Any clue where your cousins are?"

"We've been everywhere!" she answered wryly. "But there's still a little cleaning up to do."

"A little?" Ezra echoed. "Are you seeing the crowd I am?"

"It's cool, Ezra; we got this now," Jayden announced. "Big brothers are down, so all we've got to deal with are the little guys!"

His confidence was slightly shaken by the barrage of energy fire that returned attack upon their "defender", sending the small ship into an evasive maneuver.

Ezra cleared his throat while pointing to the other air crafts. "There are more big brothers waiting, I'm afraid."

"We need the other ships to get here," Don muttered, messing with his earpiece. "It's a risk to reveal them too soon, but if it turns into a firefight before they arrive, no one's getting out of this."

"Do we have much backup?" Jayden asked hopefully.

"More like one last distraction, Jay! I'm just praying they're still out there, because I haven't been able to connect with anyone since reaching this sector."

"Yeah, they're screwing with our reception," the teen told him. "That's why we lost Ghysis."

The older turtle gave him a double take. "Lost him?"

Jayden bleakly motioned to the decimated parking garage. "That was our last set up. Ghysis couldn't get a strong enough signal on the remote, so he went in too close to detonate it."

The shudder which overtook Donatello with sudden severity was frightening. Jayden instantly cast an arm around him, but his father didn't even look up.

"We can't do anything about that," Ezra managed. "But we don't have to let anyone else sacrifice themselves in vain."

The look Donatello gave the man was impossible to decipher for its complexity, but the way he twirled his bo was dangerous. "We're not gonna sit back while the Vaga gets everything he wants. Let's go."

Charlotte planted herself at Jayden's side while heading toward the next set of troops. "You angry enough to prove a few more points?"

"Shell yeah, Charlie, but I wish it was against Vagari instead of their scrap metal. It's nowhere near as satisfying this way, even with the big guns."

"You mean the giants you took out alone, Kaiju?" Her tone was teasing, but the look in her eyes was proud. "You really are a beast."

"Takes one to know one. Have you seen our cousins?"

"Working together, last I knew!" Charlotte pointed past the miniature sea of droids to the other side, where the air ships were bordering the perimeter.

"We need to get to them," Donatello insisted, drawing a hand off his earpiece. "The last distraction in the puzzle is a few minutes out, but we have to be ready to jump on it."

"Dad, you'd better grab Kamryn then," Jayden advised, nodding toward the small woman he'd just noticed rampaging through ranks of silver-plated droids a few yards to their right.

Charlotte gave her dad a quizzical look before sweeping naginata through the first ARCIS defenders of the new group. "Is this normal for her?"

"I don't know what it is, but I'll try again! I want the two of you to work together with Ezra and stay in the area. I'll pull Kamryn back out, and then we can go after the others toge-"

A _boom_ silenced the older turtle and brought all of their eyes to the sky at once. Jayden only had time to see flames shoot out of their accompanying guardian before it careened to the left and disappeared from view behind the remains of the garage.

The following sound of a crash made Jayden cringe, but that bad news was accompanied by something worse. The enemy air ships were moving in.


	130. Together

Olivia tried _not_ to look up, even as the shadows of ships blocked out most of the low light which existed.

"Liv, down!"

Nate's voice cut through the madness, and the red-masked turtle automatically bent backwards to duck out of range from a blast. She saw the chain of Tim's kusarigama looping over four droids, and instinctively straightened from the back bend. Olivia met the bound enemies with one, continuous angled strike from her katana, removing the head from each of them.

Olivia paused long enough to free her cousin's chain, but the hesitation was all it took to be assaulted from two directions at once. She dropped straight to the ground to avoid the barrage of energy, and sensed someone leaping over her. The red-masked turtle shot to her feet, almost dumbstruck by the sheer number of encroaching droids that Nate ran to meet.

Her first goal was to get to her orange-masked cousin's side, but when she saw Tim dashing up on the right, she waited the extra two beats for him to catch her. By the time she spun back around to where Nate _had_ been, the red-masked turtle was distressed to see no sign of him.

Olivia's eyes fixed on the last place her cousin stood, and snagged Tim's arm while they were yet in motion. "Nate's in there somewhere! We have to get through!"

The blue-masked turtle shot her a strange smile. "Launch me."

She didn't completely like the idea, but it wasn't the time or place to argue. Olivia ran slightly ahead to get into position, and then dropped to wait for his arrival. The instant his foot hit her shell, she powered up from the ground to combine his momentum with hers and sent her cousin hurtling into the middle of the pack.

Olivia immediately saw the long reach of Tim's kusarigama over the droids' heads, though she still couldn't view either of the boys. Arsiterite sang against the outside line of attackers, but she ended up using her feet to deal with more bodies at a time, and eventually her right arm, despite the radiating pain the burns provided.

 _It doesn't exist,_ she told herself with gritted teeth, forcing her way into the crowd with energy she hadn't realized she still possessed. The hook of multiple sets of arms around her shell forced Olivia to back kick, tornado spin, and rip her katana through the innards of attackers much faster than she could think about any of the actions.

There was no time to mentally anticipate what would happen next. She had to react, respond, and be out of reach before enemies successfully brought her down. When something punched through the small opening she'd achieved, Olivia almost took the figure down with a snap kick before realizing who it was and aborting the action.

With a scowl, she struck Nate's shoulder instead. "Don't get ahead of us, Chokkan!"

"Sorry." He tone was both grim and a little sheepish.

Nathaniel's gaze fixed overhead briefly before motioning them back into the protective formation which had the three huddling shell to shell. "A retreat isn't gonna piss you off this time, is it, Liv?"

"I'm down for it," she admitted sullenly. "This isn't that great anyway. They're only a bunch of mindless tin cans."

"I wish they were the real problem, Liv!" Tim retorted, pointing to the sky.

"I know they're there!" she cried defensively. "But the ships aren't an issue until we're actively dealing with them. Can we focus on one wretched enemy at a time, Tim?"

"Or we could focus on a bunch of them," Nate suggested, catching her right hand. "You game?"

Olivia nodded, refusing to admit how much the normal maneuver was going to hurt. On his word they both spun in a circle, and then her feet left the ground while her younger cousin sent her body in an arc which pummeled everything within reach. Nate's support didn't waver, but the red-masked turtle was having a harder time holding on to him with one injured arm than she would acknowledge. The mere determination not to let go carried Olivia for several rotations of stunning kicks and sharp blows from her katana, but at one point, she lost her grip entirely.

The orange-masked turtle wasn't able to get her back before she plummeted through a troop of droids. She smashed into a stone wall which had been reduced in half over the course of the air battle with the strange ship that fought for them. Liv regretted that the Interceptor was no longer in sight as the fall took her breath away. Her blue-masked cousin was nearly on top of her before another enemy could get close.

"Olivia!"

Nate's cry announced his arrival to create a shield with Tim, while she sufficiently recovered enough to get her feet under her again.

"Are you okay?" he shouted back, unable to physically check on her for the way he was fending off an advance.

"My fault!" she retorted. "My shoulder's no good, Nate."

Nathaniel glanced over swiftly, despite the danger. "When, just now? I'm sorry!"

"Not your fault!" she reiterated, taking a position on his right. "I got burned earlier."

" _That's_ why you're using your left hand!"

"I can fight with either!" she answered indignantly.

"But you're stronger on the right. Olivia, we need to get down from here and find the others! We can't retreat without the whole group."

"If we don't go soon, we won't be able to," Tim added, daring to indicate the sky once more.

Nathaniel backed up a step. "Agreed! C'mon!"

The laser fire which erupted the moment their backs were turned to enemies made Olivia's blood boil, and wish she had something to fight back with from a distance. Crossing over the wall didn't seem better than staying where they were, since a writhing sea of droids waited in that direction too. There was barely a sliver of land left for their feet to fall which wasn't in danger of being overrun.

"Head for the street!" Nate urged. "Keep going!"

Olivia resisted the temptation for a sarcastic reply, and lowered her head like a charging bull to break the line which was setting up across their path. A cry from Tim on her left had the red-masked turtle immediately whirling his direction, only to find that Nate already had a hold of him.

A sai shot from the red-masked turtle's hand at the energy weapon which had fired on Tim, and she didn't bother trying to retrieve it. Instead, Olivia hurried to support her blue-masked cousin's other side.

"I'm okay!" he insisted. "It didn't really hit that-" Tim suddenly stumbled despite his protests, and as Olivia didn't miss the bubbling up of skin on the back of faltering legs.

"The shell it didn't, Tim!" she retorted. "Kamryn calls those contact burns! I thought they were trying to stun us?"

"Someone has other ideas," Nate stated, drawing one of Tim's arms over his shoulder. "Sorry, itoko, we have to move!"

The orange-masked turtle nodded at Olivia, and she forced the youngest turtle's other arm around her neck so they could handle him together.

"And you're supposed to fight _how?_ " Tim demanded.

Olivia snorted merely to cover up nerves. "Same way we have been?" Laughing was the last thing she felt like doing, especially with the row of droids tightening up ahead of them again.

A familiar roar jerked her around to search for the source, but she couldn't tell which direction it had actually come from. Olivia almost cried from relief when Jayden wrecked through the enemy barricade, swinging his ono in one hand and firmly grasping a struggling figure over his shoulder with the other.

It was quickly obvious that the mammoth turtle was looking for them, and when Nate shouted his name, Jayden rapidly cleared the road.

"We gotta go!" the purple-masked turtle declared. "The decoys are moving in!"

"Best thing I've heard all night!" Nate grinned.

"He okay?" Jayden only had time to send a single glance backward before resuming the task of enlarging an opening.

"What's it look like?" Tim snapped.

Olivia ignored her youngest cousin, but was slightly more concerned about the way Kamryn was clawing up Jayden's shoulder in an effort to escape him. "Jay, is she hurt?"

"Nah. She didn't want to quit!" he explained.

"Kamryn?" Liv addressed her loudly to get the woman's attention. "Stop fighting him! We're getting out of here!"

She only growled at her in response, and continued trying to attack the turtle's shell without any realization that her efforts were going to waste. Olivia's heart sank at the woman's crazed condition, but Jayden didn't appear to be struggling with her weight or the manner in which she fought him.

"The others are heading this way!" the purple-masked turtle announced. "Someone was supposed to be coming-"

Jayden hesitated when air ships dropped out of the cloud cover to their west.

"Tell me that's the decoys!" Olivia pleaded.

"We'll find out in a minute," Nate told her.

"Guys, stay on me!" Jayden yelled back.

Olivia drew katana once more in her right hand, grunting at the pain which lifting it produced. It was impossible to reach many of the droids still serving as a threat while she was helping Nate carry Tim, but any of them that dared come too close were destroyed by slashes which were slightly hampered, but still effective.

"You'll make that worse!" Tim chided. "Stop trying to use it!"

"Should I let them jump on us, Tim?" she countered.

"Guys, c'mon!" the purple-masked turtle bellowed, waving his ono over his head. "Those things are closing in! We don't wanna be here when they arrive!"

Nate adjusted his side grip of the blue-masked turtle and shot Olivia a look. "You all right? I can take him!"

"No, this is faster!" she said stubbornly.

"Do I get any say in the matter?" the youngest turtle wondered.

"No!" Liv returned at the same exact moment as Nate, and she almost laughed, in spite of everything.

The announcement of laser fire over their heads wiped the smile from her face, but the fact that it originated from the west and wasn't aimed their direction was encouraging. Jayden's shout nearly stopped Olivia in her tracks that time, before the burly shadow of her father running registered in her sight.

Raphael didn't say a single word, but simply stole Tim from their grasp and motioned with his head the direction they needed to go. Not until they were following his lead did the older turtle glance over his shoulder. "You guys all right?"

"Mostly!" Olivia had to yell even louder to be heard over the sound of increasing energy in the atmosphere. "Do we have everyone?"

"Now that _you_ showed up! Been trying to call ya like crazy!"

"Our link is disrupted!" Nate defended. "Couldn't get a decent signal to save our-"

"Just shut it and come on!" Raphael cut in. "If we don't do this fast, they'll be no tricking anyone!"

A few yards away, Olivia saw one of the newly arriving air ships descending. "Is that our goal?"

"Yes and no!" her dad returned. "I'll show you."

The older turtle rolled over the last remaining fence in their path, still clutching Tim to his plastron.

"I really can walk!" the blue-masked turtle cried.

"I don't need ya to walk, you've got to _run!_ If you can't, then you don't belong on your feet."

"He has contact burns," Olivia supplied.

"So does she!" Tim's indignation was at an all time high.

"You need to shut your mouth, kid, 'cause I don't have the patience to deal with it!" Raphael retorted.

The air ship laid down immediate cover fire on the droids which were closest to them, leaving robots in pieces while they made good on their escape.

The red-masked turtle expected her father to pull up short near the craft, but was startled when he darted to the right instead, heading for a dark pathway between two small structures. Olivia knew better than to ask questions at that point, but she couldn't understand _why_ the ship was taking back off again a few seconds after they'd bypassed it.

"Do you know what's happening?" she asked Nate.

"That's the decoy, Liv. We're not using it."

"How are we getting out of here?" Liv continued louder, hoping her dad would answer.

"We've got another ride!" Raphael answered. "It's not far."

On the other side of their shortcut, Olivia was disappointed by the bulky land cruiser which waited for them. Her fears were confirmed when her dad ran straight for it, but she kept complaints to herself while hurrying on board with her cousins.

A loud snarl drew her attention back to Jayden, who was now clutching the wild cat/woman in both arms while also trying to soothe her.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, Kamryn, but I couldn't leave you back there. Settle down – it's going to be all right." Despite his low tone, the woman continued clawing up his arms and fighting his muscular grasp. "Dad! A little help please?"

Olivia quickly trailed her massive cousin to where he was rushing to meet Donatello.

"Bring her over here." Her uncle didn't seem alarmed by the woman's odd condition, but Olivia was on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry, Ojisan! I told her to let go. I convinced her it would be all right-"

"It will be, Liv." His assurance made her feel less like hyperventilating, but she still needed to see what his solution was.

"Let me have Kamryn, Jay."

"Dad, I don't think I should. I'm afraid to turn her loose yet."

"Then just hold her down, but give me space to get next to her."

The purple-masked teen pinned Kamryn against the bench seat with a grimace, while Donatello slipped onto his knees adjacent to her. Firmly, the older turtle guided her chin to look his direction, applying more force when she resisted his effort.

"Kamryn. Kamryn, it's me. C'mon, you have to calm down."

He went from grasping her chin to lightly cradling it when furious green eyes locked on him. "I know you're in there. You said you'd never forget my smell."

Her heavy breathing didn't cease, but the nearly imperceptible shift of narrowed eyes preceded her body slumping limply against the seat. She didn't speak, but stared for a long moment at the older turtle, then glanced up at Jayden.

"You okay?" The sixteen-year-old didn't quite back off from his pin.

Her breathing slowed, but took on a shakier quality when Kamryn turned back to Donatello. "Did I hurt someone?"

"Nah, but you probably killed about fifty of those droids before I made you quit," Jayden quipped, crossing his arms to hide the evidence of his battle with her.

She made brief eye contact with the teen before fixing on the older turtle again. "I didn't hurt anyone."

He shook his head. "No. Are you all right?"

"I...I don't know. It was like I blacked out. There's nothing there, I can't remember...but I don't think I want to do that again."

"Better save it for special occasions, like the Hulk," Jayden offered.

Kamryn looked baffled. "The hulk?"

"Course, you need your own name for an alter ego. There are a lot of options, so it wouldn't hurt ya to start thinking about it."

The woman shook her head without an ounce of understanding while the older turtle got to his feet.

"You don't need to think about anything right now," Don corrected. "Rest, Kamryn. I'll check on you in a little while, okay?"

Olivia released a sharp breath when her uncle approached.

"She'll be all right," he encouraged her softly. "I've told Kamryn a thousand times, she's stronger than any DNA Yasir infused her with."

"Didn't seem like it for a few minutes there," Liv murmured. "But there's no point in telling her that."

"No, I wouldn't. What's this?" Don fingered her shoulder lightly, forcing her to turn.

"Contact burns – at least, that's what Kamryn called it. Tim has them on the back of his legs."

"Painful?"

"Yeah."

"Sit down. I'm sure the Elohim will know what to do. Shukri has a few things here with him, and we need to at least get them covered-"

"Ojisan, wait. Where are we heading?"

"Southwest. We're making for one of the tunnels. From there, it's the Aqueducts, and we get to head out."

"And the decoys?"

"The remote controlled air ships? They're in place to complete the illusion of our escape. They won't expect us to head this way. The Aqueducts are nowhere near as important as they used to be, when rain was almost nonexistent on Zuhur. According to our sources, Vagari have pretty much ignored them since arriving. They only have teams watching the entrances."

"Hence using the new tunnels? Was it the Ducaz who made them?"

"Over the course of several weeks, yes. I hope we didn't lose too many of them," the older turtle said to himself. "We had a lot of collateral damage this time around, and it was all for..."

"All for what, Ojisan?"

Pain registered in his eyes, but he shook his head as though to dismiss it. Donatello took another look at her shoulder, but thankfully didn't touch it again. He pointed to the katana she still unwittingly gripped in her left hand. "Guess you came around to it, didn't you?"

She scowled at him. "Didn't have a choice. I did the best I could."

"Charlotte said she was relieved to be with you tonight, Liv. It sounds like your best was more than enough."

Olivia sighed. "If we hadn't gotten out when we did, I doubt it would have been. There were so _many_ , Ojisan. How are we supposed to win the war when we're forced to flee from a battle?"

"I don't know yet, Liv, but for now, I'm satisfied to get out at all. Come with me, and I'll take you to Shukri."


	131. Know

Tim instinctively cringed when Shukri used a light mister to "set" the gauze on his legs, despite watching the process on Olivia's shoulder first.

The Banrif exhaled as though the blue-masked turtle had succeeded in making him nervous too. "Does that feel better?"

The teen nodded sheepishly. "It barely burns now."

"I am glad. We cannot address your injuries properly until we return to Cri Drojen, but you should be more comfortable for the rest of the trip. You will be all right, Zylli. You both will."

"Zylli?" Olivia repeated.

Shukri ducked shyly. "I am sorry. I picked the term up from Ghyath, as he often refers to Tim that way."

"Shukri, how _is_ Ghyath?" Tim spoke up. "Did they hurt him badly?"

"That is difficult to say, because Bahri could not find physical evidence concerning what Vagari might have done. But as he is already on his way to receive treatment, there is nothing to fear."

The elohim's words were encouraging, but the state of his spirit was inconsistent. Something had deeply shaken the alien, to the point that Shukri didn't feel as relieved as Tim expected.

"What about Tariq?" Tim continued. "They got him out, didn't they?"

"I...I have not seen Tariq, terrapin, but yes. Legatus was able to retrieve him."

"How is he?"

"That is a complicated question." The alien's eyes were suddenly evasive, and he jumped to his feet when someone entered the cabin.

Tim didn't have to look over his shoulder. The overpowering presence of his father was an announcement in itself.

"Are they all right?" his dad addressed Shukri.

"For now, their pain is reduced. We will address burns when we arrive."

"Okay. Would you mind double-checking the others? We have some very stubborn warriors in our midst."

"I will, Leonardo."

Tim caught his red-masked cousin's gaze when she rose too. "Don't leave me," he whispered.

Her bemused smile didn't help his stomach. "The Aqueducts aren't far from here – Uncle Don said so. Your dad won't have time to rip you a new one...yet. Good luck."

"Thanks," he muttered sarcastically, while Olivia made her own departure.

The young turtle eased both legs over the bench seat and sat up straight in preparation of what was coming. He knew his dad was angry, but the cacophony of emotions Leonardo harbored were such a jumbled mess, it was impossible to fix on one. Tim fidgeted nervously while waiting for his father to say something, but the older turtle was strangely silent.

The longer it persisted, the more uncomfortable Tim felt. He wasn't looking forward to getting yelled at, but being left in suspense wasn't much better. He felt the need to apologize for disobeying, though in his heart, he sensed he _had_ to. Either way, the words refused to form on his tongue, because the straight answer he hadn't received about their vagari ally was weighing on him.

"Shukri told me they got to Tariq," Tim said finally. "He wouldn't tell me how he is. It's bad – isn't it?"

After a beat, Leonardo nodded. "Yeah. It is."

"You saw him," Tim realized.

"I did. He was transported out as fast as possible."

"But?"

"They don't know if he'll make it."

Tim sagged against the seat with a shudder, drawing both legs against his chest to hide behind. "It's my fault. This is completely my fault. I dragged him here, when he had no intention-"

"You didn't force him to surrender to Vagari."

"But he wasn't supposed to be here! He wouldn't have, if it wasn't for me. My actions led to this."

"Tim, a lot of actions led to this point, but the vast majority of them had nothing to do with you."

"I'm responsible. You can't deny it. If he dies, it's on me."

"You didn't touch him." His father's hand grazed his shell, and Tim squirmed away from him.

"You can't say it's not my fault. Don't try to make me feel better, Dad! The only reason he's hurt is because I talked him into this."

"And the Ruairi deviated, which prompted him to follow them. He chose to listen to Ghyath in the first place, and ended up turning his whole life around. Like I said, Tim, a lot of actions led to this point. But you requesting a ride has very little to do with depraved, homicidal enemies attacking him."

"What are his chances? Has anyone said?"

"No one knows yet. But regardless of what happens-"

"No!" the youth interrupted, slamming both feet to the floor. "Don't say it wasn't my fault again. I _brought_ him here." The tears that erupted with the statement caused him to cover his face with both hands.

Leonardo's presence hovered over his shoulder, though he didn't touch him. "I know why you feel this way. It's the same reason I bear some of the responsibility. Because even though I had no more to do with this assault than you, I wish we'd protected him, and so many others. We put many lives at risk tonight, and not everyone is getting to leave with us. There are no words for how that makes me feel, and nothing will ease my conscience either. I know I can't change any of it, but I'm still relieved you're okay."

Tim lifted his head to face him. "You're relieved? That's all you have to say?"

"No, I have a _lot_ to say about what happened out there, but for the moment, I'm not going to."

Leonardo's arms came around Tim's shoulders as grief lit through his father's spirit like a flash flood. The pure terror his dad suddenly warred with was startling in its intensity. _I_ was _on my own for a little while, and it probably scared him. But the devastation he's fighting with currently doesn't make any sense. He's acting like he almost lost..._

The thought faded when Tim understood what was going on. Carefully, he shifted out from under his dad's protective grasp. "How did you find out?"

The confused look Leo returned with made the teen take a deep breath.

"Dad. How do you know what happ...what I did?"

Understanding of his own dawned in Leonardo's eyes. "Arzhan told me."

Tim shifted closer to his dad, even as he fought with the disappointment and regret of the truth being out. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have been forced to hear it from him."

The older turtle inhaled and exhaled a number of times before he could come up with words. "Tim, you don't—we don't have to go through it. I'm not looking for an explanation. And the others don't know. They weren't there, and Lieasel didn't understand a word of it. It's okay. You don't ever _have_ to talk about it, if you don't want to. It'd probably be better if you did, but I'm just glad you're...I'm grateful you're _here._ " The run-on sentence was a confusing mash-up of every emotion running through Leo's mind, and Tim finally caught his arm to stop him from continuing.

"It's all right, Dad. I'm actually a little relieved that you know. I didn't want you to, but since it's out...It lifts some of the weight. I want to tell you the whole story, but maybe not this second."

Leonardo nodded vigorously. "No, I'm in total agreement."

Tim read his father's desire to cling to him, though he was clearly resisting doing so. It was the youth who moved back over to lean against his side.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I messed it up. I cracked when I should have been strong, and I didn't want anyone to know. I couldn't handle my failure being revealed. Even guilt-tripped Charlotte into keeping her mouth shut."

He shook his head at the thought of everything his cousin had been through because of his own emotional turmoil. "I really hurt her too," Tim admitted. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault," his dad insisted.

The words still meant nothing to Tim. "Yes, it was. Just like Tariq."

The young turtle's voice cracked despite his effort to control it, and he hunched over while the oxygen was sucked out of his lungs. The rate of his pounding heart made him feel like he was having another panic attack.

Leonardo either had nothing else to say, or he chose not to speak. Instead, he supported the teenager with less pressure than before, but no indication he was letting go.

* * *

Chirayu was beyond desperate. Holding their position under the onslaught was somehow more difficult than she'd pictured it would be, but to abandon the post before the others arrived would put the hidden entrance (and their hope for escape) in jeopardy.

She was currently huddled behind the remnants of an Interceptor which had crashed. The ship had been one of her own casualties upon arriving with a fresh cache of incendiary devices. _But they are long since spent,_ the woman regretted.

 _"I am not sure how much more we can take,"_ Kiaan murmured. _"I already sent half my men ahead at your insistence. The rest of us will not be able to hold this spot forever, lest we are ready to die."_

 _"They are coming,"_ the elohim told him. _"The land cruiser takes longer than an air ship, but I have heard from Shukri numerous times. We only have to stall a little longer. You could release more of your men to the tunnel, if you prefer."_

 _"Do you mean to send everyone before you, elohim?"_ the ducaz demanded. _"How are you going to last by yourself?"_

 _"I told you – they are coming."_

Kiaan backed away from the portion of the ship breaking apart over his head and winced. _"There are many hindrances between us and them. I am not willing to leave you here. If you stay, so will I. Anything less would be the utmost in dishonor."_

 _"Are you more concerned for your honor, or your lives?"_ Chirayu twisted at the sound of something approaching the side of the ship.

She'd learned to look before shooting, lest accidentally attacking an ally in the madness. The size of those rushing in gave them away as Vagari in a heartbeat, and Chirayu fired multiple energy shots in the same instant that lasers singed the pavement where she'd been resting moments before.

Kiaan's yell from the left made her concerned for the ducaz, but it was impossible to focus on the alien and those attacking them concurrently. She sacrificed the urge to check on him while burying the curved blade of her kukri into a closer opponent's arm, and rapid-firing on a group of at least six more. The sheer number of their rifles left little hope that she wouldn't be struck, but the knowledge that the rest of the team would arrive any moment made her feel a little better.

 _They only have to hold the entrance a bit longer. The others will get here._

The searing heat of energy connecting with her stomach drove the elohim backwards, but even as she fell, Chirayu continued firing. Hands ran over her wings in an attempt to locate her shoulders, and Kiaan's muffled curse rang in her ears while the ducaz tried to maneuver her into some type of carry.

She smiled at the alien she easily outweighed. " _Leave it, Kiaan. Defend the tunnel. They will be here._ "

With another grunt, he drew her backward a few more feet. _"Yes, they will be, which is why no one is giving you permission to die, Brayliq. Your husband is coming too. You must get up!"_

Chirayu wasn't sure if she could, but the elohim was willing to try. Her first attempt to roll upright doubled her over in pain, but the memory of her childrens' faces upon their parting ached worse. Her body trembled with the effort required to turn over, and then sit up.

Kiaan's lunge in front of her made Chirayu cry out in protest, but he paid her no heed while shooting at the vagari in pursuit. The elohim tried to raise her gun again, but the difficulty in aiming was so great now, she was afraid of unintentionally hitting the ducaz.

The indigenous alien was down to the one attacker who'd made it through their joint barrage, but the remaining Nopf was both determined and stronger than the ducaz. When Kiaan's rifle was wrestled from his grip, Chirayu tried to gain her feet quickly. Her clumsy advance had barely taken off when Kiaan whipped around faster than she could blink, and assaulted their enemy with his tail.

When the vagari was flattened, Kiaan glanced back at her with a scowl. " _The Ducaz somehow took care of ourselves for centuries without your help. I think we can last a few more minutes."_

She nodded meekly, but still tried to rise again.

 _"You are the one who ought to be retreating, elohim. I am of the mind to take you to the tunnel myself."_

 _"If you think you can get me there, Kiaan, I will let you."_

 _"Do not challenge me, Brayliq. I know many ways-"_

Kiaan's loud curse came before he shoved her back down and scrambled to reach his fallen gun. Chirayu rolled over to grasp her own rifle, but by the time she lifted it, an enormous cruiser was in position to fire.

 _If it ends this way, so be it. There is nowhere left to hide._ The elohim fired on the craft in defiance and smiled grimly at the sight of shadows scattering. Since it had come down to this, there was peace in her heart while throwing herself into the last offensive.

The gravity defying leap of the one nearest to the elohim had her adjusting the rifle to follow him, only for someone to shout at her.

" _Chirayu,_ stop _!_ "

Frenzy faded from her features in a matter of seconds, and the recollection of pain hit her like a thousand daggers. She collapsed against the ground, and came to find one of the terrapin warriors standing over her, followed by the face of her mate.

"Are you injured?" Donatello's straight-forward question left her no room for lying.

"Yes."

Shukri swooped her off the ground without taking the time to find out how she was hurt, proving the necessity of their haste.

"What are we doing?" she had to ask. "Are all safe?"

"As many as will be," he answered. "We have an opportunity, and we must take it."

Chirayu wanted to lift the gun still in her death grip. She could hear shots in the background, but the woman barely possessed the energy to raise her head again.

As Shukri hurried into the tunnel, she could hear the Ducaz behind them.

" _Is everyone in?"_

 _"Nearly!"_ Kiaan was the one to answer. " _Our last three are coming, and we will take care of the entrance."_

 _"Take care of it?"_ Chirayu repeated, looking over her mate's shoulder.

 _"Our reserved charges are in place to destroy it once the others are through,"_ Kiaan told her. _"We mean not to let these Vagari follow us."_

The woman breathed shallowly while being hustled through the darkness. She could hear the sound of water nearby, though she couldn't see the source.

"There!"

Shukri's loud proclamation caused Chirayu to open her eyes, and find the purple-masked terrapin much closer than she anticipated.

"Let us get over first, then Raph and I will take her from you!" Donatello urged.

The woman opened her mouth to protest being passed around like an infant, but the action was committed too quickly for her to complain about it. The two terrapins supported her together across the deck of the new craft.

"Shukri?"

"He's coming," Donatello assured her, pointing back to where the elohim was dropping off the edge of the bridge onto the ship.

" _We are meant to leave!"_ Shukri called to another. _"There is yet another ship for the remaining Ducaz. They are not far behind, but Kiaan asked that we not wait."_

Chirayu felt seasick even as the boat shifted into motion. However smoothly the craft cut through water, she'd always been prone to the sensation.

 _"Will they be safe?"_ she challenged, even as Shukri dropped to his knees for his first examination of her.

The distant blast which echoed through the underground Aqueduct made the woman stiffen with fear. " _The Ducaz!"_

Shukri pressed a hand to his earpiece, listening. " _They are all right for the most part, Kiaan says. They lost two out of the remaining three behind them, but he and four others are claiming the last ship,"_ he finished weakly

Chirayu sank against the deck with a heaving sigh. _I pray that all of this was worth it._

* * *

Arzhan was relaxed, but he couldn't say the same for his Kumne. Muhsin felt so livid, the Vaga wasn't surprised he couldn't stand still. " _Kumne, I know your frustration, but I assure you, it's going to be all right. Their departure doesn't matter. It is better for them to think they got away cleanly."_

 _"We let them do it. I understand that you have a plan, Vaga. But do you have any idea how many we lost tonight?"_

 _"I haven't seen numbers,"_ he admitted. _"I was keeping track of other things."_

 _"We have just over six dozen dead, between Central and the Qif alone. That doesn't account for how many could have been slain throughout the city."_

 _"I find it extremely regrettable, Muhsin. It's not the outcome I wanted."_ He sensed his Kumne desired to say more, but Muhsin didn't offer anything. _"You were going to tell me about Varij."_

That brought a scowl from the Kumne. _"I have a special plan for him."_

 _"And yet, your rage remains."_

 _"It_ will _remain, Vaga, until those responsible for this evening pay with their lives."_

 _"You can make the demand of the entire Nalikjan. As for the legendaries, you know what's required."_

 _"I do,"_ he answered flatly. _"I won't pretend to enjoy the next step, but I expect to find some satisfaction in protecting what matters most from irreparable harm."_

 _"That has always been vital,"_ the Vaga agreed. _"The reserves also responded to my hail."_

Muhsin's eyebrows rose. _"What did they say? I hadn't heard back from them."_

 _"They are on track to arrive in time. We will finish this together, all of us. Then you will have peace, Muhsin, and I with you."_

Muhsin nodded gratefully, but there was a dark rumbling in his spirit. _"For the sake of our people, I'm ready to end this, Vaga. The ones who are liable will answer for it."_


	132. Waste

Donatello had long since shut off the water from the spigot, but lingered on a bench under the biggest towel he'd ever used. His entire purpose of showering when they returned was to warm up and wash away some of the evening's stains, but he felt colder now than when he'd begun. He preferred being numb, but his physical temperature had nothing to do with the discouragement rocking him.

A knock at the door made him slowly look up. "Yeah?"

"Dad? You okay in there?"

The purple-masked turtle got to his feet and shuffled to the door to meet his son. "I'm fine. Took longer than I meant to. Are _you_ all right?"

"Uh huh. But Shukri's waiting for us. He called a couple of times."

"We should get over there."

Don folded the towel over and reached for his effects. Tightening his belt was like adding fifty pounds to his frame. He wanted to get a move on, but felt like he was trapped in slow motion. When he finally made it back to the door, Jayden was holding out one of the heavier lined cloaks for him.

"You _sure_ you're okay, Dad?"

Donny shook his head. "I didn't take much physical damage, Jay."

"That's not what I asked you."

"I know," he continued to avoid the question. "But let's go."

Donatello hoped and prayed they could get to the infirmary without Jayden pressing the issue, but the way the teen's eyes never left his frame wore on the older turtle within a few steps.

"Dad, I'm sorry we didn't protect Ghysis," Jayden finally offered quietly. "We really tried."

His words brought Don up short. "Jay, you guys didn't do anything wrong. Nothing, okay? Ghysis took matters into his own hands, and did what he thought had to. It wasn't your fault."

"Should I feel good about it?"

"I won't say that, but I'm not disappointed in you. I'm proud, Jayden; proud of you and your cousins."

"I'm proud of you too, Dad. Your team took on something really hard tonight, and you pulled it off."

He didn't negate the teenager, though he seriously wanted to. "Yeah, I suppose," he answered vaguely, walking faster so the conversation would have less time to develop before reaching their destination.

"Glad you showed up when you did, Dad. It was cool fighting with you."

Don gave his son a faint smile. "The local thugs are lucky you control yourself, Jay. I think the way you rein in your strength, have been for years, is more admirable than ever."

"You're the one who taught me."

"You have to be willing to be taught. I'm relieved you learned how to manage something so dangerous at a young age."

The teen shrugged nonchalantly. "Why waste the energy when it's not needed?"

"Keep that attitude, Aiko."

Don was grateful for the shift of their talk, though he meant every word. He was also thankful when Jayden allowed silence to continue between them for the remainder of the walk down the quiet corridor.

Stillness reigned over the ward they were entering too, in spite of the number of Elohim working around the clinic to assist the wounded. Don intentionally kept his eyes averted to avoid most of them, until he nearly ran into Shukri.

"You have come," the Banrif stated mechanically. "Good."

"You wanna go ahead and hook Jayden up, Shukri? I'm going to talk to Ghyath first."

"He is still not cooperating with the idea, Donatello."

"I don't care. Give me five minutes with him, and then we'll proceed."

Shukri held eye contact for a couple seconds before glancing away. The elohim seemed just as disturbed as he was, though neither of them were in a position to deal with it yet.

Don sought out the golden-eyed alien, who was lying in his own private corner a few feet away. "Hey," he greeted softly. "I hear you're not feeling well."

Pale irises shifted to fix on him, though Ghyath didn't exert the energy to move his head. "I am all right." Despite his words, there was no power in his insistence.

"You're not all right. Shukri already told me that none of the extracts they've tried have made a dent in the pain."

"It is not...that bad."

"I don't believe you," the turtle answered. "And there's no reason for you to suffer needlessly. Not when we have the catch-all fix. You're getting a transfusion, at the very least."

"You are honored friends and _guests_. I do not want your blood."

"Ghyath, I'm beat, and I don't want to argue. You're getting the transfusion, you're gonna rest, and then you'll feel better. The Nalikjan need you, and so do we. Stop being a martyr and deal with it. Okay?"

A scowl almost formed on the elohim's face, but then he closed his eyes instead. "I am tired too, but I cannot rest. I have tried."

"Help is coming, Ghyath. Hang in there."

"Yes, terrapin," he replied shakily.

"I'll check on you after the transfusion gets underway."

His friend didn't respond that time, so the purple-masked turtle backtracked to Shukri. Jayden was set up nearby in the familiar position of blood donation, so Don knew he had to keep his voice down.

"How's Tariq?"

The fashion in which he avoided looking at him indicated Shukri's nerves. "His damage is extensive. Tariq's wings are a complete loss, but the internal injuries are worse. I fear to think what the enemy would have done if they had kept him longer."

"Does he have any chance?"

"He breathes, Donatello, so there is an opportunity for survival. Charlotte insisted on donating for him shortly after arriving."

Donny felt guilty for how long _he'd_ taken to show up in the infirmary, but he was glad his daughter had done something useful. "Do you think it'll help?"

"Only a little more time will tell. There was no immediate response, Donatello, but...he still has life signs, which means he yet has hope."

"I told Ghyath he's getting blood, by the way. Don't let him give you any more crap, Shukri."

"I will not." The elohim studied him keenly before going on. "But, Donatello, I sense you should not be here."

Donny's eye ridges rose. "Do you feel like being here?"

"It is my job, terrapin," he said softly. "Yet I would prefer for you to take rest of your own."

"Is it supposed make things better?" Bitterness made it hard to keep his voice down.

"No, not very much," Shukri admitted. "But it is harder to hold myself up when I am faced by you in this condition."

"So you're kicking me out?"

"Do not call it that. I am sending you to be with your brothers. I already called them."

Donatello face palmed. "You shouldn't have done that, Shukri."

"I did what I thought best for you, terrapin. Please do not fight this, and I will connect with you again soon."

* * *

The purple-masked turtle was curled up facing the wall, specifically so he wouldn't have to talk to the others. He hoped his silence would speak louder than words, and they wouldn't bother him with the lateness of the hour in addition to the mind-blowing evening they'd experienced.

Unfortunately, Leonardo was dead-set on disappointing him. Although the blue-masked turtle hadn't spoken, his hovering presence made Donny want to scream.

"Don, none of us want to bother you," his oldest brother spoke up gently. "There's been a lot of grief and loss to go around tonight, and we have no reason to address anything specific yet. But I need to remind you that no matter what happened, you guys helped save _thousands_ of lives. That's a huge deal, regardless of anything else that was accomplished. You can feel good about it."

Don slowly turned his head to view his brothers, fighting the urge to unleash the truth which was bursting to get out. "I don't feel good, and I'm not going to. I need you to leave this alone, Leo."

"I know you're hurting – everyone is. But it doesn't cancel out the miracle you pulled off. That's all I'm saying, bro."

Brown eyes narrowed before he could stop himself. "We didn't accomplish _anything_ , Leo."

"That's not true. You guys did the impossible. You destroyed their dispersers-"

"They LET us destroy them!" he interjected angrily.

The blank looks from all three brothers only made the necessity of explaining more frustrating.

"What are you talking about?" Leo pressed.

The purple-masked turtle hesitated, scanning their faces before forcing himself to go on. "Guys, we got scammed. The Vaga _knew_ what we were doing at Vanxilia tonight, and what's more, he wanted us to do it. Do any of you realize what that means?"

Don sat up straight at the dead silence which met him. "It was for nothing. Ten Elohim, eighteen Ducaz and two Legatus gave up their lives for _nothing!_ Forget about the dozens missing, who are more than likely dead too."

The orange-masked turtle was the first to shake his head. "Donny, that's not right. It can't be. Why would he want you to destroy them?"

"Because he's a manipulative, wretched creature, who used us to prove a point to his own people. We did exactly what he wanted."

"But how do you know that, Genius?" Raph argued. "Just because he said so? He's probably trying to cover his own stupid tail."

Donatello exhaled sharply. "No. You're wrong. The Vaga could have stopped it at any point in time. He laid us _out_ , guys. Once the deed was done, he had us drugged."

"Wait, but..." Leonardo grasped to understand. "How did you get away? What happened back there?"

"What happened is one of his officers got pissed over the situation and went berserk. His desire for revenge is the only thing that saved us."

Michelangelo reached for his shoulder, but Donny backed against the wall. "Don't. I asked you not to do this tonight, but now you're stuck with it too." He briefly made eye contact with each brother in turn. "You can't tell anyone yet. The truth will come out, all of it. But I doubt the others are ready for this, any more than you were."

* * *

Although Charlotte wasn't tired when she woke up, there was an unusual weariness in her limbs which had nothing to do with a shortage of energy. The cousins automatically huddled up late morning without Nate even calling for it. To Charlotte, it felt like everyone was seeking comfort with what was familiar.

Despite the lack of normal banter, she felt more at ease with her counterparts than the two uncles she'd seen earlier. _The heaviness is astounding. Can't help wondering how it's weighing on Tim._ She switched a concerned gaze to the blue-masked turtle, who was painstakingly soaking the chain of his kusarigama in a solution to make it easier to clean.

Tim seemed dedicated to the task, so she was hesitant to say anything that might set him off. Instead, she glanced at Olivia and mutely surveyed her cousin's effort to polish the Arsiterite blade.

The purple-masked turtle ventured toward her. "You looked really good with the katana last night."

Amber eyes were a bit dull and unfocused. "There's nothing good about last night, besides the fact we survived it."

"That's not bad for starters," Jayden offered. "C'mon, you guys. It could have been a lot worse."

Nate set down a waterstone on the table beside him. "I think we all wish some things had gone differently. But in the end, we stood together, and did everything we could have."

"Did we?" Olivia murmured. "Because it feels..." The red-masked turtle didn't finish and stared off into space, distracted.

"How does it feel, Liv?" Nathaniel asked.

"Like we could have done more. That many Ducaz shouldn't have died to keep those blasted tunnels open for us. If we'd retreated, abandoned the impossible fight sooner, they wouldn't have had to."

"Olivia, we all feel a measure of responsibility for their lives," Nate countered. "But ultimately, this was a battle, and the enemy is the one who killed them. They volunteered-"

"Because they wanted to live!" she snapped. "Threw in their lot with us, why? Because we gave them some ridiculous hope that it was possible to beat those odds. And we didn't, or I should say, _they_ didn't. We made it, and they lost everything."

"I wish they hadn't," Nate agreed. "Not knowing them personally doesn't make it sting less. I'd love to go back and change it for them, but I can't. _We_ can't, Liv. There's only one direction we can travel, and it's forward."

"You can keep going forward," she asserted. "But I'm done." Olivia demonstrated her commitment to the statement by letting the katana fall from her hand.

"Olivia, you don't mean that," Charlotte protested. "You're upset-"

Her older cousin shut her up with a look. "I'm not cut out for this crap, Charlie. If you guys can deal with it, more power to you. But I can't pretend it doesn't matter."

"None of us are doing that," Nate pointed out.

"No, but you will be okay," Olivia insisted. "Because your hearts have always been in the right place, whereas I'm coming from pure selfishness. Do you wanna know what kept running through my head last night? Don't let them down. Don't let them beat you. You have to prove you're _worthy_ of carrying a blessed weapon. I couldn't stop making it about me."

The red-masked turtle turned her back on all of them, but she wasn't done. "I'm not suited for the selfless, heroic life that was laid out for us. I fight to prove myself every day, and now I know it's never gonna be enough. My heart is wrong, it's _been_ wrong..."

Charlotte blinked back tears at the sob that tore from her cousin's throat. She wanted to embrace her, but when Tim chose that moment to rise, the purple-masked turtle remained where she was.

Her younger cousin approached Olivia, but stopped short beside the Arsiterite blade. Lifting it from the ground, he angled the katana to catch the torchlight. "Why did you clean it?"

Olivia faced him with a huff. "I know I don't respect it, Tim. I don't need a lecture."

"Liv, _why_ did you bother cleaning it?" he repeated, then looked around at his cousins. "Why are any of us bothering? They're dirty. Why don't we just throw them away?"

Jayden gasped like the blue-masked turtle had suggested killing his first born. "No freaking way, dude! Why would we do that?"

"They got messed up," Tim said logically. "What's the point in keeping them?"

Charlotte gazed at Tim stoically, but kept her mouth shut. She knew there was a point coming.

Tim took another step toward the red-masked turtle. "Olivia? Why are we doing this?"

The twenty-year-old rubbed her eyes and sent him a mild glare. "There's nothing wrong with our weapons. You don't throw away a perfectly good blade because it's _dirty_ , Tim!"

"No, you don't," he agreed. "You're not ready to pitch our stuff, but you're willing to write off yourself?"

"T-that's different."

He nodded. "Yeah, it's different. Because they're only things. And even when they're scratched or dented, you still recognize they're worth something. But you're completely oblivious to yourself."

"I'm not oblivious," she insisted. "I'm more aware of my weakness and shortcomings than any of you."

"Olivia, that's the dirt," the younger turtle proclaimed. "All the crud you don't like, that isn't who you are. It's like a film covering the top layer. But you didn't throw away your katana because it got messed up."

"I've always been like this though, always put myself ahead of others-"

Charlotte had to speak up at that. "It's not true, Liv. You just tend to magnify everything you think is wrong with you. When you put it under a microscope, of course it looks bigger than it is."

"I have serious issues," Olivia stated. "It's a big deal, guys. I know you don't see this like I do, or won't admit it, but that doesn't change my heart."

"Liv, we're not perfect," Nate emphasized. "Our motivation isn't right all the time either. And you know what? The same goes for our dads. But what Tim said is true. Those weaknesses and failings, they're only surface scum. It doesn't change the value of what's underneath."

"I get that you guys wanna help, but I don't think you can understand this."

"I do," Tim answered. "Because I've tried to live up to someone I knew I couldn't be my entire life. It's a lot of pressure to feel like you have to prove yourself to everyone around you, Liv. I know what it is to hide so no one else gets to see all your failures."

Olivia took a shuddering breath. "Tim...You _never_ have to prove yourself to us. You don't have to be like your dad, or anyone else. Shell, you've always been enough, itoko."

He took another step and angled the hilt of the katana toward her. "So are you. You just can't see it, the same way I haven't. But I'm trying to, Liv, and you should too. This is the perfect time to start."


	133. Butden

Liran hadn't exchanged words with Lieasel in several minutes, but the silence wasn't what troubled him. He was bothered by the heaviness of the atmosphere, which was proving impossible to shake. The tangible grief in the infirmary couldn't be ignored. For that reason alone, he was relieved Ghyath had been released to his own quarters.

Now the Hiryn and his grandson stood by waiting on Tariq, who hadn't demonstrated any change in condition since the night before. There was an urge for desperation when Liran first settled in to pray, but it'd slowly been replaced by a strange peace which seemed at odds with sadness lingering in the background.

The undercurrent of sorrow for lost friends and questions about what would happen next tried to intrude on his thoughts numerous times, but each occasion, he guided his mind back to the point.

The sound of a door opening provided another momentary distraction, and Liran glanced over his shoulder to see Bahri hesitating in the entrance. To his eyes, it appeared his friend hadn't slept, even while the elohim quietly studied _him_.

" _Hiryn, are you well?_ "

 _"I am sore, Bahri. I will likely pay for last night over the next couple of weeks, but there is no cause for concern because of me."_

The elohim looked past him, fixing on the prone vagari. " _I heard that nothing has happened with Tariq. But if he has not gotten worse, then...I suppose he still has a chance,"_ Bahri finished weakly.

" _By all rights, he should have died last night,"_ the legatus agreed. _"But El is with him. I sense it."_ Liran gazed at Bahri closer, noting the nerves in his frame. _"Is there something you wish to say, my friend?"_

 _"I do not want to bother you, Hiryn."_

 _"I would be less bothered if you told me what you need,"_ he quipped.

Bahri seemed both startled and unsure of what he meant.

 _"Be at ease, Bahri, and tell me why you have come."_

 _"I need to talk to you, elsewhere."_

Liran nodded and got to his feet. " _Keep watch, Lieasel. I will return."_

 _"Yes, gri-pata."_

When the Hiryn headed for the hall, Bahri lagged behind. Liran waited patiently for him to catch up, and then headed for a transporter on a whim. It would take them to the same balcony they'd visited together days before.

Bahri said nothing en route, but the legatus knew he was mulling something over deeply. _It is just as well for him to get his thoughts in order before he tries speaking any of them._

The elohim paused again before following him outside. The gray morning sky hinted at the possibility of rain in the atmosphere, but Liran sensed no moisture would fall. He lingered near the railing alone until Bahri finally joined him.

 _"The sun has risen again, even after so difficult of a night,"_ Liran stated, merely to give his friend something to respond to.

Bahri sighed softly. _"It has not risen for me."_

 _"I know that, Bahri. I also recognize the light which presents itself is muted and distant, though the sun is not."_

 _"Shukri informed you of the events at Vanxilia."_

Liran nodded solemnly. " _Yes. I heard about the Vaga's plan, which included taking advantage of our own efforts."_

 _"The_ only _reason we went to such great lengths was to save the Ruairi. But Arzhan used our attack for his benefit, and several lives were lost in addition. It leads me to believe the actions were nothing but a terrible mistake. We are no better off than we were before._

 _"In fact, it feels as if things are_ worse _. The Vaga knows the terrapins have come. Ghyath is not completely well, despite the transfusion. He does not suffer the same way but...something is not right with our Rynn. We are forced to decide whether or not to tell him the truth about what happened with the dispersers._

 _"He is our leader, and needs to be aware of the situation. I cannot fathom telling our people without first sharing it with Ghyath, yet..."_ Bahri faltered with a shuddering breath. _"He does not know about Ghysis or any of the other losses, including those missing like Iyas. I want to be gentle with him, but fear that waiting will not make it easier."_

 _"It will not,"_ Liran acknowledged. " _This is not something you ought to do alone. The burden does not belong to you, Bahri. That which is unbearably heavy can be supported more effectively between others. I am willing to speak to him with you."_

 _"Leonardo and I determined we would meet him later. I am grateful for your offer, Hiryn, but I think this is something the two of us have to do."_

 _"Then what do you need to talk about, Bahri?"_

 _"The current problem is so much bigger than last night,"_ the elohim admitted. _"We have not merely suffered a clear defeat which served no purpose. The threat continues to expand. Even if we disregard their superior numbers and weapons, no one took their droids into consideration. We did not realize they were employing such technology on Zuhur._

 _"In this frame of mind, I do not know how to face Ghyath. I would_ let _you do the talking for me, except he has already been requesting that I come to him. As of yet, I could not bring myself to visit. But I cannot continue to ignore his pleas. While I wish not to avoid him, when I factor in my own weakness, I recognize I will not be of any assistance to Ghyath._

 _"I am not truly looking for advice right now, as there seems to be none that could help me. Yet in speaking with you these last few days, I have often come away with a little hope. As temporary as it may be...I could use such encouragement before going to see our Rynn."_

Liran gazed at the elohim mutely while pondering his reply. _"What happens to hope, Bahri? Are you aware of why it disappears after it is given?"_

 _"Hope is able to take hold, however briefly, because I want to believe things can be all right again, Hiryn."_

 _"You have seen events turn out for your best, multiple times,"_ Liran pointed out. " _Yet hope falters."_

 _"I do not know what to believe, Hiryn. El is all powerful. There is nothing He cannot do. I am assured of His love for us, and realize that eternity will last much longer than present suffering. But my heart still finds no certainty. I see no answer for this. Do you have it? When one such as myself knows the truth, but is incapable of simply trusting, what is to be done with them?"_

The forlorn quality of the elohim's earnest question made Liran want to embrace him, but he held back. _"It is not enough to_ know _the promises El has made, Bahri, nor even to recollect them from your past. You must agree with them."_

 _"Agree with them? I already know He is able. His power requires no proof where I am concerned."_

 _"Bahri, hear me. While it is true El is all powerful, without your cooperation, you will remain as helpless as you currently feel."_

 _"I cannot make El more or less effective,"_ the elohim protested.

 _"No, but you are contributing to your own effectiveness, Bahri. Those who were created by El with freedom of will, bearing an eternal spirit and soul, are gifted with an ability to choose."_

 _"This does not feel like a choice, Hiryn. I am not in direct control of the guilt which consumes me."_

 _"You have more control over the situation than you believe, because El gives it to you, Bahri. You are not at the mercy of helplessness or shame."_

 _"You do not understand. Your kind have never borne this guilt."_

 _"Legatus are not perfect, Bahri. No more am I."_ Liran gave him a stern look to make his point. _"You are agreeing with the wrong beliefs, my friend. You feel worthless, hopeless and lost, so it is easy to accept such statements. But the moment you acquiesce to them, you give up the power which El offers you._

 _"You are not suffering for a lack of compassion on His part. You are torn because it is easier to accept what you feel than to fight to overcome it. You are not defeated unless you believe you are. The One who made you does not give up, and He has made everything you need available._

 _"But you must choose what to accept, Bahri. Knowing the truth is not enough, nor are His actions alone all that is required. You have the ability to hinder Him based on your beliefs."_

 _"It does not feel like my choice,"_ Bahri reiterated.

" _It is. A choice you can make, regardless of how you feel. Agreement does not only exist in the words within your heart. That is where it begins, but then it translates into the ability to act."_ Liran reached for his friend's shoulder. " _And you know that in spite of the enemy's plans, El has a greater purpose. Their ability to surprise us does not mean_ He _was caught off guard._

 _"I cannot tell you what His intentions are, but I know the Vaga's control over our plight is nothing compared to El. They may seem to hold every advantage, Bahri, yet you and I both know they do not. You must speak truthfully to Ghyath, and I still stand ready to accompany if you would allow me. But you should not present the case that we are utterly lost. It is far from the truth, and not what anyone needs to hear."_

 _"I will try, Hiryn. But I do not know how to deliver anything encouraging where last night was concerned."_

 _"We are alive, Bahri, and the sun rose again. Our day is not finished, and neither is El."_

* * *

Raphael snuck a glance at his youngest brother. Michelangelo appeared to be enraptured with the crystalline screen providing their current entertainment, but he could tell the orange-masked turtle wasn't really into it. He folded and unfolded arms over his plastron, while trying to determine if he should say anything. _I suggested a movie so we could get our minds on something else, but I don't think it's working._

"Mikey?"

The younger turtle broke his staring match with the grown man clapping together two halves of a coconut on the monitor.

"You shoulda gone with another movie," Raph offered gruffly.

"What do you mean, Raphie?"

"You're watching this crap, but you ain't enjoying it. You picked out Monty Python*, when I could have chosen something else."

Mike's eye ridges rose curiously. "Oh. It _was_ your turn to pick, wasn't it? Why'd you let me?"

"'Cause I didn't care what we watched, as long as we got to escape for a little while."

"I could have chosen a movie where characters randomly burst into song? There's still time to check if they have High School Musical!*"

"Over my dead body," he replied, only because he knew it was the response his brother wanted.

"What are we doing here?" Mike wondered.

"I dunno, Chucklehead. It was better than staying behind with Leo and Don, but we ain't doing great on our own either."

The orange-masked turtle glanced at the floor. "We could check on the kids again."

"They're fine, Mikey. I'd rather have 'em stay that way for a while longer, if you know what I mean."

"You think I'm gonna blab everything, Raph? I know I've got a big mouth, but I'm not stupid."

"No. I think you're upset, and they're gonna see it in two seconds. Between your kid and Leo's, you may as well hold up a flashing sign that says 'we failed' and be done with it." The red-masked turtle winced with the admission, particularly because of the way Mike's face fell. "Sorry, bro."

Michelangelo shrugged. "It's true, whether we wanna talk about it or not."

"Do you think we have to tell them?" Raph wheedled. "I mean...no one's the wiser besides us. They don't have to hear that we just got played by the bastard."

His brother snorted. "Like we'd be able to hide it? What was it you were saying about the kids and a flashing sign?"

"Okay, so we can't. But avoiding them won't work forever either. I figured a distraction might make us feel better, but this has gotta be one of the dumbest movies I've ever seen. What kind of knight doesn't have a flipping horse?"

"That's blasphemy, Raph. You'd like Holy Grail* if you gave it a chance. It's satire. You're not supposed to take it seriously, any more than a black knight who survives having all his limbs cut off."

Raphael laughed unintentionally. "It was only a flesh wound. Kinda hope I'd still have the strength to bite someone's legs off."

"Yeah, see? Why are you pretending not to like it?"

"Because it's stupid, Mikey. And it ain't distracting enough."

Mike sighed. "I'd give anything to talk to Becky."

Raph shook his head vigorously. "Can't risk that, and you know it."

"I _wish_ I could, Raph. I didn't say I was asking the Elohim to hook me up."

The red-masked turtle didn't want to admit harboring a similar desire. A remote com-link had been left behind at Lotus Salvus, but even if a message could penetrate the solar flares, it would expose their coordinates for possible interception by Vagari.

 _At least, that's how Ghysis described it. I only understood every third word or so._

Raphael was on the verge of zoning out while trying to remember exactly what they'd been told, when he caught Mike gazing at him.

"Are you missing Belle?"

The older turtle sank deeper onto the cushioned bench. "Only when I'm awake, and sometimes when I'm asleep too."

"Aw, I'm sorry, bro."

"Don't feel sorry for me, Mikey. We're all in the same dagone leaky rowboat, trying not to sink. Kari's pregnancy was such a nightmare, I'm more protective of both of 'em than I should be."

"No such thing, Raph."

"Well, yeah, there is. Think about our kids, Mike. You gonna tell me you weren't tempted to leave Nate at home? Because deep down, I didn't want Liv here either, let alone doing any of the crazy junk they did last night."

His brother rested his chin in one hand. "Makes me wonder how Sensei let us go the way he did. I mean, we were younger than them, and didn't have the same 'safety net' they do."

"They didn't have a safety net yesterday," Raph complained. "Charlie let it slip that her and Liv got cornered at one point and taken captive."

Michelangelo gave him a double-take. "Who got them out?"

"Charlotte said they took care of themselves, whatever that means. I'll wrangle the whole story from Olivia later. As for right now, I'd rather stay away from them and everyone else until the truth comes out, so we don't have to act like we're okay."

"We still could be, y'know?" Mike said quietly.

"Could be what?"

"Okay."

Raph nodded without hesitation. "Sure we will be, Mikey. Just 'cause their leader pulled a fast one on us, it doesn't mean we're through. With as many Vagari as we took down yesterday, there's a ton more waiting to learn who we are. And my numbers will _still_ be higher than yours."

"Only when you're cheating, Raphie."

"Oh, yeah? In what universe have you taken down more guys than me?"

"You're not good at multi-tasking, bro. You ought to let someone else keep track of numbers in battle, who's also better at staying honest."

"You're so full of it, Shellhead. You're the one who inflates numbers. I tell it like it is."

"Yet you were the one caught overestimating your take-downs!"

"The only reason our counts overlapped that time is because you were trying to take credit for gang-bangers I'd already destroyed!"

Mike grinned. "They were twitching."

"They were mine," he emphasized. "And you've been trying to claim victory ever since. Gonna have to get over yourself, Numbskull, because everyone else knows the truth."

"That you're totally jealous of my awesomeness? Thanks for admitting it, Raphie."

The red-masked turtle remained cool for a couple seconds, before hooking an arm around his brother's neck and pinning him to the bench. "If anyone's admitting something, it's gonna be you, Mikey. You ain't getting out of this until you confess who the real master is!"

"You're stuck too," he rasped under his headlock. "We're gonna get hungry eventually!"

"It'd be over quicker if you tell the truth."

"I have no problem telling everyone you're jealous of me!"

"How you gonna do that if ya can't _move_ , Mike?"

His younger brother squirmed, but was unsuccessful in breaking the muscular turtle's grip. "You'll get bored eventually. It's a fact. Not safe to mess with your food or entertainment!"

"It'd still end faster if you concede defeat."

"Not while I'm breathing!"

"Well, if you wanna do this the dang hard way, I can make it more interesting." Raphael wrenched the smaller turtle off the couch and pushed him to the floor, where he proudly sat on his plastron. "Don't know about you, but I could be here all day."

" _Raph_!"

"What? I'm waiting to hear the right words."

The hiss of the door diverted Raphael from whatever reply Michelangelo was trying to squeak out, and he turned his head to find Kamryn staring.

"Oh, hey," the red-masked turtle greeted. "You wanna watch a movie with us?"

The woman ventured toward them. "Is this how you watch television at home?"

Raph smirked. "If the mood strikes me."

"Kamryn, get help!" Mike gasped. "He's off his rocker."

"I think I'd rather see what he's going to do next, Michelangelo. There is a point, isn't there?"

"Yeah. I'm the big brother, he's the scrawny one, so he gets to do what I say."

"Is that how it's determined?"

"Kam, for the love of everything holy, get help," the orange-masked turtle pleaded.

"How do you choose a winner?" Kamryn continued.

"That's easy, because it's me. Always gonna be me," Raph assured her, much to the displeasure of his brother.

But while manhandling and defeating the orange-masked turtle hadn't been his first choice of activity, it beat the moping around they'd _been_ doing.

"Still waiting for those words, Mikey. I got nowhere to be, bro. If I were you, I'd just surrender."

* * *

 ***I do not own High School Musical or Monty Python's "Quest for the Holy Grail".**


	134. Fusion

Leonardo was grateful that Ghyath had been sent to his quarters earlier, despite the bad news he and Bahri were responsible for sharing. Finding the door to the golden-eyed elohim's room ajar, he knocked lightly before poking his head into the space.

Leo gasped upon seeing Bahri crouching over Ghyath, who was curled up in a ball on the floor. Alarm was the first thing to strike the turtle while he rushed to get to his friend's other side. "Bahri? What's going _on?_ I thought he was doing better!"

"He was," the blue-eyed elohim insisted. "Shukri would not have released him otherwise."

"This doesn't look better!"

The glance Bahri returned with was a mixture of frustration and annoyance. "I know that, Leonardo. What do you think I am trying to do with him?"

"Let me help," Leo urged. "Unless you'd rather call someone."

"I fail to see how it matters who takes him back to the clinic. Will you support his other side?"

Leonardo followed the alien's example in first helping Ghyath sit up, but the moan the elohim responded with made the turtle freeze. "Are you sure we should be doing this? At least let me call Don!"

"Do you think it will make a difference, Leonardo?"

"You know more than me, but this doesn't feel right."

"Either call your brother, or help me get Ghyath up the rest of the way," Bahri requested. "Regardless of who transports him, his pain will not be any less."

"Okay, let's just take him then. I'm ready if you are."

Ghyath sagged in their grip as if he had no strength of his own, and Leo kicked the door open the rest of the way so they could carry him through it. He winced at every sound which came from the alien, despite knowing Ghyath couldn't control them.

"Brother, you have to focus on me," Bahri encouraged. "I know you are not well, and do not feel like talking. But in order to help you, we need some information. Can you look at me to begin with?"

Ghyath's head lifted half an inch before failing to rise. "I cannot," he slurred, in a way completely inconsistent for the well-spoken elohim.

"Do you know where you are?" Bahri continued.

"Cri...Drojen?"

"Do you understand where we are taking you?"

"I need Shukri."

"Yes, you do. Can you remember what happened last night?"

"I know where I...but not how..." The elohim faltered with a cry that made Leonardo cringe.

The sudden sight of Shukri _running_ toward them lent the turtle to believe the elohim already knew what was going on. Leo flagged him down regardless, calling out his name.

"Shukri, he's having serious issues again!"

The Banrif was breathing so hard, he seemed incapable of putting a sentence together. Shukri bent at the waist, heaving for several moments. When he raised his head at last, the elohim's stricken expression convinced Leonardo something else had happened.

"Shukri, what is it? You have to breathe. Stop. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth, and tell us what's wrong."

He panned between Leonardo and Bahri while forcing his chest to regulate. "The Vaga," he managed at last. "Conference room."

"What?" Leo couldn't comprehend what he meant.

"He has connected to our coordinates!" Shukri shuddered with the words. "He demands to speak to Ghyath."

Leonardo scowled darkly. "No, that's not happening."

"It is not," Bahri agreed. "We are taking him back to the infirmary, and then we will return to...to deal with this."

"We _must_ take him to the Vaga," Shukri countered grimly. "Arzhan has done something dire to Ghyath, but refuses to reveal the source unless our Rynn appears."

The blue-masked turtle's rage soared with a furious growl. "Trap or not, I should have just killed him! Guys...if he has our coordinates, then they know where we are, don't they?"

The two Elohim exchanged a nervous glance.

"He does," Shukri acknowledged.

"We have to arrange an evacuation! We need to get everyone out!"

"We also require more information," Bahri replied. "It is impossible to evacuate without first knowing where our enemy lies. We must go speak to him."

Leonardo hated the idea of bowing to the cursed Vaga's wishes, but there was a possible advantage in playing along. "I'll talk to him," he volunteered. "There's a chance we could stall Arzhan from taking action. It would give more opportunity for people to escape."

"You are welcome to try, Leonardo," Shukri answered. "But we desperately need to move."

The turtle shut his mouth, clenching his jaw with the curses that wanted to escape. He allowed the two Elohim to handle Ghyath while jogging slightly ahead of them. Shukri spoke to others who crossed their path on the short journey, but it was only in terse words of their own language, which sent the aliens scattering in every case.

That was until two Leonardo recognized as the Banrif's assistants from the infirmary ran up behind to join the procession.

"Where are you taking him?" Violet was perplexed by their direction.

"It is complicated," Shukri answered the woman. "The Vaga has information we require, and we must cooperate to get it."

Lasaro gasped. "Cooperate with the Vaga? How can we do anything of the kind?"

"We don't have a choice," Leo cut in.

By the time they neared the conference room, the blue-masked turtle saw the obvious figures of his brothers in the distance.

"Leo, this is stupid!" Raphael declared before they'd caught up to them. "We need to get people out, not play telephone with the devil!"

"We're only playing telephone to give the others a chance to escape!" he shot back. "We also have to find out what he did to Ghyath so the Elohim can freaking fix this!"

Don was at his side in a flash. "Is it the same symptoms?"

Bahri nodded heavily. "The pain is just as bad, and his heart rate is worse than last night."

"This is ridiculous!" The purple-masked turtle fumed. "He needs medical attention."

"But we also need the evil bastard to tell us what's up," Mike argued. "Let's make an appearance, and then they can hustle him back out."

"I do not like it, but it will be faster than solving this mystery on my own," Shukri admitted.

Leo took three deep breaths to contain his anger and gain a level head before walking into the room. From the back of the space he saw the hated image of their enemy waiting on the large crystalline screen. He nodded while passing Liran and Lieasel standing by with the Reruqi, and resisted the urge to look at the Vaga while the Elohim carried Ghyath toward the front.

Not until they supported either side of the Rynn in a chair did Leonardo turn around to address the vagari.

"What's your game now, Arzhan?"

"I haven't played games with you, Leonardo. In any case, I don't need to talk to you yet. I will be with you in a little while, but first, I must address Ghyath and Shukri."

The blue-masked turtle stepped aside with the strong compulsion to punch the wall. He felt his brothers huddling up behind him, but they didn't speak.

"I'm glad you could join us, Ghyath." The condescending nature of the Vaga's tone made it difficult not to attack the screen. "I understand you are probably not up for talking, but that doesn't bother me. I only need you as a visual aid for your counterpart."

After a brief pause, Arzhan continued. "Shukri, I want you to take a good look at your beloved Rynn, and remember this moment. You are witnessing everything which you assured me wasn't possible, in the flesh before your very eyes. Crael-Pachal achieved the dunamis fusion, and Ghyath is the first recipient. What do you say to that, Banrif?"

Shukri was understandably long in replying. "I say that his body does not belong to you now, any more than it did before. Your torture will not change the hearts of the Nalikjan. I am certain there is a way to defeat your technology, and I _will_ find it."

"I welcome you to attempt it with with what little time you have left, Shukri, but I can save you some effort. There is nothing you can do to improve his condition, not since the fusion is embedded. None of your extracts are going to aid him, and further donations of the dunamis gene will have no impact. I simply wanted you to know there's no point in fighting. To demonstrate my own kindness, I will allow Ghyath to rest for the time being. Such mercy is undeserved after your actions in Arcadia, but it can be my last gift to him."

Leonardo couldn't escape the alien's cocky smile until he heard Shukri exclaim something in their language, followed by Ghyath's name. Within seconds, the Elohim had the Rynn stretched out on the floor, where he proved unresponsive.

The blue-masked turtle dashed over. "How is he doing this, Shukri?" he demanded under his breath.

"This is everything we were trying to prevent. It is the combination of dunamis with new nanomite cells. I cannot tell you how they work exactly, but their intention was to obtain control of all major bodily functions," the Banrif said weakly.

Leo studied his unconscious friend, horrified by the lividity of his form which made it appear he'd already perished.

"Now we can move on," Arzhan announced, reminding them of his presence. "There is another who needs to be addressed, though I'm not sure who it is exactly. But you'll know yourself in a moment."

 _Nothing_ could have prepared Leonardo for the sensation that his stomach was spontaneously combusting, nor could he prevent his body from pitching to the ground. For a split second he thought he was passing out. The sheer agony his organs suffered should have been enough to trigger the natural defense. But instead of blissful ignorance, he was trapped on the verge of fainting and awareness.

There were garbled voices nearby, but he couldn't understand anything over the tortured cry echoing in his ears. Even when the shooting, all-over pain slightly dulled, he could little more groan.

"Leo? _Leo!_ "

He managed to identify the purple-masked turtle's voice that time, as well as the commotion being raised by his other brothers. Their noise didn't make any sense; it only added to the madness of his body turning against him, and he wished they would be quiet.

"Leonardo!"

The pressure of Don's hands on his chest led him to the realization that he couldn't take a decent breath. He tried to focus on him, but Donatello appeared to be vanishing within the haze rising up from the floor. When his brother applied more force to his plastron, it cued a worse set of spasms to accompany an uncontrolled scream.

"Stop, desist, terrapin!" another voice cut through the fog. "Do not try..."

Leonardo lost the rest of what the elohim was saying because of the blinding flash of agony that lit through his skull so fiercely, he was convinced a bomb had gone off. But there was no end in sight, no merciful cessation to the invisible power threatening to tear him apart.

"Leo, _breathe!_ "

The panic behind the shout only added to his terror. And then without any warning, the odd storm which had descended lifted, leaving the blue-masked turtle gasping in convulsions. He blinked rapidly to find the fog dissipated, and Donny and Shukri on either side of him.

Leo snatched for his brother's arm as an anchor and was still attempting to regain his airway when the wretched voice broke over his consciousness again.

"I find it extremely ironic that it's you."

The humor in the Vaga's tone compelled Leonardo to sit up, but he was still mostly paralyzed from the violence of the experience.

"I gave you a chance to do this painlessly, terrapin. You suffer now under the scourge of a weapon I never intended for one of your kind. There is still time to learn from this. What I want you to remember is that I offered mercy, and you refused. It was possibly your greatest mistake."

Raphael's cursing out of the alien only made Leo shudder. The mere knowledge that _whatever_ had just taken hold of him was controlled by the sadistic vagari on the other side of the screen left him on the verge of sweating, despite the relative calm.

"Your anger and frustration are understandable," Arzhan said solemnly. "I remind you, terrapins, that I didn't want to do things this way. I prefer not to harm any of you."

"Nah, you'd rather just kill everyone else!" Raph snarled. "You can forget about using _us_ to do it, because we'll never go along with this!"

"I'm aware of your unwillingness to comply. I didn't expect any of you to surrender, but the goodness of my calling compelled me to attempt it first."

"The goodness of your calling?" Mike repeated, incredulous. "You wouldn't know something 'good' if it bit you in the rear!"

"There is considerable misunderstanding between us. In time, I hope to clear some of it up, but for now, I'm pleased to merely ensure your safety."

The way the Vaga finished set off another wave of alarm in the blue-masked turtle. He struggled to get elbows beneath him, but the strength to rise didn't exist. He made eye contact with Donatello, still bowed anxiously beside him. "Don, help me. Help me up."

"Leo, you've gotta take it easy. I don't know what he just did, but-"

"He's controlling it," Leo told him. "He wants to talk, so I'm ready to listen."

The Vaga chuckled in the background. "A few moments of agony, and you seem much more reasonable to deal with. Perhaps, like your son, you only need to be broken."

"Oh no, he didn't-"

Mike's interjection escaped at the same time as Raphael's follow up tirade, making it extremely hard to focus on either of them while all the blood rushed to Leonardo's head. He shook with a fury that made him want to scream for a different reason than before, but he managed to collect a few coherent words.

"You deluded, self righteous excuse for a demon-possessed dictator! You didn't destroy my son, and you don't have power over any of us! You think because you can inflict pain, we'll do whatever you say? None of us are giving up to you. Not today, not EVER!"

"I know, Leonardo. That's why I'm not giving you any choice in the matter. I need to thank all of you for coming by yesterday, as it was extremely helpful on several fronts. First and foremost, you revealed your presence, when I had no idea you'd already arrived on Zuhur. We can prepare for a proper assault of Earth. My sources say that the solar storms disturbing their atmosphere will not last more than a few days.

"But on a much grander scale, the access I have to all of you is going to transform our warfare, and allow us to be much gentler on Creation as a whole."

Leo tried to shake his head, but lacked the energy. The speech he'd delivered in the heat of rage had taken nearly all the strength he possessed.

"You don't make any sense," Donatello told the alien slowly. "If you would just stop for five seconds and think about what you're doing...Can't you grasp the ludicrous nature of this mission? You pretend to be concerned about these planets, but you're going around exterminating entire races whose only crime is living in an advanced society! They're _part_ of Creation. They were made by El like everything else, but you think you have the right to destroy them?"

"I have the right to protect the most sacred and innocent works of El's hands," Arzhan countered. "It was He who chose to gift free will to so many creatures. A free will which threatens to decimate and destroy everything good and holy in the Universes. We were chosen, commanded to guard what was given to us. And because we ignored the silly squabbling of two infantile worlds, our own perished.

"The only ludicrous thing we could do would be to sit back and watch it happen over and over again."

There was a long uncomfortable pause in the room, during which no one spoke.

"Do you honestly not see it?" Arzhan went on. "You who pride yourselves on fighting everything which is evil and depraved on your own world? All manners of free creatures are corrupted by the same seed, the identical tendency toward violence."

"That's rich coming from you," Raph retorted. "You've killed more people than anyone we've ever met!"

"I've also saved more worlds than anyone you've met, terrapin."

"Saved?" Leo choked as he struggled to raise his voice. "You don't save anyone." He couldn't attain the volume he wanted, but the Vaga focused on him.

"Resisting our dominion is like trying to beat the wind, Leonardo. I realize you intend to fight and would hold out until the bitter end, but we don't mean to let you."

"What will you do?" Shukri asked evenly.

"It is clear I have to purge the remaining stain of the Annunaki, until all which remains are Vagari. I was hopeful for the Elohim at the very least, but your Nalikjan are proving the wretched tendencies which remain, as they always have in Legatus. Your kind will die, as you seem determined to do so. The terrapins will join me before another hour has passed."

"We won't-" As the words left Leo's mouth, a flash of the same pain lit through his midsection, reducing him to a crumpled heap.

"It is going to be a _long_ learning process for you, I fear. But we can focus on such things later," the Vaga told him. "I would prefer your impetuous nature to have no sway in what happens next. I will also show you the gift of a brief respite, although I should emphasize, it will be temporary."

Leonardo's mouth fell open, but he couldn't cry out. All of the air had been stolen from his lungs. Darkness descended like a freight train colliding with a crippled vehicle, and he knew nothing more.


	135. Agree

Bahri couldn't control the tremors which had taken his body. He was torn between the obvious plight of two dear friends, and simultaneously terrified for every soul within Cri Drojen. He was so lost in near panic, it took a few seconds to realize the Vaga was still speaking.

"...If I were you, I wouldn't waste the time or resources on your leaders. Your extracts and blood are worthless now, like any half-witted scheme you'd use to resist us. You could try to run, but we have your 'kingdom' surrounded. If you attempt to fight, you will _still_ be overcome. The fastest way to end their suffering and ensure others don't experience the same fate would be in surrendering.

"I know none of you are inclined to do this easily. You have the right to refuse, and we have every intention of brutally slaying those who do. With the exception of the legendaries, of course."

"Dude, get real!" Mike thundered. "None of us are gonna cooperate with you!"

"You don't have a choice," the Vaga informed him. "There is something else I would like to show Shukri. You should tell your family to back away from Leonardo."

Bahri glanced to where the purple-masked terrapin was crouched over his brother's body with the Banrif still on the other side.

Donatello leaped to his feet with a scowl. "Only so I can tell _you_ to burn in hell."

A flash of a silver sheen over Leonardo's form was the only warning before Shukri suddenly seized up with a cry. The odd brilliance increased in seconds, but the elohims' rigid position didn't falter.

Donatello's fingers hardly made contact with Shukri's shoulder, when he instantly let go. "He's _live!_ We need something to separate them!"

Bahri would have reached for Shukri himself if Lasaro hadn't blocked him.

"You will be electrocuted too! Stay back!" the tech urged.

The blue-eyed elohim understood Lasaro's purpose when he drew his weapon, but Donatello looked like he would wrestle the gun from his grip.

"What are you doing?!" The terrapin's body tensed for conflict. "We have to help him!"

"I am going to, Donatello!" Lasaro informed him. "Under the right setting, the fastest way to interrupt the current passing through him is to introduce a second!"

"That sounds stupid!"

Bahri joined Lasaro to reinforce the directive. "Terrapin, allow him!"

Donatello only took a single step to the right, giving Lasaro access to stun Shukri with one shot.

"Banrif?" Lasaro rapidly probed the elohim. "Violet, his heart falters! I need a line!"

The elohim's and woman's work in the background was drowned out by the Vaga's calm interjection.

"Thank you for obeying my instruction, terrapin. The electrocution is only a mild demonstration of what we're capable of."

Jaw clenched, the genius strode toward the screen. "Are you familiar with the term, 'dead man walking'?"

"I've never heard it," the vagari admitted. "It sounds impossible. How would a dead man walk?"

"You're gonna learn what it means firsthand."

The Vaga chuckled. "All right, terrapin. You may prepare for our arrival in whatever manner you see fit, but this will end the same way. You only get to choose how much the others will suffer."

Raphael's snort didn't completely hide the tremor of his shoulders. "You couldn't hold on to two of our kids, but you think you've got a shot of containing us all?"

"You possess something which doesn't belong to you," Arzhan stated. "It was a gift from another member of my race. I'm aware that Leonardo carries dunamis as well. You have clearly shared it among yourselves and enjoyed its benefits, but think to deprive the ones responsible for the gene's creation?"

"If you're waiting for a 'thank you', you're totally out of line," the orange-masked terrapin retorted.

"No, I don't expect gratitude, in spite of everything I've done for you. But I look forward to catching up with your kind, and meeting the rest of your children. I have an army waiting upon my command, so I will leave you with this thought: our mission can be accomplished through much pain, or very little. The decision lies with you."

The screen went dark, and the weakness of Bahri's knees succeeded in toppling him. The elohim heard several voices in the background, but was oblivious to any of them. He could only focus on the others' effort to stabilize a prone Shukri for a few moments. Then Bahri turned to the terrapin typing furiously on his scanner at Leonardo's side.

"What do you see, Donatello?"

"I can't get a decent reading," he returned flatly. "This fusion, nanomites, whatever they are, I think they're hindering his implant too." Donatello carefully turned his brother's head, heedless of the possible danger of being shocked. He lightly pried open eyelids to check Leonardo's pupils, then looked over at Bahri. "There has to be a way to extract them!"

Lasaro cleared his throat awkwardly, startling Bahri. The blue-eyed elohim hadn't realized the assistant was standing over his shoulder.

"I am sure it exists, Donatello, but I do not know where to begin, or what we can accomplish before being overwhelmed. Shukri is not going to be able to help us. He lives, but his heart is not functioning normally. He needs the infirmary too."

"We have to do _something!_ " Raphael insisted. "Turn out everyone who can fight. Ain't there any defenses in this place? Isn't it supposed to be a stronghold?"

"We can slow them down a little," Bahri acknowledged. "As for stopping them? We do not have the means. Retreat would be a more effective route."

"He said we're surrounded!" Michelangelo pointed out. "How's anyone supposed to retreat? We have to get ready to fight!"

"We don't have the means to fight," Donatello murmured. "We couldn't hold our own against a few forces last night."

"Genius, we're not going down this way!" Raphael declared. "You do what you've got to for Leo, Ghyath and Shukri, but we're not gonna let these bastards run right over us."

"What bastards?"

The sudden inclusion of Olivia's voice preceded the terrapins' young ones entrance into the room. Bahri was at a loss for how to explain the scene of bedlam and unconscious leaders they'd arrived upon. He grimaced when Nathaniel and Tim sprinted across the space to where they were huddled near the blue-masked terrapin.

"What the shell?" Nate demanded. "What's happening? Why didn't anyone call us?"

"Because it all went down very fast." Donatello's even tone was surprising in its steadiness. "We've been pinpointed. The Vagari are already here. Both Ghyath and Leonardo took a hit from their drones last night, which is causing whatever this is. The Vaga just managed to incapacitate Shukri while he was doing nothing more than touching Leo, so don't come any closer."

Tim bent down in slow motion. "Their fusion. I saw this in my head. I knew what he wanted to do, and I tried to stop it..." The young terrapin sniffed through the spasm which rocked his frame. "I wish I could have."

Donatello dragged the youth into an embrace. "Tim, we're fighting this, okay? He's not dead. If anything, it looks more like...a hibernation state."

"And the Elohim?" Tim challenged. "How long do you think _they_ have? You don't understand what this thing can do – what it was designed to accomplish. I watched it slay millions in seconds. They're gonna unleash it on Earth. That's the first testing ground!"

"Tim, it won't happen!" Raphael came up behind them. "We won't let it. We're gonna stand up to the bastards. Don and them will fix whatever this is, but we don't have time to sit here and be upset about it. We've gotta move now."

Bahri could hear another discussion growing in volume between the rest of the terrapins, but he remained fixed on his purple-masked friend who _looked_ more lost than he sounded talking to Tim.

"We need to get to the infirmary and start running diagnostics," Donatello said flatly. "It's better to begin before they're applying pain again."

"He could still hurt _you_ too!" Michelangelo reminded him.

Donatello exchanged a glance with Lasaro and Violet.

"Much of the equipment is automated, and reduces the need for physical contact," the human woman filled in. "But we need to go."

Bahri pushed his nerves aside to help when Donatello began gathering up his brother.

"We have to prioritize," the terrapin told him. "I think your voice is needed more over there." He nodded his head toward the circle the rest of his family had formed.

"I have nothing to contribute to a battle plan, Donatello."

"That doesn't mean you lack insight that would save lives. Take action, Bahri. You can't freeze, even though we all feel like it."

"Terrapin, do you have him?" Lasaro verified. "We will gather Ghyath and Shukri, once the situation has been explained to Legatus. Then we need to make haste!"

Donatello gave Bahri another pointed look. "Help the others."

When the older terrapin headed for the door, Bahri noticed that Tim remained on his knees, as though his father hadn't been moved.

"I had the chance, and I failed," the youth said softly.

"You are not the failure, Tim." Bahri summoned strength to back up the statement. "You are at fault for nothing."

Gazing steadily at the young terrapin, the elohim suffered a disturbing reminder of the Nopfs' conversation he'd overheard on first arriving at the Qif. It was the wrong time for emotion to strike him, but tears welled up regardless. He tentatively stretched a hand to Tim's shell.

"I...I understand the impulse that drives one, in a moment like this..." Bahri admitted. "I myself wanted to give up many times."

Tim broke eye contact with the floor to look at him. "My dad didn't tell you. Did the Vaga?"

"Tell me what, terrapin?"

"You know I tried to kill myself."

Bahri didn't expect the bold statement, but he nodded. "Some of his officials were making light of it, last night..." He wasn't sure how to continue, and it wasn't necessary.

"I wanted to prevent this. Well, I didn't see _this_ specifically, but other planets...Bahri, they're going to kill so many people. Tell me you wouldn't go to any length to stop them too." He dissolved into tears with the words.

"If it meant hindering them from carrying out their hideous scheme?" Bahri hesitated. "I would give anything to prevent it, but I am not sure this is the only way to..." The elohim faded when he noticed Liran bending down behind Tim.

The youth disappeared from Bahri's sight as the legatus enfolded wings around him. Although the comfort was meant for the terrapin, Liran's gaze rested on Bahri.

" _Tell me, friend, what has changed?_ "

 _"What do you mean, Hiryn?"_

 _"You were delivered by El mightily in the past, Bahri. What is different now?"_

The blue-eyed elohim glanced down at the ground where Leonardo had been, and gave in to inner ramblings. _What is different? Why did we win last time, when on this occasion death seems certain? But it felt certain in the past too. We did not expect to escape. We fought back because we had no choice. We had Joshua on our side, and it was he who stated the battle did not belong to us. If he stood here today, he would say the same thing. So what has changed, other than not having Joshua, Ghyath or Leonardo to direct us?_

 _"How has El changed?"_ Liran pressed.

" _He has not,"_ Bahri replied at last. _"He has not altered in the least."_

 _"Then what should we do, Bahri? I could not understand the Vaga's threats, but the terror he instilled could not be clearer. However, if El is the same, has not changed since the last time we were delivered, what action do we take now?"_

 _"We need to..."_ Bahri faltered, searching for the answer. _Fight? Flee? What can we do to guarantee salvation for the largest number of people?_ A suggestion emerged from within his spirit, though he didn't know what to do with it. " _Agree?"_

Liran beamed like he'd delivered a four page speech. _"The power has always belonged to El, Bahri. The most effective action we can take is to trust His word and agree with him."_

"What are you guys saying?" Tim's voice was muffled from under the legatus' wings, but his demeanor was slightly improved.

"A course of action is needed," Bahri answered. "Your uncles wish to fight. Others will want to run. In either case, success would be unlikely." He glanced at Liran rapidly, although he knew the Hiryn couldn't understand him. "But that is not our only life of defense. El has acted on our behalf numerous times, and Liran encourages me to trust in what He says."

The youth looked confused. "What does El say?"

"The battle does not belong to us." Bahri found new, unexpected power in his tone. "It is not for us to win the war. It is our part to believe _Him_." After another beat of silence, Bahri continued. "I do believe El. Tim, what do you think?"

"What do I think?"

"You have a unique connection with both sides of this venture. What have you heard?"

Tim leaned back into the wings which still supported him and gazed up at Bahri. "I'm not sure."

"Do not be afraid to speak, terrapin."

"But it's suicide!" he protested. "To sit back, and do nothing..."

"What are you referring to?"

"I just...I feel like we should wait. But we can't, right? Because if we don't do anything, if we don't fight or at least try to get away, then we're giving up for nothing. We can't do that!"

"How did you escape Central to begin with, Tim?"

"You know how we got out."

"Was it through the actions of Ghyath or Shukri that a storm knocked out power, terrapin? Does Tariq possess such abilities?"

"No," he relented.

"You had no choice but to wait for deliverance from El while you were in prison. It seems we are forced to decide between only negative options on this occasion. But that is why waiting on El makes the most sense," Bahri realized. "If we fight, many will die, and you terrapins will still be taken. If we try to retreat, the same will be true. Hesitating does not make sense from our perspective, does it, Tim?"

"Not remotely," the youth said flatly.

Bahri caught himself unexpectedly smiling. "The only battle I see in front of me is the one of convincing your family that we should not do anything yet."

* * *

Tim felt like he hadn't moved for an eternity. Eyes had been squeezed shut since he'd chosen a position in the overflowing sanctuary. He didn't blame the rest of his family for not joining them. As it was, Charlotte was the only one who'd accompanied him, while the other turtles strove to build some kind of defense.

Yet they weren't alone in the room. Tim could hear the soft murmurs of other voices, though he didn't understand what they were saying. When he glanced ahead, he saw Bahri still bowed to the ground on his own. A glance to his right confirmed Liran's comforting presence, which had settled his spirit enough to _hear_ the odd command to wait.

A look to his left found his purple-masked cousin sitting cross-legged with what looked like a journal open in her lap.

"What is that?" he asked softly.

"Rebecca gave it to Mike when they parted. He made me bring it up here before they went to watch for invaders."

Tim scooted closer to her, and peered at a creased page that showed evidence of wear and tear.

"Think Ojisan has been reading this part already," she said knowingly.

Bahri gazed back at the pair, in spite of their soft tones. "I have seen him with it too," the elohim whispered. "What is that one?"

Charlotte glanced around nervously as though afraid to speak any louder, but then began. "Say this, 'God, You're my refuge. I trust in You and I'm safe. That's right, He rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you – under them, you're perfectly safe. His arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing – not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day. Not disease that prowls through the darkness, nor disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance. Watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God's your Refuge..."*

She paused and held out the book to the elohim. "Here. Take it, Bahri."

The alien accepted the journal more eagerly than Tim expected, and it almost made the turtle snort. He covered his mouth to muffle the sound and gave Charlotte a sidelong glance.

"You didn't have to come with me, y'know."

She shrugged. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"I don't think _anything_ makes sense. I feel like all we're doing is waiting to die." He looked over his shoulder at the door. "Maybe I should be with my dad."

"Tim, you can do what you want. But do you wanna know why this makes sense to me?"

"Why, Charlie?"

"Because we've been through everything together. It's part of the reason I got so mad when you followed us to Arcadia without telling anyone."

She wanted to smack him; Tim could tell by the way Charlotte clenched her fist. He surmised she only held back out of respect for others praying. _Which is what_ we're _supposed to be doing._

"I'm sorry it upset you, but I can't apologize for showing up. Well...except for Tariq." Tim grimaced with the name. "They still don't know if he's going to live. But if anyone's blood can make a difference, it's yours, Charlie. Thanks for donating."

"That was a no-brainer, Tim. Don't act like I did anything heroic. I don't want him to die anymore than you do, but itoko, you aren't responsible for what happened."

"He wouldn't have been there," he reminded her.

"But what if _you_ hadn't been there?" she whispered fiercely. "What if your dad had chased after the Vaga with our Ojisans like they wanted to?"

"I don't know. Maybe it would have ended last night, instead of like this."

"Or maybe they _all_ would have fallen under that stupid fusion. You can't say it wouldn't be worse. I won't let you internalize the guilt like you have other things."

Tim ducked his head with sudden embarrassment. "I couldn't hide it, even though I tried."

"What do you mean?"

"My dad knows. Not everything, but the Vaga told him I tried to kill myself. Bahri heard a couple of their men discussing it too. Safe to say, the secret's out."

Charlotte's breath hitched nervously. "And...are you okay?"

He shook his head. "Don't have a choice. We haven't technically talked about it yet, but he couldn't keep me from finding out he knew."

"Maybe that's not a bad thing, Tim. I honestly think you'll be better off."

"I know I will be, if we survive this," he couldn't resist adding. "I was already a little relieved he found out. But I'm also grateful you were willing to protect me, Charlie. I shouldn't have asked you to."

"I never thought keeping everything under wraps was the best thing for you, but I couldn't lay it out either." Charlotte looked back, fixing on the entrance of the room. "What are we waiting for, Tim? Do you have any idea?"

"None. I saw nothing, and I know nothing, except that an annoying part of me doesn't want us to take action. Yet. It could be meaningless. I don't know why anyone would listen to me."

"Tim, you have to quit it."

"Quit what, Charlie?"

"You know darn good and well why people listen to you."

"Doesn't mean they should. There's a good chance we'd be better off heading for the hills, but what are we doing? Sitting here, based on nothing but a feeling."

"You aren't the only one who got that feeling. Bahri and Liran strongly agreed with it. Do you think I only followed you to provide moral support?"

"I don't know, Charlotte. Why did you?"

"Because I have faith in you, _and_ the One you hear from."

"Not everything I hear or feel comes from God. A lot of the time, it's the exact opposite. If I only..." Tim trailed off when he caught the Hiryn watching them, and nodded sheepishly. "I think we better shut up, Charlie. Looks like we're being a distraction.

The purple-masked turtle made eye contact with Liran too. "He doesn't look upset, Tim."

The blue-masked turtle still stiffened when the legatus came to join them. "We'll keep it down," he offered awkwardly, knowing the alien didn't grasp a word he said.

Liran returned with a smile, and held out a hand to both of them. Charlotte accepted readily, and nudged Tim to do the same. The alien dwarfed them, even though he remained on his knees, but his proximity wasn't intimidating.

Tim dropped beside him and managed to lock eyes with his cousin one more time before she bowed her head. His gaze went unfocused while he searched for his own words to pray.

 _I don't know what to say. If I could speak every language in existence, it still wouldn't feel sufficient. But the point isn't to earn favor. Deep down, I know God never comes through for us because we talk Him into it. There's nothing to fall on except mercy._

The slightly singsong baritone of their alien counterpart was soothing in a way that eased some of Tim's remaining tension. He found himself listening to the sound intently, in spite of being unable to decipher what he said. The enjoyment brought an unexpected smile, and spurred him to try praying again.

 _What I can accomplish has nothing to do with what_ You're _capable of. I don't know what's happening outside, but as long as You're with us, it doesn't seem to matter as much. Or at all. We can't control the Vagari, or what they'll do with any of us. But that Vaga is no prophet. His desires aren't reality. Not yet. He can be stopped. Maybe not by me or anyone present. Not knowing the plan doesn't mean there isn't one._

 _If You could save us, I'd appreciate it. Or if the choice is to gather us all up, it would be better than letting them use my family to hurt anyone else. I'm open to either. Only don't abandon the Universes to this wretched race who's entirely...manipulated._

Tim's eyes opened with sudden understanding. _They're not the source of all evil, God. I get that. The real battle isn't against them, but we still need your help to win. You can do anything. This is impossible where we're concerned, and has been from the start. But You never let the hope completely die, not even when we were prisoners without a way out. You made it happen then, like I believe you will now._

* * *

 ***Psalm 92:2-14**


	136. Divided

Muhsin's anticipation was so great by that point, he was experiencing difficulty in standing still. To be on the brink of carrying out everything which had been planned was exciting, while also frightening. He'd questioned himself several times during the intense process, but the events of the night before in Arcadia served only to confirm what needed to be carried out.

He was surprised to feel a tinge of sadness, but was able to quell the urge without any trouble. Muhsin smiled easily at the Vaga when Arzhan stepped off the ship to join him on the ridge overlooking the scenic valley.

" _What a marvelous place_ ," Arzhan mentioned. " _Here we were living in that accursed city, while Ghyath and his Nalikjan harbored one of Zuhur's only treasures."_

Muhsin looked down, but instead of focusing on the foliage or river, his eyes went to the troops already arrayed in the canyon and moving into position. _"If it's a demonstration of power you want to achieve, I'd say you've done it, Vaga. I sincerely doubt we will need this many men to contain them, especially with the addition of the droids."_

 _"Do you know why they're all here, Kumne?"_

 _"I thought you were making a point."_

 _"When we are together as one, we can't be stopped, Muhsin. The beauty of us gathering this way, along with the reserves, is the honor it paints for our race. It's especially striking in the face of the Elohim's disappointing weakness. How could we possibly fail?"_

The Kumne hesitated. _"There are circumstances under which we could be challenged, Vaga. It's part of the reason I didn't understand your motivation for allowing them to first lay waste to Arcadia, and then the opportunity to run away."_

 _"But you know why now, don't you? They were defeated from the moment they set foot in the city and handed Ghyath over to me. The fools had no idea what we're capable of. They were so distraught by the plight of the hopeless Ruairi, they chose not to protect themselves._

 _"They'll pay the price for it, and as for the terrapins...Since the fusion is complete, the last remaining hurdle will be mass production of dunamis. I'm confident in Crael-Pachal's ability to reproduce the gene independently."_

Muhsin folded his arms. " _Our forces are only meant to retrieve the terrapins then."_

 _"I have no purpose for the rest of the Nalikjan, though I'm inclined to allow Ghyath and some of their leadership to suffer a while longer."_

 _"There will still be losses on our side."_ The Kumne huffed sullenly, hurt resurfacing from the day before.

 _"That's why I'm only sending droids inside their stronghold, and drones issuing serafine."_

 _"Are you that certain the terrapins will not kill themselves before allowing anyone to get their hands on them?"_

Arzhan nodded. _"Regardless of what the young one did, they retain hope, Kumne. As long as they believe they have a chance to escape us, they won't take such permanent action."_

Muhsin glanced back at the small ship accompanying theirs, straining to see the pilot.

" _What are the nerves I sense within you, Muhsin?"_ Arzhan ventured curiously. " _You don't believe the legendaries or Nalikjan can actually oppose us."_

 _"No, Vaga, I don't think they can defeat our army. But that doesn't mean there aren't other concerns."_

 _"What concerns, Kumne?"_

Muhsin sent a rapid look to the air ships hovering over the canyon en mass. " _None of that will matter when we are through. It has been nothing but a joy to serve you, Vaga."_

 _"And it has been my honor to rely on you, Muhsin. It's why I'm grateful to share this moment with you, more than any other."_

 _"I'm not the only one who wishes to share it,"_ Muhsin told him. _"The rest of the Embilh* desire to join us. Would you be opposed?" (Counsel)_

 _"I'm not."_ Arzhan looked surprised, but then pleased. _"Are you behind this? It is an inspiring thought to bring us all together on this precipice, most fitting for the occasion."_

 _"Yes, Vaga. I agree wholeheartedly."_

At Arzhan's motion, his counsel descended from the other ship. They approached the pair with the dignity expected, although Muhsin knew they must have harbored some nerves from the atmosphere.

 _"We questioned from the beginning whether your actions with the terrapins would yield a beneficial result,"_ Banr-Sadhu offered. " _But now we're sure of the potential they offer our race."_

Crael-Quadir bowed his head deeply. _"We have failed to see many things. But our next course of action couldn't be more clear."_

 _"Embilh, watch with us,"_ the Vaga invited, waving for the group to join them near the ridge. _"We can see everything unfold from here. Let us give praise to glorious Nature, for a victory as great as this!"_

The Vagari drew closer in a huddle while Arzhan raised his hands.

 _"Wondrous Creator, we stand in awe of the marvelous gifts you have not only provided, but enabled us to take hold of. With this honor in mind, we join together to finish what was begun. As one unit we now stand-"_

The Vaga's sharp gasp made Muhsin take a step backward, though he felt no alarm. The group parted at once around him, revealing the scimitar buried in Arzhan's stomach. The one present who _didn't_ belong to the Counsel threw back the hood of his covering.

" _Did you see_ that _coming, esteemed Vaga?_ " Varij's voice dripped with disdain.

Muhsin coolly stood by, interested to see how Arzhan would react.

 _"You seem surprised,"_ Varij noted. " _Did you in fact forget that an Arsiterite blade can easily pierce armor of the same make?"_

The Vaga had no words as he staggered backwards, and no one made an attempt to break his fall. Muhsin, however, still felt the need to approach him.

 _"We gave you so many chances, Arzhan. In some ways, you were the greatest leader our people ever knew. I myself loved you as a father. But your loyalty to our kind faltered in your fear of ruthlessness. You never grasped the necessity of certain sacrifices._

 _"Your heart, though often admirable, has made you weaker with time. For you love Creation, these physical things, more than your own people. It's time to put the Vagari first, and you aren't willing to do that._

 _"It's why you've forced us to arrest control from your hands. I don't enjoy this, Arzhan. It was never what I wanted. I would have preferred for you to come to your senses. But we're willing to make sacrifices where you are not."_

The shock in his silent leader's eyes was a _little_ rewarding.

 _"The ability to discern emotions and thoughts of the heart is a great advantage. You failed, however, to grasp their true intent. And you thought I was the one that possessed no insight, Arzhan. But it was you who couldn't detect what was happening behind your back, because you were choosing to chase_ legends _."_ Muhsin glanced at Varij and nodded. _"You can finish it. You stood up to him where few others would have. The right is yours."_

Muhsin looked away briefly as the Safyni's scimitar descended a second time. After a beat of hesitation, he forced himself to watch the vagari mercilessly slay the one he'd looked up to his entire life. _"I thank you, Varij, for freeing us all."_

The vagari sent him a disturbing smile. _"I hunger for more, Muhsin."_

 _"You will have the opportunity to be satisfied,"_ he assured him. _"The attack will commence, but the marching orders are amended. I want their stronghold torn apart, and every last one of them dead."_

Sadhu made a hand signal of deference. " _Will you make the announcement to our brothers?"_

 _"I will broadcast to all after the siege is finished. This nightmare which began years ago is finally ending. We will lay waste to those who dwell on this miserable planet, and make for a better region._ After _we have ravaged the worthless world from which the aliens came."_

 _"Do you want me to communicate with Arcadia?"_ Aljiv-Pavak suggested.

 _"You may tell them to begin dispatching Elohim, and those former prisoners which remain between humans and Ducaz. Arzhan was correct in his assessment. Our former brothers are an unnecessary stain. Even those who cooperated with us initially must be removed."_

The soft clicking of a com-link captured Muhsin's attention, and he retrieved his leader's fallen communicator. Replacing the earpiece, he immediately answered it.

 _"This is Muhsin."_

 _"It is our Vaga I seek,"_ a voice returned with an accusatory note. " _This is Kumne-Kailas. I will stand by to wait for_ him. _"_

 _"Kailas, I regret to inform you that our glorious leader is not available. He made himself too vulnerable here, whereas the rest of us wanted to keep him behind the closed doors of Central."_

 _"Do you think me blind, Muhsin, or do you honestly believe no one knows what you've done?"_

Muhsin lifted his eyes to the air ships, one of which he knew was commanded by the Kumne in question. _"I think you have no knowledge of what's been taking place in your absence with the reserves, Kailas. While you ran errands for the Vaga, I was watching him crumble and weaken with every passing day. He betrayed our race. Allowed these creatures of his obsession to slay our people without mercy, while he_ watched _. I warned you his mind was breaking, before you ever arrived."_

 _"You said we would discuss a course of action, but now you have gone and committed his murder on your own."_

 _"I committed nothing,"_ Muhsin corrected. " _I have a new, faithful assassin to thank for it."_ He offered a smile to his partner.

Varij ran a finger over the stained blade of his scimitar. " _I'm still not satisfied."_

 _"I know, Varij. Patience. I will let you kill as many as your heart desires."_

 _"You never made these intentions clear,"_ Kailas continued _. "With good reason, I see. What did you think would happen today, Muhsin? You would wrest control from Arzhan, and everyone else would simply follow after you?"_

Muhsin straightened his shoulders with indignance. " _Of all those with a call to rule, I have better claim than any of them. Who spent more time at our Vaga's side than I? Who arranged an insurrection against an empath, without him being aware? If I take this position for myself, it's because I deserve it, Kailas!"_

 _"You deserve it? Because you laid at his side night and day like a faithful animal?"_ Kailas scoffed. _"Arzhan kept you near him because he had no other use for you. You existed only to stroke his ego. If he truly respected you or your abilities, he would have given you honest work to complete. As for myself, I served in countless galaxies, actually carrying out the Vaga's directive for dominion."_

 _"I've had missions,"_ he retorted. _"I have commanded thousands. My hands retrieved terrapin warriors, where none other was successful."_

 _"You are a servant, Muhsin – not a Vaga. Neither myself nor anyone I command will ever take a knee to such a blithering follower. You have contributed nothing to our race, but for being the Vaga's original pet."_

Kailas' derisive laughter made Muhsin clench both fists.

" _That's your real problem with the legendaries, isn't it, Muhsin? They are not merely detestable aliens from a corrupt planet. They were going to take your place."_

 _"I make my own place!"_ Muhsin shouted. _"If anyone wishes to challenge me, I welcome them to try."_

 _"You think that wise? What makes you believe the army stands ready to heed you?"_

 _"Who else would rule in Arzhan's stead? You?"_ Muhsin tried to laugh louder than Kailas had. " _For what purpose would our people look to you, when I have the backing of the Counsel?"_

 _"Ah, but do you have the love of the people?"_

 _"They have no cause to be against me, Kailas."_

 _"Would you take a moment to look down, Muhsin?"_

The former Kumne exchanged a glance with the Embilh, who looked as clueless as he felt. Muhsin took a step closer to the edge of the cliff to gaze over the side, and was stunned by the sight of broken troop formations dashing toward the precipice they owned.

" _What are they doing?_ " Muhsin motioned to his companions. " _Does anyone know what's happening? Were the amended orders delivered?"_

 _"Excuse me, Muhsin,"_ Kailas spoke up louder in his ear. " _Perhaps I ought to mention that I've been broadcasting our conversation to every available communication channel. That could explain those who are coming to claim your blood. So you see, if it's leadership you seek, I'm not the only one you need to convince."_

 _"They would no sooner follow you than me at this point!"_ Muhsin bellowed. " _You are instigating a riot, when this was our opportunity for a new beginning!"_

 _"I don't have to force anyone to dislike you, Muhsin. The only reason they paid you respect to begin with was your proximity to the Vaga. Now that you've removed him, did you really think they would love you more?_

 _"Work with me, Muhsin. Your position need not change one iota. You can be my faithful companion, and tell me how wonderful I am for every day from now until the rest of our lives."_

 _"I will never serve one such as you, Kailas!"_

 _"Then I'm afraid you have a few combatants to worry about, Muhsin. Let me know how it goes. If you change your mind, I'll be waiting."_

Muhsin ripped the link out of his ear. _"To the ship! Quickly, brothers!"_

 _"Muhsin, what's happening?"_ Sadhu demanded.

 _"We are betrayed by our own kind, and have no choice but to respond with force. Aren't there still some loyal to our cause?"_

Aljiv-Pavak held out his own earpiece. " _You're aware the entire army heard you and Kailas just now-"_

 _"Yes, I know! Are there any loyal?"_

 _"I must make contact with Quoh-Shriram on the ground again, but I'm confident his troops along with Mrigesh, Ibhya, Nattik and Ekien stand behind us."_

 _"Have them scramble to ships!"_ Muhsin directed, while racing aboard his own craft. _"We need to get as many in the air as possible to mount an offensive. Kailas thinks he can walk in here and take charge, but he has no idea how far our scheme for insurrection swept."_

In spite of the danger, Muhsin couldn't bring himself to sit down. He remained standing behind his own Quoh, even as the vagari pulled the ship off the ridge.

 _"Where do you want me to head?"_ Quadir asked over his shoulder. _"The mood of those gathering calls for some backtracking, in my opinion."_

 _"No, we can't retreat, or even our friends will not fight for us. This is the moment when we have to stand strongest. I will_ show _them I am worthy!"_ Muhsin insisted, then turned around to look for the Aljiv. " _Pavak, is there any response from allies on the ground?"_

 _"They are taking action against those rushing the mountain, and every available Quoh is making for ships."_

Muhsin shook his head distastefully. " _I didn't want this sort of mess, yet I suppose it can't be helped. But for the pride of this wandering Kumne, we wouldn't be dissolving into such madness."_

He looked out the window, and his spirit was eased by the counter-offensive meeting those who were climbing the mountain. _"I will say, this makes it easier to discern who is actually loyal. Once the fighting is over, only those who stand with us will get to keep breathing."_

The response of hovering air ships firing into the new formations on the ground was disheartening, but Muhsin reasoned that their own crafts would be in position to act soon.

 _"I'm going to have to take evasive action, Muhsin!"_ Quadir told him. " _I suggest you find a harness, and quickly!"_

The vagari took a couple of deep breaths while slipping through the small corridor which separated his Quoh from the main cabin. He hesitated there in the darkness for a few moments, gathering his courage.

 _I can't allow the others to see fear in me, not if they are going to find me capable. I've earned this right. I'm ruthless and determined, where the Vaga was sentimental and swayed by love for beautiful things and places. Under my guidance, our people will decimate more than ever before._

When he lifted his head from thought, Muhsin found Varij standing silently in front of him. " _We should find our seats. The air is not going to be a friendly place for us."_

 _"Muhsin, I'm not satisfied."_

He stretched an arm to circle around Varij's shoulder. _"I know. We will kill those offensive Nalikjan and the terrapins, after we have taken down those who challenge our right to rule."_

Varij plucked the kukri off Muhsin's belt. " _You favor this weapon_."

" _I always have. I find it to be an effective tool,_ " he agreed.

The keen edge of the curved blade lanced suddenly across Muhsin's throat without warning or explanation.

" _I_ will _be satisfied_."

Varij's sadistic laughter was the last thing Muhsin heard. _  
_


	137. Wait

Raphael couldn't deny being intimidated by the sounds of attack he could hear from inside the tunnel, though he hadn't admitted it out loud. He was prepared for the probability of death, just like the _last_ huge battle they'd undertaken on Zuhur, but the action was taking longer to catch up with them this time.

 _I'm not in a hurry to die or see anyone else get hurt, but waiting around is the pits._

The rage that filled him for what had been done to his older brother and Elohim friends made Raph wish he had ten seconds with the Vaga. _Even if I didn't get to walk away, it'd probably be worth it. Problem is, doesn't seem like anyone's escaping this time. We shoulda figured they did something weird to Ghyath, the way he was acting. If we'd-_

The grim inner dialogue was interrupted by an exclamation from Alarid in his own tongue.

"What?" the red-masked turtle demanded. "What's it doing?" He pointed to the crystalline tablet in the elohim's hand, which had been fairly useless to that point. "Thing isn't working, right?"

"Vagari were hampering our reception, but now-"

"Now what?" Mike didn't let the alien finish, peering over his shoulder in a way which would have been impossible if Alarid weren't sitting down.

"I do not know what is going on. It makes no sense."

Raphael crouched beside the elohim with a grunt. "We're used to bad news, Alarid. Lay it on us."

"Terrapin, look!" he returned firmly. "See what is happening, and try to explain it yourself."

Raph stared down at the screen, cringing at the monstrosity of an airship firing on the ground. _It's all that's waiting for us. Can we get this over with sooner than later?_

"Raphael, pay attention," Alarid urged.

While the red-masked turtle fixed on the monitor again, Alarid panned the footage further out so he could see what the ship was attacking. His mouth dropped as rows of droids were incinerated with a single blast.

"Alarid, what are they doing?"

"I cannot fathom that any more than you."

"Can you go any wider?" Mike requested. "What else can the drone see?"

The elohim pulled his tablet closer to make an adjustment, but his following gasp was louder than the initial cry. Raphael wrenched the device away from him and did a double-take on the vision of ships exchanging fire.

"I don't get it." The orange-masked turtle sounded breathless. "Are they fighting with each other? Or is that someone else?"

Alarid shifted on his knees near Raphael. "Vagari are fighting with Vagari. I cannot tell you _why_."

Mutely, Raphael pressed the tablet back into the alien's hands and got to his feet.

Alarid immediately jumped up. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going out there."

"Terrapin, you cannot!"

"No, Alarid. Something weird is going on, and sitting here won't tell us anything!"

"You swore you would not leave without the others-"

"I ain't leaving! I just wanna see some of this with my own eyes. You want to go, Mikey?" Raphael didn't need to ask. The way his younger brother had never sat down to begin with indicated he was in favor of the idea.

"We should not do this," Alarid insisted. "You will make yourself a visible target."

"Then show us how to get a better vantage point," Raph challenged. "If you've got any ideas, don't hold 'em back, or we'll forge our own path."

"Blessed El," the elohim muttered, tucking the tablet under his arm. "You are the most impatient kind I have ever encountered."

Mike laughed. "Did you just realize that? Are you leading the way, or should we head out by ourselves?"

"We should not 'head out' at all." The elohim stalked down the hall instead of tracking the direction of the outdoors.

"So we're doing this alone then?" Raphael called after him.

"No!" Alarid shot back with frustration. "You need to follow me."

The red-masked turtle felt suspicious, but chased the alien down. Mike begrudgingly followed, though he looked no happier about going further into the interior of the stronghold.

"We must get higher," the alien explained. "There are places where we could see more of the surrounding countryside without being obviously exposed to the enemy."

"Why didn't you say so?" Raph demanded.

"Because I do not agree with this move. We were not supposed to perform reconnaissance. We were told to wait."

"I'm not suggesting we bum-rush 'em, Alarid." It was what Raphael would feel like doing if he caught wind of anyone on their mountain, but there was no reason to mention it.

Alarid led them to a transporter and sighed with a deep shudder. "I do not like this. Their drones could already be among us, and we would not know. It seems that nowhere is safe."

"Worrying ain't gonna change it," Raph said stoically. "Forget about everything that could go wrong and already has, okay?"

The elohim leaned against the wall in sudden defeat. "Since we are going to die, I wish it would happen faster. Hiding here will not help, so why _does_ it matter if we go outside?"

Raphael punched the alien's shoulder without thinking, and startled Alarid severely. He still scowled at the cringing technician. "We're not dead-set on giving up!"

"Nor am I," he offered weakly. "But with those already lost and the uncertainty of what will happen next...it would be easier, Raphael. Death is the one thing we do not need to fear, because I am confident of being found in El's hands. It is somehow surviving and being forced to live with these consequences that I dread. I wish we had done _something_ worthwhile."

The red-masked turtle looked down. The recent death of Alarid's closest friend made him feel bad for striking the discouraged alien.

"Ghysis didn't die for nothing," Mike volunteered. "It wasn't what anyone wanted, but you can't call it a waste. He destroyed more of their machines in one move than the rest of us combined. He might have gone down with them, but Ghysis made the enemy pay for it, big time."

It was Alarid's turn to gaze at the floor. "He was braver than I would have been. Now it comes to this, and I feel guilty for hiding when it seems we should take action. The problem is not knowing the steps to take, or what the Vagari's strategy is. I cannot understand why they would turn on one another."

"That's why we gotta go up." Raphael nudged his side. "And you're not guilty, Alarid."

The elohim said nothing when the transporter stopped, but he was the first to walk off.

Raphael was distracted by the jagged edges of the angular ceiling which struck the turtle as a deathtrap, but since Alarid was indifferent, he tried to ignore them. Their guide's silence persisted while he led the way around the perimeter of the room at a pace that left the red-masked turtle irritated. He was ready to break free from the alien entirely, but fought down the annoyance to stay behind him and keep his mouth shut. A glance back confirmed his youngest brother was on the verge of detonating too.

The hallway through which Alarid chose to exit had lower ceilings than Raphael anticipated, resulting in the elohim needing to duck. The alien froze up at a particularly loud explosion, which was followed by two more that echoed down the corridor.

"Well, if the world's gonna end, let's have a front row seat," Mike muttered.

Raph fixed his brother with a look, which the orange-masked turtle brushed off. Their journey slowed to a rate which drove him nearly out of his mind. Raphael gritted his teeth, but refused to complain about it. Instead, he started moving faster to give Alarid incentive to stay ahead of him. Mike fell in to step directly to his right, so both turtles practically propelled the timid alien to the end of the tunnel.

Alarid stopped short of the exit with a deep breath. "You can look," he told them. "I am going to need a little more time."

Raphael didn't need a second invitation to bypass their guide. He rapidly circled the elohim to get outside, and was instantly consumed by the acrid scent of smoke. He ventured across the covered ledge, creeping up on the cliff which extended to an overlook. The unobstructed view for miles in every direction went unnoticed in the face of the carnage taking place everywhere he looked.

He didn't hear Michelangelo arrive, so his brother's laugh was jarring. "Dude. They're destroying their own army. Who does that?"

Raph started to shrug, but couldn't take his eyes off the sight of multiple battles being waged from within the group. It was impossible to determine the motivation or reasoning behind any of it, but it left him with nagging fear about what would follow.

 _Maybe we ought to be taking this chance to run while they're caught up with each other. But that freakin' fusion inside Leo and Ghyath means they could track our movement, the same way they found us here. I'm not leaving them behind either. Rather die with 'em than desert someone. Where does that leave us? Sitting here like stumps on a log until they finish fighting each other, so the leftovers can take us out? That seems stupid too, but I don't know what the shell to do._

In the end, he reached for the link hooked to his belt, and called his purple-masked brother. "Donny, what's going on down there?"

"Exploratory surgery," he retorted darkly. "Hands off on our part. The equipment is scanning both of them, but we haven't found anything yet. Dare I ask what you're doing?"

"We're sitting out here watching the bad guys kill each other."

"You're _what?_ "

"Don, they are full-blown wailing on their own troops. It don't make no sense, but you need to see this for..." He faltered as a ship screamed overhead, spinning dangerously fast in its descent.

Raphael automatically ducked on the ledge along with his brother, while the craft plummeted past them to the ground in a fiery display.

" _Raph!"_ Donatello's voice called him back to the link he was nearly crushing in his group. "Where are you?!"

"We're watching these idiots kill each other," he reiterated. "Donny, you've got to see this."

"You need to get your shells back inside before I send Jayden up to deal with you!"

The idea of his brother siccing the sixteen-year-old on them instead of coming himself made Raph snicker.

"That's it! I'm releasing the Kracken!"

"You do that, bro. While you're at it, why dontcha get your shell up here too? You really are missing something huge."

* * *

The afternoon was going down as one of the strangest Michelangelo could remember. The sick feeling never left his gut while watching various battles unfold across the valley, but there was solidarity in having most of the clan with them.

Donatello only stayed a few minutes to observe, but Olivia, Nate and Jayden remained with the older turtles to see things as they continued to unfold.

The number of crashed airships had already ignited several fires, which were on the verge of combining. That alone left Mike reason for serious concern. He shot a glance to where the elohim was still hovering in the doorway.

"Dude, are we in that much danger? If the fire keeps getting bigger, we'll probably need to hustle everyone out of here. Should we be doing it now?"

"I cannot say what we should do," Alarid answered quietly, finally stepping onto the ledge to stare at building flames. "But I have been watching the fire for some time." He held up his tablet. "The three drones I sent returned unexpected results."

"In what way?" Nate spoke up.

"Ever since the fires started, the wind shifted," Alarid pointed out. "Did you not notice?"

Michelangelo honestly hadn't, but he wasn't going to tell him that.

"It was traveling from east to west, and now the currents take the opposite direction. I can see it spreading as we speak, but from what I can determine, it has not threatened the woodlands surrounding Cri Drojen. That could change without warning, but it is yet another perplexing aspect of this assault. Which, for whatever reason, has failed to involve any of us yet."

Jayden snorted loudly. "They probably won't have to. They keep it up at this rate, they'll just kill each other."

"Unlikely," Olivia stated. "There will be a winner, and we have to be ready for them. Doesn't anyone else think we should gather up the other warriors? Prepare for the inevitable? It's cool to watch, and every one that goes down is less for us to deal with, but still...This feels silly."

"Warriors are standing by," Alarid said. "They await command to move, but there is still no consensus for when we should depart."

"The last thing we should do is depart," Nate declared. "We shouldn't go anywhere near that mess. Maybe if we had about twenty more Jaydens." He tapped his gigantic cousin teasingly.

Liv wasn't amused. "What am I, chopped liver?"

"No, we'd need more of you too," Nate assured her, unaffected by Olivia's irritation. "But seriously. I think it's better to wait until they demonstrate an impending threat."

"This is the threat!" Olivia cried. "Waiting could make us too late. Dad, are you really okay with this?"

"Kouen, I don't know what else to do," Raph said honestly. "I don't have any bright ideas, and this is kinda bigger than we are. Instead of trying to make sense of it, I say we let them focus on each other for as long as possible."

"But they're gonna come after us!" she persisted.

"Olivia, breathe," Nate said softly. "Look around us. Does this seem normal to you?"

"No! But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do something."

Raphael's arm encircled her shoulder. "I wanna fly off this mountain as much as you, Liv, but this is too much. We couldn't make a dent in the guys they have left if we tried. Once they're coming for us, we've got no choice, but until then...I don't think we ought to leave either."

The twenty-year-old sniffed. "Is this really how it's gonna end?"

Mike came on his niece's other side. "Does it look like it's ending? This isn't what anybody expected, but we still-"

A bright flash in the gathering dusk cut the orange-masked turtle off, and sent him diving to the ground with the others for whatever protection it would provide from an onslaught. The resulting shock wave hit them in seconds, and made Mike glad they'd already flattened.

Michelangelo lifted his head cautiously, ears ringing with a high pitched hum that made it hard to hear anything else, and found himself beside Nate. The eighteen-year-old was slowly drawing up on his knees, his gaze fixed on the valley.

"What was it?" Nate seemed to yell, but Mike barely heard him.

Alarid stumbled their direction frantically. "It may have been a weapon, but it is difficult to tell!" He glanced down at the tablet in his hands and caught his breath sharply. "We should go inside."

"Why?" Jayden barely seemed bothered. "We've got a great view here."

"I think it is _too_ good, terrapins. Get up, please!"

Alarid's desperate tone lent Mike reason to obey without understanding why. The rest of the turtles weren't far behind, though Jayden appeared the most disappointed.

"I was enjoying watching them massacre each other," the purple-masked teen complained. "It's like a horror movie in reverse."

"It's not funny!" Olivia was indignant. "They could still come after us in a heartbeat!"

"Come in, all the way!" the elohim ordered. "I am going to shut the door."

"Alarid, what's going on?" Raphael slipped through the kids to get to the alien's side. "Why are you acting like this all the sudden?"

"You can call this a feeling, terrapin, but I would prefer not to ignore it. We have not witnessed the extent of the Piuti's technology. That last display leaves me concerned for what could be coming, and I doubt anyone ought to be exposed to it. If you will excuse me..."

Alarid separated himself to reach someone else on his link, while the turtles settled down in the semi-darkness of the corridor to wait for him.

Mike looked around for Nate, and was surprised by the teen's half grin. "What's that look for, bud?"

"It's funny, that's all. The minute you think you've got things figured out, they take another weird turn. Shouldn't surprise any of us, but it still does."

"What did you think you had figured out?" Olivia's full annoyance emerged with the question.

Nate wasn't offended. "How many times have the Nalikjan been saved, Liv? How often have we seen stuff we couldn't explain in the last few weeks? The solution felt obvious. Wasn't anyone else wondering what kind of storm would pop up to the rescue this time?" The way the youth snickered made Mike snort too. "What are the odds that the enemy will stand out there and destroy each other before they make it this far?"

"I doubt we're that lucky," Olivia warned.

"You gotta admit, it's hilarious," Jayden inserted. "Just a little?"

"How is it hilarious when they have all the time in the world to attack, while we aren't reacting in the least?"

"We will react," Raph chimed in louder. "If they set one foot on this mountain, you got my permission to go off on 'em, Liv."

"How would we know?" she challenged. "They could be outside now. Anyone think of that?"

"I have full access to monitors," Alarid filled in. "The Vagari were disrupting our signal, but in the course of their disagreements, the obstruction to our feed vanished. I can see everything, Olivia. It is the reason I wanted _all_ the doors shut. The fire in the valley is growing wild and consuming airships. That is partially why we are now safer behind solid walls."

"Where'd the last flash come from?" Jayden asked.

"I have a feeling it had something to do with one of the larger ships. Without knowing the technology they harbor, it is hard to know what to expect. We are locking down, just in case."

"Well, can we at least hang out with the other warriors?" Liv sounded exasperated. "If they're in a position to move, we should be with them."

Michelangelo was inclined to agree with Nate's assessment that their current situation was anything but random, yet also wanted to settle his niece down. "I'm up for heading down," he agreed.

"Let's all go!" Jayden laughed. "We can have a warrior party."

"I don't understand how any of you aren't taking this seriously." Liv fumed. "We could be minutes from death."

"What better way to spend it?" the purple-masked turtle suggested tongue-in-cheek.

"I can think of a few ways," she answered unhappily.

Olivia's far away look was easy for Mike to empathize with. He wanted to comfort his niece, but it was impossible to provide real reassurance. He was wracking his brain to come up with something, when the sound of an immense explosion penetrated rock walls, and felt like it literally shook the mountain.

Mike searched rapidly for something to steady his frame, but in the end, found himself on the ground again ducking his head for cover. The length of the tremor seemed to go on and on, until he began praying it _would_ cease. Light fixtures phased and flickered, then they were plunged into pitch darkness until Alarid ignited his kliom.

"Alarid, what's happening?" Raph barked.

"I cannot be certain! I think we have lost our drones." The elohim held up his tablet. "I am getting no signal from them."

"Which could be good or bad, depending on how you see it," Jayden ventured.

"Whatever happened, it's not good for anyone outside," Nate added. "At the moment, that's the only thing that matters."


	138. Outside

Jayden was tired, but not from the general lack of sleep everyone had experienced. The young turtle was dying to know what was happening outside, particularly since they couldn't hear any of it. He hadn't made the "mistake" of asking if they could emerge for at least three hours, but the manner in which _both_ of his uncles were pacing indicated it would be a good time to tempt them once more.

 _Or I could turn the duty over to someone more diplomatic._

The purple-masked turtle snuck a glance at Nate, and nudged his side unobtrusively. "It's your turn," he hissed.

His cousin gave him a wary look and responded softly. "My turn for what?"

"Don't you wanna know what's going on outdoors? I've asked to go about a dozen times, and they keep shooting me down. I think you're overdue for attempting it."

"They won't listen to me any more than you."

"So you don't care what's happening either?"

"That's not what I said. But I'm also not in a hurry to face whatever's left of their army."

"Nate, c'mon. Something weird has been going on for hours. You can't tell me you aren't done with sitting around."

"It's not my decision."

"Well, it kinda is. Jonin put you in charge of us."

"And we still have to listen to them." Nate indicated Raphael and Michelangelo with a glance.

"But they'll listen to you more than the rest of us, because you've got such a great head. Nate, will you at least try?"

The eighteen-year-old sighed. "I guess it'll get you off my shell for a while, if nothing else."

Nate rose suddenly, simultaneously dusting off his hands while addressing their older counterparts. "Aren't we being a little irresponsible hunkering down here?"

The question earned a scowl from Raphael. "Not as 'irresponsible' as running off would be. Alarid told us to stay put."

"That made sense, hours ago," Nathaniel countered. "Now, not so much. We haven't heard anything like those initial blasts since they went off. There's no telling what's going on outside. Doesn't it make sense to get more information?"

"We're not disagreeing..." Raph hesitated strangely.

"Well, technically we're not," Mike agreed. "But we're also not doing anything. I'm on the same page as the boys. We've been sitting here for too long."

"I don't wanna sit either." The red-masked turtle fumed. "But we got told to do something, and Leo would expect us to listen."

"Do you really think Jonin would obey this order?" the orange-masked teen challenged. "Think about it, Ojisan. One of the best parts of being a vigilante is getting to do things our way, in our own timing. These Elohim might know a lot more than us, but none of them can figure out what's happening either. The only way we will is by leaving."

Michelangelo punched his brother's shoulder, and the look the red-masked turtle gave him told Jayden they were on the verge of cooperating.

"There's no point in hiding forever," Jayden ventured. "I mean, if the baddies are still out there, they'll get this far eventually. Let's beat them to the punch."

"I'm gonna get blamed for this – I just know it," Raph muttered.

Jayden pumped a fist excitedly. "You can pin it on us, Ojisan. Let Nate and I have a head start, and then you'll be forced to chase down the impetuous teenagers."

"We need to move before I have any more time to think about it," the older turtle insisted.

"I like it best when you aren't thinking, Raphie." Mike chortled.

Jayden snickered when the larger turtle caught Michelangelo by the mask tails.

"You ain't no help at all, Mikey."

"Because I wanna go too! You want to stay behind, be my guest, bro."

Raphael gave the smaller turtle a shove toward the door. "Would you start by keeping your voice down? If we're getting out, it'll mean sneaking past a bunch of Elohim."

Jayden raised his hand. "There are several ways to get out, and most people don't use all of 'em. Charlie showed me one we could take advantage of."

Raphael stared him down. "You're _sure_ you know the way?"

The purple-masked teen almost took offense to his doubt, right before Nate spoke up for him.

"She gave us an extensive tour, and we know the markers to look for. We'll show you through the tunnel, if you can bring yourselves to trust us," his orange-masked cousin finished pointedly.

Raph grimaced apologetically. "Okay. Well, you guys are gonna have to guide us then."

Jayden stepped to the side and nodded to Nate. "Take us out, Chokkan."

His cousin shot him a grin over his shoulder while exiting the room. "We're acting like we've been cooped up for a week."

"That's what it felt like, with all the crap going on outside and in," Raphael grumbled.

Jayden resisted the urge to ask his uncles to call the Lab over the link again. _If my dad had any good news, he would have shared it. Nothing to do except wait for something to happen. But I'm glad we're done waiting_ here.

* * *

The silence was the thing which struck Jayden repeatedly on their underground journey. He wasn't dying for explosions, but the lack of discernible activity was disturbing, especially as they neared the end of the tunnel.

Traces of sunlight signified where the opening existed, but it wasn't until they were almost upon it that Jayden recalled everything had been locked down long beforehand. Though they'd come this far without being detected by allies, it didn't seem the last step would be possible without some assistance.

Nate exchanged a nervous glance with him and then cleared his throat. "Are we gonna call for someone to open the door?"

"Yeah, but we gotta ask the right way," Mike wheedled. "I've got this, guys."

Raphael's incredulous expression spoke for all of them.

"Give me the link, Raph," the orange-masked turtle persisted. "I can get them to unlock the door, but the kids need to hide first."

Jayden shared another look with his cousin, before dropping into the shadows with a shrug. He watched from the darkness while the red-masked turtle reluctantly gave up the radio-link to his chuckling brother.

"What's in your head, Mikey? Do I wanna know?"

"Just be quiet for a second. What channel is Alarid on?"

"It's still open on the right one. You're gonna get us all in trouble."

Michelangelo held up a hand to shush him while adjusting his earpiece. "Yeah, hey, Alarid. Gonna need your help with something...Oh. You are? Well, we're not there anymore...No, see that's the thing. The kids wandered off, and Raph and I have been tracking them down...The old-fashioned ninja way, that's how. But now we've got one of your doors blocking us in...They _are_ outside, Alarid. You can either let us go too, or we'll find a more dangerous way out on our own. It'd be faster for you to do it."

Mike pulled the link away from his mouth to contain a guffaw. Raph cuffed him across the back of the head, and snatched the radio from him.

"Quit messing around, Alarid!" the red-masked turtle ordered. "You open this dang door, or we'll do something crazy that you don't wanna think about." Raphael paused to smirk. "You've got a fix on us? No, we ain't gonna wait on you, but you can't make us sit here either way...Okay, that's cool. Then we'll keep poking around and find our own..." He grinned at once and gave the youth a thumbs up. "We'll be fine, Alarid. You need to chill."

Raph moved toward the door. "You can see us on the security feed, right? We're not gonna stand here forever, Alarid." He motioned for Mike to join him, and gave the barrier an experimental tug.

Jayden beamed when the door slid sideways, and Raphael quickly shoved it completely open.

Mike's high-pitched laugh bounced off the walls. "C'mon, you guys!" he called to the teens.

Jayden innocently emerged with Nate to join the older turtles who were already heading outside, descending toward a small creek-bed.

"Yeah, what do you know?" Raph said casually. "They were here the whole time, Alarid...Nah. We've been locked down long enough. We're gonna find out what's up, and we'll let you know everything we see." He removed the link at once and fixed his brother with another smirk. "Alarid ain't too happy with us."

"Who cares?" Jayden inserted. "We're outside. What's he gonna do? Drag us back in?"

The red-masked turtle snorted. "I dare him to try." He grew more sober in a flash. "We gotta watch it now, 'cause unfriendlies could be anywhere. Let's do this the right way."

Jayden reached for his ono, and caught the reflection of sunlight off his cousin's enhanced blade when he drew it. "So, uh...what do you think the chances are of us getting to use some of that Arsiterite?"

Nate made a face. "You're asking me, as if I have any say in it?"

"I just thought if we all survive this, it'd be cool to get some indestructible weapons out of the gig."

"Indestructible?" Nathaniel angled the blade so the chipped edge was visible.

"Close enough, Chokkan. That thing survived a plasma cannon."

"We ain't the ones who would know, kid," Raphael told him. "And it's not the time to wonder yet. Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut."

The seriousness of his uncle's tone got the sixteen-year-old's attention. He gripped the shaft of his battle ax against his plastron while once more bringing up the rear of the group as they climbed the opposite bank.

Jayden held his breath while ascending the hill, scanning the sky for activity. Now that they were in the open, the possibility of drones struck him. _Dang it. We should have grabbed Kamryn or something. Not thinking doesn't always have advantages._

The heaviness of smoke in the atmosphere added an additional element to the dread of the enemy which could already be stalking them. When the purple-masked teen heard Raphael curse, it brought Jayden up short right before he reached the ridge.

Nate turned around to wave him on. "C'mon, Jay!"

The youngest turtle exhaled shallowly and trailed his orange-masked cousin the rest of the way over the hill. The sight of devastation from the overlook made him forget to breathe for a few seconds. In the distance he could pick out evidence of fires still burning, though nothing appeared to have crossed the boundary line of the river which cut through the valley.

It was as if the water had created an invisible barrier to protect half the canyon from the unbelievable battle which had taken place on the opposite side. _How did the fires not spread?_

The silence persisted from the four turtles for several moments, with nothing but the breeze to fill the quiet space between them. Jayden squinted to make out the remnants of what appeared to be cruisers, but there wasn't any visual proof left of actual invaders.

"Where'd they all go?" the sixteen-year-old finally croaked. "How...What happened here? Why'd they fight with each other at all?"

"I'm not sure it matters," Nate murmured. "But I think the Elohim had better get some more drones in the air for a better look around."

"That ain't all we need to do," Raphael announced grimly. "There's somewhere else we gotta go, and nobody's gonna like it. But after what we saw last night, we've got no choice but to take action."

* * *

Donatello was on the verge of going out of his mind while watching the machine which was still scanning his brother. He was desperate to get hands on the blue-masked turtle himself, especially when the signal from Leonardo's beacon began successfully transmitting medical information.

 _I can't explain why it started working again, but it's the best thing that's happened so far._

Having access to his brother's medical implant combined with the Elohim's technology gave them a better chance of tracking down the intrusive nanomites which had invaded his system.

"Donatello."

The purple-masked turtle's head jerked at the sudden nearness of Lasaro's voice.

"Our monitor pinpointed the source of trauma to his brain stem. I believe we have located the problem."

Don swallowed nervously. "How are we supposed to combat something of this nature without damaging his brain?"

"The automated equipment is far more accurate than any of our hands," the elohim said carefully. "So long as the correct parameters are applied, there is a strong chance of a clean removal."

"What kind of chance? Can you give it to me in numbers?"

"I fail to see how it will help."

"Lasaro, you have to tell me _something_. How am I supposed to trust a machine not to damage my brother's brain stem?"

"I do not ask you to trust a machine, but to put confidence in me."

Donny rubbed his temples wearily. "Okay, well...How does this work?"

"I must first be absolutely positive I am targeting the nanomite itself."

"You have to address one at a time? How long is it gonna take?"

"From what I can determine on the analysis of his data, only the one anomaly exists, Donatello."

"One freaking implant did all of this? My God. What else are they capable of?"

"As I was telling you, once the proper coordinates are confirmed, I can focus the laser in the right place."

"Laser? You didn't say anything about a laser."

"It is more effective than brain surgery, especially since we do not know what to expect from the fusion. This is the best chance we have, Donatello. Do you wish to try another route?"

"Sure, I wish there was a better route. But if it existed, you would have already told me."

"I can do this," the elohim assured him. "With the help of the computer, that is. Will you allow me to proceed?"

The turtle slumped into a chair out of necessity. "This is crazy."

"It is not ideal, but neither is the impact of the fusion on his nervous system. Until it is removed, the Vagari hold the ultimate power over him."

Don stared at the link in his hand and briefly considered calling his brothers. _It would be fair to get their opinions, but it won't change the risk involved, or the necessity of doing something. This isn't a decision I ought to make-_

An alarm made him bolt upright, but it didn't originate from their room. Lasaro moved quickly in the direction of the arch which led to the adjoining lab, and Donny lunged to his feet to follow.

The elohim called something to Violet which Donatello couldn't understand, but it sent chills down his spine, regardless. The turtle stared on for a few seconds while the pair exchanged rapid dialogue, and then slowly made his way to Tariq's side. It was wholly apparent that the vagari was crashing.

Within the surge of panic, a light bulb went off in the turtle's head. "Lasaro, is it possible Tariq was infected with the fusion too?"

The assistant shook his head. "Anything could have happened to him, but I am more apt to believe that the severity of his injuries is simply too great for him to withstand."

"Charlotte donated blood for him, and it didn't make a dent," Don said to himself. He couldn't explain how he suddenly felt so calm standing next to the dying alien. "The Vaga told us that dunamis wouldn't have an affect on Ghyath or Leo. But if a nanomite is causing this with Tariq too, and it's inhabiting the same region as Leo's-"

"There is not much time to theorize, Donatello. We must begin to search _now,"_ the woman told him.

Donny backed away from the technicians. It was a helpless feeling to be a bystander, with nothing to do but wait. He cast a glance toward the next room where his brother was lying. _I don't believe I'm considering this when so many things could go wrong..._

The flash of his link made Donatello lift the radio and eye it cautiously. He stepped further back from the work being done upon Tariq and took a couple deep breaths before answering.

"Yes?"

"Donny, we gotta talk for a sec. Do you have a minute?" Raphael's tight tone made Donatello brace for bad news.

"I'm listening."

"I can't explain it, bro...um...There ain't nothing left of the Vagari out here, least not as far as we can tell. The Elohim are sending up drones to scout the valley, and no one knows what they'll find. But, Don, there's something else we have to do. We've gotta go back to Arcadia."

The statement was so unexpected, it squashed the hope which had barely risen. "Back... _why?_ "

"You know why, Donny. We have to break into Central again. Find the source of that fusion, and destroy it."

The added mission was too much for the purple-masked turtle to take under the crushing pressure already on his shoulders. He collapsed against the wall for additional support as he nearly dropped the link.

"We've got to, Don," Raph continued. "We only had a little taste of it. We can't let 'em do this."

"But...they still need us," Donny said weakly. "The Vaga made that pretty clear. If you get taken, if we-"

"You ain't going, Genius. Leo needs ya there. You gotta figure out how to help them fix this."

"We're...working on it, but-"

"There isn't any 'but', Donny. We're organizing a team to go, and I don't think Jayden needs your permission either."

Donatello closed his eyes briefly. "If you have to go then...I'd rather you be together, but, Raph..."

"I'm sorry we don't have more time, bro. I didn't wanna drop it on you like this, but I couldn't see going without telling ya. I'll have Jayden call before we head out, okay?"

"What about Charlotte and Tim?"

"They're busy. I already had Liv check on 'em."

"Busy how?"

"If you get a minute where everything isn't going to Hell, you ought to go see for yourself. Olivia said they're okay, and still in the sanctuary with Liran and Bahri. I think I better go, Don. We're still gathering the people coming with us and getting a few supplies together. I'll make sure Jayden calls," he reiterated.

"All right, Raph." He had no choice but to surrender. "Let me know what's happening, and if anything changes here, I'll communicate it too."

"It's gonna be okay, bro. I've got a feeling about this. Those Vagari were right on our doorstep, and they murdered each other instead of taking us out. We're gonna make it through Central."

Donatello closed his eyes against the overwhelming emotion. "Then go, Raph. Find the lab with that 'Crael' and light the whole place up. We'll be working here. I'll talk to you soon."

The purple-masked lowered the link slowly. Anxiety seized his gut so violently that he felt like curling up in a ball. Instead, he forced himself to stand up straight and walk back across the room.

The sight of Lasaro pouring over a computer monitor while Violet made adjustments on a secondary touch-screen didn't seem dramatic enough for the alarms going off in the background, albeit much quieter. Having nothing to do except watch sent another stab of pain through his stomach.

Don was tempted to walk away and focus on anything besides the dying vagari, but found himself going closer instead. He silently crossed by the working technicians, and stopped a couple of feet from Tariq.

The unusual nature of having no action to take caused him to shift awkwardly while he stood in place. His mouth felt dry and his entire throat seemed to be swelling shut. _Tariq doesn't deserve to die this way. I didn't know him well, but he risked everything to save Ghyath and our kids. Then he stuck his neck out again just because Tim asked him to, and laid his life down along with the Ruairi. It's come to this, and I can't do anything for him. At least...not physically._

"They're trying really hard to save you, Tariq," he said hoarsely. "I don't know if they can. I also don't know if you hear me, but you need to understand how much I respect you. Nothing you've done was easy. Changing as much as you did, it's almost unheard of. A lot of people wouldn't have had the courage to walk away, let alone fight back.

"You are a hero, and that's how I'll remember you. You're a big part of the reason we got our kids back to start with. I wish...I could do something tangible for you. But I can't.

"I've been in the business of healing for decades, and now I'm useless. I can hardly take it. Rather be lying in that bed dying myself than watch you, my brother, Ghyath...everyone succumb to this thing. It's selfish to focus on me with what you're facing, but-"

"Donatello, you should come," Violet softly interrupted his stammered apology.

He glanced over at the woman guiltily, but she spoke again before he could.

"We found it – your theory was correct. He possesses the nanomite fusion."

"That fast?" He crossed the space that separated them in two strides.

"Because of your brother's case, we knew where to look," Lasaro explained. "But at the rate his pulse is dropping, immediate action is needed. I cannot see him surviving the hour."

"Are you gonna do the laser thing?"

"It sounds dangerous, because it is," Violet acknowledged. "We wish that Shukri had charge of the equipment right now too. Nevertheless, we still must act. He will die if we do nothing, and we can't predict how long the others might hold out."

Don nodded vaguely. "Do what you have to."

He stepped backwards from Tariq, but his heart skipped as the technicians moved a mechanical arm into position. Donny wanted to ask more questions about the process, but knew it wouldn't make him feel better. Instead he leaned against the wall and hid his eyes while waiting for the results of whatever the pair was going to do.

The sensation of a light breeze was what made the turtle raise his head curiously. There were no air currents capable of penetrating the fortress or cooling elements enacted, so the feeling didn't add up.

He was then captured by the white-hot intensity of an extremely thin beam of light originating from machine to the prone vagari. Breathing unconsciously quickened and tears threatened as fear almost overpowered the turtle.

The flash lasted mere seconds, but the silence in the aftermath was worse torture. A softened alarm in the background registered more as white noise which Don barely noticed. He was focused entirely on Lasaro and Violet, waiting for a cue from them on the situation. Their "non-reaction" was unacceptable.

"Guys. What's happening? Is it worse? Is it better? Someone speak up!"

Lasaro's only response was to type a few more characters into his terminal, while Violet turned her attention to the vagari.

The woman started to address the alien in their language, but when she cut off strangely, Don dashed to join her.

"What is it? What's happening?"

"He moved, Donatello."

The purple-masked turtle bent over the vagari hopefully. "Tariq?"

The twitch of eyelids was hardly noticeable, but for Donny it was a sign from Heaven. "Tariq, do you hear us?"

The vagari's quiet sigh was strangely content. Dark eyes squinted even as they opened.

Don crouched at his level. "Tariq? Are you all right? Can you see okay?"

"It's just...so bright," he whispered.

Donatello gazed up at the overhead lighting, which was more muted than brilliant.

"We can turn down the spots for him," Violet offered.

Amazingly, the vagari lifted his head an inch and managed a small laugh. "Not those. Don't you see the rest?"

Donatello shook his head and looked over his shoulder. "Lasaro. Fire up your laser beam. You've got a couple more people to turn loose."


	139. Well

Kamryn didn't know what to expect when she poked her head into the sanctuary, but it wasn't the laughter she heard within. The room was no longer at the capacity she'd been told it was at the height of the threat, but there were still several figures scattered throughout the space.

Most of the inhabitants resided in a state of restful contemplation or prayer, but the oddest part was how none of them paid any heed to the commotion coming from the far end of the room. Curiosity pressed Kamryn inside for a closer look at the source of the unusual ruckus.

The laughter wasn't particularly shocking coming from the terrapins' young ones, even if it was strange for the somber atmosphere in which they'd originally gathered. But the sight of Bahri curled up in the corner and having a joyful fit of his own was unlike anything the woman had ever witnessed from the reserved elohim.

Her gaze switched to Liran, who was mutely observing all three with a hint of amusement. " _What are they doing?_ " she whispered to the alien.

" _Our friends are all right, Kamryn,"_ he assured her. " _I do not expect it to make sense now, but there is nothing wrong with them."_

She gave the legatus another dubious look before venturing toward Bahri. Kamryn crouched next to the elohim and casually rested the back of her hand against his forehead to test the temperature of skin underneath. _It doesn't_ feel _hot, but he's acting delirious. Would it be possible for Elohim to share a pathogen with the turtles? I can't figure out another explanation for it._

Slightly dazed blue eyes met hers, and his smile broadened. " _Do you see it?"_ he asked, breathless.

" _See what?_ " She steadied her voice despite the temptation for anxiety.

 _"They came here to destroy us."_ The chuckle he finished with was baffling. _"The Vagari's only goal was to take all of our lives and use the terrapins. But where are they?"_

 _"We're not really sure what happened-"_

Bahri's gaze sharpened as he sat up partially. _"Where are they?"_

 _"They killed each other,"_ she answered warily, not yet understanding if he grasped the events at hand.

 _"The Enemy is always doing harm,"_ the elohim stated with sudden intensity. _"Not merely the Vagari, but the force which was behind them. They set out to destroy all that is good. Do you know what they accomplish?"_

Kamryn sank slowly to a cross-legged position beside him. " _What do they accomplish, Bahri?"_

 _"Their actions have the effect of driving us closer to El. Of making us so desperate, that we know nothing else can save us. Though the Enemy attempts to tear us apart, in essence, they are only pushing us_ toward _the Almighty. Do you not find it humorous?"_

The laughter he dissolved into made Kamryn shift deeper into investigation.

" _I guess that's true, in a way. Are you feeling okay, Bahri?_ "

The elohim closed his eyes instead of responding right away. For the first time she noticed tears escaping, even as he couldn't contain hysteria. " _Okay?_ " he finally echoed. _"There is nothing bad here, Kamryn. I am tired, but..."_ Bahri was forced to pause when his voice nearly gave out. _"I am well,"_ he finished quieter, sagging against the floor with a soft sigh.

Kamryn wished she had more time to figure out the enigma, but the woman only possessed a few minutes to make rounds before the team would pull out of Cri Drojen. She cast a concerned glance at the pair of teenage turtles whose exuberance was freer than she'd heard on their part either. Instead of approaching them, however, she backtracked to Liran.

" _Tell me something that makes sense_ ," she requested. " _Were they all drugged? Given something for anxiety? Because they're behaving as if they're drunk."_

Liran shook his head emphatically. " _Nothing was given to them, hamna. They experience an unbridled joy which I have known myself many times. Be assured, it will not harm them in any way. If anything, they are simply going to wear themselves out."_

Kamryn believed him, but found it difficult to shake the remaining consternation. " _Liran, will you keep an eye on them please? Make sure that they eat and sleep eventually? I'm accompanying the team heading back out to Arcadia, and no one knows how long we might be gone."_

The legatus' hand found her shoulder lightly. " _El goes with you. Do not fear for this mission, Kamryn. Has His hand not been revealed already?"_

 _"No one knows what happened, or why the enemy fought amongst themselves..."_ she faltered.

" _Does it need to be explained?"_ There was a twinkle in Liran's eye which answered no questions, but succeeded in getting her to snort too.

 _"I guess...as long as the Vagari aren't a threat, the 'why's' don't matter as much."_ Kamryn sent the odd trio one more look. " _You're sure they're all right?"_

 _"I am certain, but I will not allow them out of my sight in this condition, if it eases your mind. As for you..."_ Liran squeezed her shoulder confidingly. " _El goes in front of you, and behind. Have faith in His providence as you move forward."_

 _"I am—I do,"_ she stammered, shivering at the goosebumps his encouraging contact roused. _"We'll see you all soon."_

* * *

The lab was almost _too_ quiet for Kamryn as she forced herself to walk through the door. Common sense told her to give the medical staff privacy for their work, but Donatello was the one who'd requested that she stop by before leaving.

The purple-masked turtle moved toward her the moment she entered the room, and Kamryn flushed at having kept her anxious friend waiting.

"Are they all right?" His low tone didn't mask concern.

"Um...yes," she answered slowly.

"Why did you hesitate?"

"Donatello, the young ones are fine, believe me. I can't explain how they're acting at the moment, but it isn't...dangerous. Liran is going to keep track of them, so you really have nothing to fear."

After a beat, the turtle nodded. "I tend to massively expand upon everything that _could_ be going wrong, but I trust Liran. I know he won't let anything happen to them."

"What's going on in here?" Kamryn asked softly.

"Progress. They got the nanomite out of Tariq and Leo. Ghyath's is buried further in the brain stem. Lasaro and Violet have to do more exploratory surgery before they can set him free."

"It's better than where we were, you have to admit. Is your brother okay?"

"He's groggy. Didn't come around as aware as Tariq, but it's a huge improvement, for the most part."

His curious phrasing left Kamryn tense. "For the most part?"

"Leo's resting, but he's also had a couple of seizures. Stopped breathing during the last one. It's impossible to determine if his body is simply getting over the shock of being hijacked, or if the threat wasn't completely neutralized."

"That's part of the reason we have to go," she reminded him.

"I _know_ why you have to go."

Kamryn paused for a moment to gather courage. "Can you come with us?"

Donatello's gaze was longing, but then it focused on the blue-masked turtle. "I...I'm not comfortable with leaving Leo, and it's probably not a good idea to put all of our eggs in one basket."

"Our eggs? I recall Michelangelo _cooking_ eggs for us, but I don't know how it applies to this situation."

The turtle snorted. "It means we ought to hold out some of our assets...just in case."

"Oh. Do you want me to stay behind too?"

Donatello shook his head with a grimace. "No, Kamryn. You're the best one at detecting their drones. If you'd help protect my brothers and our kids, I'd appreciate it."

"I won't let anything get near them, Donatello. That's a promise."

"I believe you. There's not much time left, is there?"

She glanced at the numbers broadcasting on the wall. "I have about five minutes before I'm expected downstairs. I promised the others I would check on everyone and relay information. I understand that Tariq is improving. What do you want me to say about the rest?"

"Tell them...the worst of the danger is past with Leo. I'm monitoring lingering symptoms and addressing minor complications as they arise. That they're still working on Ghyath's extraction, but the others should have faith in Lasaro and Violet. They've already pulled it off a couple of times."

"What of Shukri?"

Donatello looked across the room to where the Banrif was laid out. "He's stable. Dealing with the worst deep tissue damage I've ever seen, but the others seem to know what to do for him. Honestly, I'm sure they could handle babysitting Leo too."

The turtle turned toward the clock. "Maybe I _should_ go with you."

"No one here knows your brother like you, Donatello. Staying by him isn't the wrong thing."

"I just..." He rubbed his arms as if suddenly cold. "I don't trust that it can be this easy. It's got to sound awful, but I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop."

She didn't know exactly what he meant, but chose not to question it. "You're not awful, Donatello. We're going to be okay. All of us will stay together. We'll force our way in, blow it to kingdom come if we have to, and get back out."

The turtle's brow furrowed. "Blow it to kingdom come? Where'd you learn that phrase?"

"Your son. He promised it would be a lot of fun."

"Entirely safe too." Kamryn didn't understand why the turtle laughed, but was grateful he did. Donatello followed with a wistful gaze. "You really think you can get used to my family?"

"Are you still questioning if I want to go home with you? I thought we had resolved this."

"Yeah, but...It's getting more real now, and this is the only home you've ever known. The Nalikjan are _like_ your family."

She nodded. "They are, and I will forever have a bond with them. But you're the one who saved my life to begin with, Donatello. And there's a part of me which still isn't whole. I appreciate everything the Nalikjan has done for me, but if I'm allowed to be selfish...Then following you was what I wanted all along."

"You're not selfish, and you won't end up as a burden," he reassured her. "I need to make sure this is what you want. It's a huge decision."

"Not for me," Kamryn corrected. "I know what's missing from my life. It was obvious since the day all of you left." She wanted to say more, but the vibrating of the link made her stiffen instead. The woman picked up her radio and winced in the turtle's direction. "I'm getting my signal. I have to go."

Donatello took a sharp breath and let it out slowly. "Look after my family. Our family."

Reaching for the turtle was awkward, despite their long-standing friendship. It was easier for his arms to merely encircle her, and give the woman a tight hug before letting her go.

"We'll be back," she told him.

"You will. If you find anything intact, light it up."

"To kingdom come," she parroted, drawing another chuckle from him. "It ends today."

* * *

Kamryn was doing her best to conceal growing nerves, but the proximity the young orange-masked turtle kept with her indicated he was aware of them. Though Nate didn't said a word, his quiet confidence had a kind of soothing affect.

The sound of a door hissing open drew the woman's attention to the front of the cabin. The older red-masked turtle seemed a little rigid as he entered the space.

"Alarid says we're about fifteen minutes out. We've got to nail down exactly how we're getting in. Safe to say our 'secret' entrance into the Qif ain't a secret anymore."

"It's also the fastest way to get where we need to go," Michelangelo replied. "You gotta figure they probably won't expect us to come in like this. They won't count on anyone showing up period."

The way the muscular turtle hesitated struck Kamryn as odd, but it wasn't difficult to determine why. _They're missing two important components of their team, and still dealing with an unpredictable environment. Of course Raphael is questioning the right way to go._

The manner in which Nathaniel shifted on the seat to her right made Kamryn realize how antsy the young turtle had become in the span of seconds. It was clear the eighteen-year-old wanted to speak, but wasn't positive if he should. She made brief eye contact with Nate and felt prompted to nod.

"Ojisan, don't second-guess yourself," the youth ventured. "It doesn't feel the same going in this way, but we can't afford to wait. Everyone agreed we have to act fast, to wreck whatever's going on behind those walls. We're all ready to follow you no matter the outcome, so...make a decision."

"Ain't a hard choice for me. It's where you guys come in that I don't wanna," he returned bluntly.

"Well, it's too late to cut us out, Dad," Olivia declared. "Could you forget that we're your kids for a couple hours, and just pretend like we're ninja warriors?"

"Why does he gotta pretend?" Jayden scoffed. "Dude, we already did this like two days ago."

"And our bro walked out of here with a freaking implant that coulda self-destructed him!" Raphael answered sharply.

"Which is why we're going back now," Nate filled in.

The older turtle exchanged a pensive look with the orange-masked teen. "You really think going in the same way we did before is a good idea?"

"I wouldn't call it a 'good' plan," Nathaniel admitted. "But it's probably the best option we have, unless that tunnel is already overrun."

"And this wouldn't be an issue at all if we weren't along, right?" Jayden snapped. "It's never gonna change, is it? Doesn't matter how many times we prove ourselves. You still won't believe we can handle it."

"This ain't got nothing to do with what ya can handle," Raphael negated. "Never been about that. Ask any of our allies, Jay. We've done nothing but try to keep our people out of harm's way for decades. Because we think they're helpless? No. It's 'cause we wanna keep them around, and the same goes for you guys."

Michelangelo cleared his throat loudly. "But we all realize we've been wrong sometimes, right, Raph?"

"That's the theory, but we're right back here again," Raphael grumbled.

Jayden's glare only intensified. "You're not gonna make us fight about this for the rest of our lives, are you?"

"Nah," Michelangelo inserted. "I'm pretty good with you guys as it is, but it might take the rest of 'em a few years." He slapped his brother's shell with a guffaw.

The red-masked turtle gave him a dirty look. "You can pretend it don't bother you, Mikey, but I know-"

Alarid's rapid entry to the room halted the argument in its tracks. "I need to know where we are going. We are running out of time to debate the issue."

"There's no debate," Raphael replied. "We're heading in through the Qif. You've still got a few tricks for breaking in up your sleeve, don't you?"

"I do not keep anything up my sleeve, terrapin, but there are a couple of methods which could gain us entrance. The Qif would not be my first choice, but I am determined to see this through with you. I will send message to Ezra in the other ship. Lieasel and the _Reruqi_ have been waiting for word."

Michelangelo grinned unexpectedly. "I don't get what everyone's so nervous about. It feels like the hardest part is already over. This is only the clean up stage!"

"We don't know anything for sure..." Kamryn trailed off. "Even if the impossible already took place in the last ten hours..." The woman gazed around the cabin which had suddenly lapsed into silence. "Why _are_ we so nervous? At what point do we simply trust that El is with us?"

"This point," the older orange-masked turtle insisted. "I'm excited! Isn't anyone else totally pumped? They're never gonna see us coming. Might not even know that the rest of the hoards are dead."

Kamryn found herself smiling over her friend's enthusiasm. "The idea of taking them by by surprise and ruining all their work is enough to make a great day even better."

Jayden snorted. "What work? They literally just put their own spin on someone else's discovery. They didn't create anything, and couldn't bring themselves to stand together even when they had us surrounded. Telling you, guys, this is gonna be a breeze."

For the dozenth time that day, Kamryn had no idea what the young turtle meant. Yet she was now anticipating their arrival with an exhilaration that didn't match Michelangelo's, but was still the near opposite of where she'd started.

The departure of some nerves loosened up tense muscles, and one glance around the circle of her friends proved everyone else was feeling better too.

 _This can be done. We're ready. We'll make it in there, because failure is out of the question._

* * *

The sight of billowing smoke coming from Arcadia in the distance was ominous. There could be no certainty into whether it was a good development or a bad one, but the scent of fires permeated the ship's filtration system. Part of her dearly wanted to get closer to the city so they could find out what had happened there, but accessing the tunnel which led to the Qif required them to stop before reaching civilization.

Kamryn fidgeted awkwardly while Alarid familiarized himself with the control panel which operated the tram. The pent up adrenaline was bursting to be released, and waiting was torture. A glance backward at a shuffling Olivia and a pacing Jayden confirmed she wasn't the only one suffering.

Another cursory look around revealed the older turtles slightly separated from the others, speaking in hushed tones. The woman considered pressing them for the nature of their discussion, and Raphael abruptly broke it up on his own.

"Sorry," the red-masked turtle announced. "Don called. Wanted us to know they got the freaking implant out of Ghyath."

Kamryn released a breath she wasn't aware needed to be expelled. "He's all right?"

"They think he will be. Donny is gonna give him another transfusion, especially with how well Tariq responded to it after surgery."

The woman heard a murmur in the background, and turned around to see Ezra filling in the news for their Legatus escorts. By the time she look back, the turtles had gathered up closer.

"You were already capable of so much," she said proudly. "But now the lives you can potentially save have increased beyond number. Which...means yet another burden to bear."

"Seems like we can't escape that, no matter what we do," Raphael muttered. "But we can sure as shell kick the crap outta anyone who wants to use us to hurt somebody. Alarid, how's it going over there? Do you know what you're doing with the trams, or not?"

The elohim looked up from his work. "The trams themselves are not a problem, terrapin. I have been unsuccessful in connecting with the Crystal Network. I cannot determine if it is because of a genuine technical issue, or if we are being blocked by the enemy in the same manner as they hindered reception on our last trip."

"Let's not compare this to the last trip," Nathaniel suggested. "We're going in with more understanding this time and a completely different objective."

"That is true," the elohim allowed. "But I hoped to gain some knowledge before we 'storm the gates', as you call it. I would prefer for Vagari not to see us coming, but if I cannot access the Network, obstructing their feed is impossible. They will likely have advance notice of our arrival."

"That's a risk we have to take," Olivia insisted. "We're doing this, right? No backing out?"

Raphael shook his head. "No, there isn't any backing out. Get us set to go, Alarid."

At the red-masked turtle's instruction, Kamryn immediately headed for one of the self-contained pods, but didn't bother closing herself into the hatch yet. She sensed a silent shadow lingering nearby, and glanced over to find Olivia.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked the youth.

"Yeah. I just wanna get in there and make sure everything is wrecked. I'm, uh...glad _you're_ okay, with what you already went through."

"What I went through?"

"Y'know, the droids the other night. The way you had to..."

"Lose myself?" Kamryn suggested. "No lasting effect, as far as I can tell."

"But you wouldn't necessarily have to do it again," Olivia continued.

Kamryn reached out to grasp her wrist. "I know how to balance the animal, usually. I won't give in like that, not without a good reason."

"I shouldn't have told you to in the first place. I'm not your boss or anyone else's."

"You weren't bossing me around," Kamryn countered. "You don't even need to tell anyone what to do, Olivia. Your gift is inspiring others to the action you know they're capable of. My only goal the other night was to survive as long as possible. I didn't think I was getting out alive, and I was positive the rest of you were better equipped for the fight than me. Your push reminded me that I might be able to do more than die."

"But it probably wasn't the right-"

Kamryn pulled the young turtle closer to her. "You encourage, Olivia. That's a gift: the ability to cause someone to believe in themselves when they don't feel like they can."

"It's hard for me to see it."

"That's because it's easier for you to believe in someone else than yourself. But if I can try to return the favor...Your strong, compassionate presence is more vital than you realize."

Olivia didn't have a chance to speak before Nate collided with her side.

"She's got you pegged, Liv."

The red-masked turtle scowled at her cousin. "Who asked you?"

"Guys, we're going!" Raphael's voice cut in.

Kamryn relaxed into the seat inside her tram and pulled on the harness. _I feel more prepared now than we were before. I'm not sure the prospect of an invasion has ever excited me this much. Even if Vagari see us coming, I couldn't care less._


	140. Company

Olivia wasn't prepared for an incredibly sudden stop, or the speed with which the hatch to the tram released. She popped out at once to find the others rising too. "Was that supposed to happen? What's going on?"

Alarid held up his tablet. "I received notification of incoming obstacles. The tram is programmed to automatically divert to prevent collision."

"Someone else is in the tunnel?" Raphael drew both sai with a growl. "Been waiting for this all night!"

"It is daytime, terrapin-" the elohim started.

"That ain't the point, Alarid! Get your tail behind us, and stay put. C'mon, guys, we have company to play with."

Olivia left her sai where they were comfortably fitted in her belt and drew the katana instead. Years of training made the weapon feel at home in her hand, despite still experiencing awkwardness in donning the Arsiterite blade. She caught Nate eyeing her and rolled her shoulders back to stand up straight.

"Any words of wisdom this time?" she suggested sarcastically.

"Nah. You don't need 'em."

"I'll give you a few words of wisdom," Jayden hissed behind them, and motioned straight ahead. "The sharp end goes _that_ way."

Olivia didn't give him the satisfaction of rolling her eyes. "Thanks, Jay. Don't know what we'd both do without you."

"It'd be quieter," Nate ribbed their huge cousin.

"And a lot more boring," Jayden filled in.

"All right, guys," Mike interrupted softly. "We're going to work."

"I am locking down the trams," Alarid announced. "I do not want anyone else to be able to use them. It is also going to get much darker in a minute."

"Sounds perfect," Raph told him. "You just remember to stay out of the way."

The red-masked youth looked back when she heard Kamryn speaking, but her speech was unintelligible. The woman appeared to be explaining the situation to Legatus, and Olivia was relieved once more that the Reruqi had accompanied them.

 _More hands will not hurt our odds._

The tunnel in which they'd been traveling lapsed into darkness, except for Alarid's sole kliom.

"Does that thing go any lower?" Mike asked. "'Cause we're not trying to let anyone else realize we're here until it's too late for them to do something about it."

With the elohim's adjustment his torch dimmed further, and Kamryn held out her hand to take it from him.

"Get behind us," the woman urged.

The alien willingly released the kliom, but not before Olivia noted the fear in his eyes.

"We've got you," Liv encouraged. "We'll take care of things, Alarid. Have some faith in us."

Alarid nodded sheepishly. "I do trust you all. I merely wish I was strong enough to stand up to them too."

"There's nothing wrong with ya," Raphael insisted. "We ain't all strong in the same way, Alarid. You're still gonna help us a lot. In the meantime, we won't let anything hurt you."

Her father glanced to the south, and Olivia detected the reverberation of footsteps from that direction too. "They're coming to us. Kamryn, kill that light, would you? Tell Legatus to stay out of the path while we clear the first hurdle. I got a feeling it's gonna be one of many."

Raphael turned to the rest of the turtles. "Spread out and don't give 'em a chance to shoot anyone."

Olivia had an opportunity to exchange one last look with Nate and Jayden before the light went out. As pitch darkness settled on top of them it produced a lonely sensation, but the knowledge that the others were close by made it possible to ignore. Not having the use of sight sharpened other senses within seconds.

The seriousness of what had occurred the night before and understanding of what the aliens _wanted_ to do made the red-masked youth scowl while waiting for the approaching lights to catch up with them. She crouched close to the ground near the wall, to remain hidden in shadows for as long as feasible.

Her jaw clenched upon making out the first enemy outline, though the figure seemed more intent on running than attacking anyone. She recognized the shifting dynamic of the situation, but still sprang from the earth in unison with family members she felt all around her.

Olivia adapted for the height of her target, meeting the closest alien with a massive uppercut which sent him tumbling onto his back. Without missing a beat she straddled the stranger and clipped the keen edge of her katana under his chin. A small shift from the alien caused her to indent the blade harder.

"You should already be dead," she informed him. "You still could be."

Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia witnessed Jayden flip a taller vagari over his shoulder and hurl the enemy against the side of the tunnel. The unmistakable angle of his ono forced her to call after him.

"Jay, wait!"

"Why am I waiting?"

Before she could reply a lithe figure flew past them, and Olivia snorted at the way Kamryn tackled a much larger assailant. _I love her guts._

After another moment, Liv realized she might need to prevent Kamryn from going too far as well. She'd just called the woman's name, when her father cried out louder.

"Hold up! Don't kill none of them yet! Watch him, Mikey."

Raphael strode a few steps the opposite direction, motioning the others for silence while he appeared to be listening. "Sounds like they were alone. Alarid, give us some more light. Nobody take your hands off them."

Olivia fixed on her captive, only breaking away from him briefly to view the circle and find out how many Vagari were contained. The introduction of Alarid's kliom revealed the aliens' disheveled nature, but their currant shaky state seemed deeper than what had been caused by their collision.

When the alien beneath her squirmed again, the red-masked youth leaned into his face. "You _really_ think I won't kill you, after all this?"

"Why do you have to wait?" he demanded. "Is it part of your strategy?"

Olivia sensed someone over her shoulder, and shifted slightly to give her dad room.

"Where were you coming from, and where are you going?" Raphael's tone flattened so that he was harder to hear.

"We were trying to escape!" the alien on their right retorted.

The vagari beneath Olivia made a face, and Raphael caught him by the chin.

"Escape from what?" her father continued.

When Liv's captive didn't answer, the older turtle glared at the one who _had_ spoken. The vagari was being pinned by both Kamryn's weight on his chest and Nate's katana backing her up.

"Escape from _what?_ " Raph repeated.

When the alien refused to say anything else, Olivia stared her own down once more. "We'd be happy to help you 'escape', vagari."

"Do you think I care?" he said sullenly.

"If you don't care, what were you running from?" Raphael challenged, and then traveled over the circle to face each enemy in turn.

When no one volunteered an answer, the older turtle cracked his knuckles. "Okay. We'll do things your way. Guys, get all of 'em tied up, except for..." He hesitated by the alien who'd admitted they were running. "This one. He gets to come with us."

The vagari gasped when the older turtle dragged him upright by the back of the neck. Raphael stared the stranger down for a good fifteen seconds.

"You're one of them Nopf. I'd know those idiots anywhere. You're gonna help us get back into the Qif."

"How am I supposed to help you?" he strained. "Even if I wanted to, going back will mean death. You can kill me now, and it would be over faster."

"I won't give ya the satisfaction, idiot. Who was trying to kill your kind? Did all you dumb Vagari finally snap?"

The alien's eyes hardened. "None of this is your concern, although, I bet we have you to thank for it."

Raphael captured the stranger in a headlock and forced him to his knees. "Yeah, you have us to thank for it. We definitely _asked_ to be attacked, abducted and turned into someone's unholy version of the perfect weapon. You don't gotta cooperate with me, moron, but you're still coming with us. Then when one of them other Vagari try to kill you, I'll find out why for myself."

"Why doesn't matter," the captive mumbled.

"Matters to us. So you keep your mouth shut if you want, and we can just hand you right over to your old buddies."

"If you're not a coward, kill me now!" the vagari taunted.

"Too easy for ya," Raph informed him. "We'll have some fun first."

The alien grunted while Michelangelo bound both hands behind his back. "With any luck, they will try to kill you first."

Raphael grinned. "I dunno. Your other ranks out in the wilderness were too busy fighting each other to worry about us."

Mike laughed. "It would be cool to watch closer up."

"By all means, terrapins. Lead us on to your own suicide," the alien said coldly.

Raphael's overbearing grip flattened the alien until he was face-down on the ground.

"Ojisan, he wants you to kill him," Nate reminded him. "Making him help us is a lot better punishment."

"I can't help you!" The alien wheezed under duress. "Everything has dissolved into madness. We only thought to escape the planet with our lives."

Raphael eased some of his pressure and tugged the alien to his feet by chained wrists. "That's too bad, 'cause you get to join the good guys by default. None of us give a crap how scared you are. We're gonna make sure your wretched race won't ever rise up to hurt anyone again."

* * *

Though Olivia had never set foot in the Qif, the stories they'd had time to exchange about the environment made her posture rigid while waiting for her turn to climb the ladder. Not knowing exactly what they were walking into made things more nerve-wracking, but the young turtle didn't care if she was anxious at that point.

By the time she'd made it into the first interior room, Olivia found her dad questioning their prisoner again.

"We aren't gonna hurt you worse, and _they_ won't either, long as we get to finish our mission. You worked here, right? You know the Qif. You tell us where to find the lab they did their research in, and we won't let anything touch you. Otherwise, we're gonna hold onto you ourselves and teach you the meaning of pain."

"You refuse to understand," the alien spat. "You believe I have some special knowledge because of working in this place? It didn't make me privy to every thought and intention of the Vaga. I'm familiar with nothing except the section to which I was assigned. We already suffered many losses because of your kind, and it says nothing for the number of friends I lost last night."

"Are we supposed to feel sorry for you?" Raphael's tone deepened. "Poor, murdering monsters got in a fight and killed each other. Musta hurt your feelings pretty bad."

"We didn't ask for this life either, terrapin."

The older turtle snorted. "Someone put a gun to your head and made you work for the Vaga? I don't buy it."

"I was born into this race, as you were set apart for your own. Where else was I supposed to go?"

Jayden made a scoffing sound. "Like cooperating was the only choice you had? Dude, please! You're no better than the rest of them."

"I'm no better?" The first hint of offense entered the vagari's voice. "I care more for Creation as a whole than the ignorant individuals who stand to one day destroy it all."

"You can't predict the future," Nate countered. "You've got no right to make such extreme judgments about races you don't even know. What your people have done in the name of 'maintenance' is far worse than what was done to yours. Destroying your planet wasn't an intentional act. It never should have happened, but it was still an accident."

"An _accident_ which can be and has been prevented many times over since!"

Kamryn sighed. "Talking to him is useless, turtles. It's so ingrained in most of the Vagari, they would have literally followed the Vaga off a cliff without question. This one serves no purpose for our mission. We'll find the lab on our own. I've spent enough time in the Qif to have a few ideas of where to look. Let's just leave him and go."

The older turtles exchanged a glance and a nod.

"Need you up front to listen, Kamryn," Raphael mentioned. "You hear any of those drones-"

"I won't keep it a secret."

When her father made a move toward the door, Olivia noticed Jayden motioning for the Reruqi and Ezra to go ahead of him. "You comin', Kaiju?"

"You know I prefer the back."

"We're less likely to see you trip while trying to keep up."

He chuckled under his breath. "I was fast enough to throw you off your game, last time it was tested. And I wasn't even trying that hard."

She was tempted to dig back, but the memory of the raw power Jayden had displayed a couple nights before was too strong. "Yeah, I know."

Her agreement clearly startled him.

"I'm not blind, Jay. If necessary again today...let it rip."

Her cousin's half grin and the slight bounce in his step were clues to barely contained enthusiasm. "After all the sitting around yesterday? We better get to bust some skulls."

"As long as you don't hog them all."

"You're still technically faster than me, Liv."

"Not hard to be."

Nate cleared his throat from the door. "Are you guys coming, or staying?"

Olivia smirked at getting the last word and fell in step behind her orange-masked cousin. The quiet atmosphere beyond the room immediately struck her as deceptive, and she drew katana without making a sound.

The single file line of teammates started up a metal staircase with the older turtles at the head of the group, followed by Kamryn, Alarid and Ezra with Legatus in the middle. Olivia felt perfectly comfortable bringing up the rear with her cousins.

For seven flights they climbed in silence, until the catwalk structure expanded in several directions that looked like a maze. _They'd better know where they're going._

There was a brief halt while Alarid worked his way to the front to give advice on their direction.

 _I sure wish Jonin and Donny were here too. Love to add Charlotte and Tim on top of them. This feels incomplete, but it has to get done._

When the group started moving again, Olivia was struck with another wave of anticipation. _I can't wait to be done with this crap._

There was confidence in traveling with her family and capable alien warriors, but she couldn't shake the suspicion that it was too quiet. _Those guys in the tunnel were running from_ something. _Why would they be so desperate to escape if there's nothing left to attack?_

She flicked Nate's shoulder. "Doesn't feel right, does it?"

He shook his head. "No. Something odd happened here too, and it's not over yet. Keep your eyes open, Liv."

"That's why I usually let you run things."

"We need _all_ of us," he rebuffed, and had to pull up short when their progress suddenly halted.

Olivia wished she could ask the Legatus what was happening, but the language barrier meant having to wait for one of the others to double back. The red-masked youth wasn't in the mood to stand around, so she nudged her cousin.

"Nate, why don't you go up there and move this along?"

Nathaniel cast a glance between her and Jayden. "Doubt I have anything to offer in this environment, but I'll find out what's up."

The momentary lapse was starting to seem like a longer layover than Olivia desired, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Jayden stretched on his tip toes, squinting at the platform over their heads.

"Do you see anything, Kaiju?"

"Only Alarid near the next staircase. Can't tell what they're doing."

She huffed under her breath and almost put the katana away since she wasn't doing anything with it.

A miniature explosion on the catwalk above them made the entire team collectively jerk, especially once it was followed by another detonation on the floor the rest of them occupied. Olivia started to shove through the Reruqi, but the aliens didn't stay still either. She plunged after the Legatus, pent up adrenaline making stairs disappear under her feet despite climbing a structure comparable to scaffolding.

When the red-masked youth reached the next platform she didn't see enemies, but the sounds of explosions echoed down the hall adjacent to the landing.

She focused on the rest of their group huddled in a semi-circle near the entrance to the hall. "What are we doing?"

"Gonna have to clear things one floor at a time," her father answered. "Alarid, you gotta stay close but still keep out of the way somehow."

"I've got him," Ezra assured Raphael. "How are we-"

The Irishman was cut off by a deep rumble that came from beneath them, and everyone pulled in together.

"Alarid, translate this for Legatus," Raph instructed. "We knew coming in this wouldn't be easy. Whatever we gotta do to find the lab, it needs to happen now. I don't wanna split up, but with this many bad guys and levels to cover...we might not have a choice. If you kids want to take Alarid and Kamryn ahead of us, we'll keep whatever's going on down here occupied. Ezra, we need you to stick with us to translate. You guys can start three floors above us, and Legatus ought to take the middle and move up from there. Whoever finds the lab first reports to everyone else."

Olivia knew her dad didn't like dividing them, and she wasn't fond of the idea either. But their number one goal coming in was to locate and destroy the fusion; anything less would be unacceptable.

"We'll do it," Nate agreed, falling into the lead. "Let's go, you guys!"

"Look out for each other!" Mike called. "We're gonna clean some house."

Alarid exchanged a few more words with the Reruqi, before relinquishing to following them.

Kamryn seemed the most eager to pick up speed. "What do you think, Alarid? Did the computer help at all?"

"I did not have much time to search," he admitted. "I still believe the lab we are looking for will fall between levels 12-17. I hoped for the chance to pick up activity with the Crystal Network, but it appears to have crashed again."

"We'll find it the boring way – by looking," Jayden inserted. "At least we've got an awesome bloodhound on our side." The sixteen-year-old nodded at Kamryn.

The woman didn't know what to make of the title. "Bloodhound?"

"It's not a bad thing," Nate explained. "But we need to go."

Olivia took a couple of deep breaths while they began ascending. Their arrival on the next landing was greeted by laser fire, and instantaneous scattering to avoid being hit. The red-masked turtle ground her teeth angrily while trying to hone in on a target, and saw Kamryn bounding toward the hall.

Her first instinct was to chase the woman, but repeated gunfire from across the platform forced Olivia to try and pinpoint the attacker. Nate's shout made her twist around in alarm, only to find her Chokkan in firm control of the shooter.

Olivia twisted to run after Kamryn, but was stopped by two shadowy figures lunging onto their platform from mid-air. The strangers headed for the stairs in a hasty and inexplicable retreat. The move struck her as odd, but Jayden immediately went after the Vagari.

For a split second she watched her cousin go, then whipped around to see Nate running after Kamryn. The red-masked youth was torn over following her able-bodied younger cousin or chasing down Nate and helping look after Alarid. Hesitation cost her a valuable minute and didn't answer the dilemma. _We have a mission to complete! But...Nate has Kamryn, whereas Jayden is on his own. Granted, he can handle himself, but still..._

The nagging sensation made her pound back down the steps to follow the purple-masked teen's pursuit. Though she couldn't see her cousin, the sound of him running after the aliens was easy to pick out. She silently cursed Jayden in her head while rapidly descending and praying to catch sight of him.

 _The Vagaris' move doesn't make any sense. Those stupid aliens can fly. Why would they bother using the stairs? It's like they're not even trying to get away from-_

 _That_ was the moment Olivia understood what was happening, and her descent became desperate. "Jayden! JAY!"

There was no response from her cousin. When she felt another shadow swooping in on her, Olivia nearly ran the figure through before recognizing the legatus.

"Olivia?" Lieasel looked confused, and she had no clue how to communicate with him.

"Jayden!" She pointed down the steps, indicating that they needed to keep going.

"No good?"

"No! Find Jayden!" Her exclamation was punctuated by a strange blue brilliance lighting up the darkness beneath them.

The sight momentarily stopped Liv in her tracks, long enough to realize the surge was coming from a set of catwalks diagonal to their flight of stairs.

"Go," she urged Lieasel. "Go find him!"

Once the alien had taken off, Olivia's mad dash downstairs continued. _How far ahead could he have gotten? It can't be that much-_

Two additional blue bursts across the way made breath constrict and fear pulse in her chest. Upon reaching the next platform, she bolted onto the catwalk, searching for a sign of the attackers or Lieasel. The firing of another weapon successfully illuminated an alien shooting at something on a level below her. The same glowing brilliance from another angle indicated the Vagari were attacking from more than one direction.

Rage flared while she considered the metal structure to plot a path, and then took off running down the walkway. When she reached the end bordering the nearest neighboring platform, Olivia leaped over the handrail and sailed through the air to catch the underside of the next landing.

She maneuvered quickly underneath the catwalk as if it were a set of monkey bars . Olivia paused at the lip of the platform, glaring at the outlines of aliens perched behind their weapons on the landing below.

She estimated the space separating them to be about twenty feet, but since Olivia was coming in from a higher vantage point, gravity would be on her side. With another sharp breath she swung backward to increased her momentum, and then released.

The turtle came in for a landing on the back of one of the would-be assassins. The alien crumbled under her weight, affording Liv the opportunity to plunge katana through his shocked partner in crime. Killing someone had never felt as gratifying.

She turned on the vagari she'd crushed and twisted her blade through his rib-cage with a bellowing cry. Olivia whirled again upon hearing someone call her name, and saw Lieasel flying directly at the platform. The red-masked turtle didn't think before jumping the railing and leaping to meet his approach in mid-air.

The legatus caught her as though he expected the move. "Good?"

"Jayden!" she repeated urgently.

The alien nodded and instantly dipped lower, circling the original staircase they'd been using. Olivia's heart was in her throat while surveying damage inflicted by the odd weapon, and hoped to find some sign of her cousin in one piece.

She was trying to figure out how to ask the legatus to put her down, when Lieasel motioned to an extremely blackened portion of the metal walkway. The distinct shadow crouched near the ground made Olivia squirm in the alien's grip, and he had the presence of mind to land at once.

"Jay? Are you all right?" Her fingers glided anxiously across his shell, but relief set in when he looked up at her. "Are you all right?" she repeated stronger.

"I'm...yeah," he returned, breathless. "Singed, but...yeah."

The shaky quality of his voice almost brought tears to her eyes. "Let me look at you. Can you move everything?"

"I'm fine, Liv, just...stupid. Didn't figure out their game until it was too late."

"I was late too. Can you get up?"

He rose, shaking off a tremor. "Did you stop them?"

Olivia nodded toward Lieasel. "We did. Are you sure you're okay?"

Jayden took a deep breath. "I am. Sorry, Liv. I shouldn't have done that."

"What's our motto, Kaiju?"

"Better together," he replied guiltily.

"Can you climb?"

"I'm not really hurt, at least, not badly. We need to get back to the others."

"Yeah, Nate's probably wondering where we are."

Jayden winced. "My fault. I'll tell him."

"Focus, Jay. We've got a job to do, if you're up for it."

"I'm good," he reiterated, standing up straight.

Olivia flashed a thumbs up to Lieasel, and he dove off the platform to join his brothers below.

"Thanks, Liv," the younger turtle murmured when they started up the flight.

She flashed a grin to put her cousin at ease. "You're welcome."

"That's it? No hard time?"

"I'll have plenty of time to lord it over you, later," she emphasized. "All our energy right now goes toward catching up."


	141. Fun

Nate felt an unusual amount of anger brewing with every blow he meted out. He was used to being slightly detached while facing an enemy, but it was proving harder this time. _I think I'm over it all, and ready for this to be done._

A sharp cry distracted the teen from the kick he'd been about to deliver to a vagari's head, allowing the alien opportunity to launch toward him. The sudden interjection sounded like Alarid, and made Nate want to abandon the fight altogether to get to his friend. His adversary, however, wasn't going to sit by and wait on him.

The orange-masked turtle rolled to the right to evade the attack, blade instantly ready to parry the rifle which whipped around to follow him. Nate sliced through the end of the gun with expected ease, and laughed when the stunned alien hesitated at the new development.

He used the vagari's pause to his advantage, kicking him first in the jaw and then the midsection. "Arsiterite is pretty cool, huh?"

A nearby growl reminded Nate of the potential threat to Alarid, and he spun to find Kamryn throttling a figure with her bare hands. He turned from her to search out the elohim with growing concern. The turtle didn't see his other friend, but couldn't miss the two new arrivals heading directly for the woman.

With a bounding leap he flew to meet them, delivering simultaneous uppercuts to the Vagari bearing down. The moment they were temporarily stunned, the teen whirled in a circle to look harder for Alarid. When there was no sign of the elohim guide, he cursed.

He delivered a follow-up punch to one of the aliens stirring beneath him and glanced up when Kamryn stomped down hard on the other. "Did you see Alarid?"

"No, but I heard him a minute ago!"

"Get his scent," Nate suggested.

Finding the lab had been moved one slot down the list, directly after locating the elohim. When the woman chose a direction, he immediately fell in step beside her.

"Did you notice where Olivia and Jayden went?" Nate grimaced as he asked. _How did I end up losing track of almost_ everyone _? If I don't put a cap on this rage, it'll only get worse._

"I didn't notice Jayden, but I saw Olivia charge off. I didn't expect her to go far. Should we be tracking them too?"

Nate grunted his frustration. "We can only do one thing at a time. Alarid probably needs help more than they would."

"We need to go faster!" the woman asserted. "That, or we could split up."

The teen shook his head. "No, we're already split up enough. I'm assuming Liv and Jay are together, wherever they went. I'm down for going faster, but don't outrun me, Kamryn. I haven't gotten to say that to anyone in a while."

She shot him a smile that morphed into an anxious look. "I smell more Vagari in this direction, Nate. We could be walking into an ambush!"

"We won't walk into it, Kamryn."

He stopped abruptly, staring at an open door a few more feet down the hall. Nate started toward the room, and peered into the darkened space curiously. Kamryn came up on his left and swiped a portion of the wall, bringing up a dim overhead light.

It looked like nothing more than a storage closet full of items the turtle couldn't identify, but it also wasn't a bad place to strategize. "What is this stuff, Kamryn?"

"They are only supplies related to cleaning. What are we doing here?"

Nate smiled suddenly. "Bet we could trick them into coming to us."

"They outnumber us by quite a few. I've got confidence in you, Nate, but this could get ugly. You won't mind if I kill these ones, will you?"

"If they're trying to kill you, there's always the right to defend yourself. Are you doubting that?"

"I understand the theory. In the moment, I often lose myself and it feels like less of a decision."

"I lost myself today too," he said grimly. "Supposed to be looking out for Alarid, and where is he?"

"He's not that far if I can still smell him. Nate, what's your plan? If I have surrender to the beast to get through this, I will. But there is no guarantee you'll get me back."

Nathaniel glanced around the small space once more with growing inspiration. "Violence isn't the only option for taking someone down, Kamryn, even though it's often necessary. I think we could go about this another way, and have fun doing it. Can you give me a tour of the closet?"

"I fail to see how it's going to help."

"Trust me, Kamryn. I'll prove to you that force doesn't have to be your only recourse."

* * *

Nate grinned with anticipation while waiting behind a half wall separating a security console from the hall. With Kamryn's assistance and a few stolen items from the closet, they'd spent the last five minutes setting up for the arrival of visitors. He'd had the woman intermittently discharge her weapon during the process, for no purpose other than being heard by others

One of the miniature charges he'd been given before entering the Qif was armed about a five yards away from them. Nate watched the seconds tick down impatiently, with the knowledge that they were losing valuable time to find the others.

He was beginning to wonder if he should have locked on more than one device, when Kamryn reached for his arm.

"There are several very close."

"We're ready for them. Sit tight another minute, okay?"

She nodded, though the grip Kamryn took of the hose she harbored made fingers look white.

"Patience," he instructed. "Will you kill the light?" Nate motioned to her gun, and then the fixture over their heads.

Nate was satisfied when they were cast in semi-darkness. "Perfect. We have the right setting and mood lighting. All we need are the bad guys. Lay down a little more laser-fire like you have been and make sure we've got their attention."

He heard them coming now too, and edged along the wall silently until he made it to the other side of the station. Nate nodded at Kamryn to remain where she was at the end.

The turtle smiled when the first five individuals entered their sector at a full sprint. The leaders of the pack hit the thin trip-line Nate had planted across the hall and went head over heels, while those directly behind them had no opportunity to stop and crashed into their flailing forms.

Nate remained near the ground while the next wave of enemies side-stepped the pile up, only to collide with the next phase which resided in the middle section. The feet shot out from underneath the next three because of the greased floor, and they ended in a tangled heap of their own.

The teen was itching to join the scene, but he still heard more of them coming. Vagari were slowed down by comrades turned into obstacles and the improvised ice skating rink. When an additional four managed to bull through the hindrances, Nate whistled at Kamryn.

The woman jumped up from the other side of the station with hose braced over her shoulder. A satisfying explosion of yellow foam emitted from it with more force than the turtle expected, halting the progress of those fighting to get through. While she occupied them, Nate leaped to his feet behind those still collecting themselves at the back of the group.

The teen tapped the button to set off the small charge he'd planted on the tail end of Vagari storming the hallway, then whipped into the mass confusion like a whirlwind. The hysteria which had been created in a matter of seconds was such a beautiful thing, Nate had to laugh. By the time he'd finished wrecking through enemies and made it closer to the front, Kamryn was still unloading the full fury of the cleansing agent on one stubborn vagari. The alien was blindly trying to get to her, yelling something in their language.

With a smirk, Kamryn yanked the machine off her back and hurled it at the stranger with all her might. She didn't bother stifling laughter either while turning toward Nate. "It _is_ fun."

Nate stepped around mounds of leftover foam, punching a rising alien in the back of the head as he did so. "Welcome to the family, Kamryn." He nodded his approval as she kicked the last one who was attempting to rise in the face. "You're gonna fit in great."

The temptation to celebrate fled with the reminder that they still hadn't located Alarid, in addition to the way Kamryn stiffened.

"Something else is coming-" She didn't get to finish, because a familiar bellow reached them first.

Nate's arms automatically folded over his plastron while waiting for the two to catch up from the direction they'd originally come. "You're late," he announced to his cousins, who froze upon catching sight of the melee. "Where'd you go?"

"Got sidetracked," Olivia dismissed. "What the shell happened here?"

"It's cleaning day," Kamryn replied. "You need to watch your step."

The red-masked turtle strode to Nate, and he led the safest way over downed bodies, greased floor, and trip wires which were still intact.

Liv caught his elbow. "How many did you take out in this one hall? There's gotta be close to twenty! You coulda saved some fun for the rest of us."

"We didn't have _all_ the fun," he corrected. "And we still have to find the lab, but first, we need to get Alarid."

Olivia jerked his arm harder. "Wait a second – where is he?"

"He disappeared sometime during the original assault. I was a little too engaged and lost track of him. My fault."

" _Us_ disappearing didn't help, Chokkan. Can Kamryn smell him?"

"She was, before we had to set off our own ambush." Nate looked over his shoulder. "Kamryn, c'mon! We need you up here."

Jayden pressed in from the rear with a subdued smile, but was strangely silent. The brief once over Nathaniel sent his cousin picked out dark smudges and singed mask tails.

"What happened back there?" he asked Olivia.

"We can talk about it later," Liv said quickly. "Focus. Alarid. Lab."

"Right – okay." As long as his cousins were in reasonably good shape, stories could wait until a better moment.

Kamryn dashed further ahead of them, forcing Nate to sprint to even keep sight of the woman. The orange-masked turtle mentally told her off, but trusted their friend not to leave them behind entirely.

When he came up behind the woman at a dead stand-still a few seconds later, Nate quickly adjusted so as not to run over her. "What's up?"

"I don't think...they're in the open," Kamryn said slowly. "His scent feels...muffled. Like he's somehow being concealed."

"Where?" Olivia demanded.

Kamryn jogged a few more steps to a stark white wall that looked no different than any of the others. After a sweeping gesture revealed a keypad, she began typing multiple configurations over what looked like hieroglyphics.

"What are you doing?" Jayden asked.

"I need to find it," she murmured, now pressing her palm along the seam connecting the partition to the next panel.

"What are you looking for? Can we help?" Nate pressed in beside her.

"It's here," Kamryn exclaimed. "I know it is..." Her fingers traced the joint and grappled with the edge.

The eighteen-year-old heard a soft pop, and Kamryn immediately backed up a step as the section of wall retracted several inches. Nate didn't move, instead peering curiously into the darkness. "Is it some kind of passageway?"

"It will only lead a few places," she told him. "I am sure I can smell Alarid, but the manner in which his presence is muted suggests they could be using them. I've known about the tunnel for years, but haven't bothered using the interior since it was built. You can't actually escape the Qif this way. It was designed as a giant circle."

"We trust your nose, Kamryn," Liv assured her. "We're all behind you."

Once inside, the woman pressed a faintly glowing button on the interior, which caused the wall to return to its normal position. Nate took charge of a kliom in one hand and his katana in the other, waiting for Kamryn to choose a direction.

"Dude, this is so cool," Jayden said. "I could get lost in here for hours if we didn't have other stuff to do."

"You would enjoy it," Olivia complained.

The grin Jayden returned with was more sheepish than Nate expected.

"We definitely don't have hours," Kamryn inserted. "There's no telling what could happen to Alarid. We need to find him before it's too late."

Nate took a deep breath to settle his heart rate, which wanted to race. "That won't happen. We'll find them before they hurt Alarid." _We have to._

When Kamryn put on another burst of speed without a word, the orange-masked teen merely pushed himself to keep up.

* * *

Michelangelo grinned while crouching over one of the latest pairs of aliens he and his brother had floored, and hurried to lash the stranger's hands and feet together.

"Seriously, Raph, do you think they even train these guys? Or do they just give them a gun and send Vagari out the door?"

Raphael cracked his first smirk of the day. "Wouldn't matter either way, Mikey. It's safe t' say that ninjutsu is a phenomenon reserved for Earth. We gotta keep moving."

"Too bad for them. Did Nate ever return your message?" Mike asked as they both sprang back into motion.

The question eliminated his brother's smile. "Kinda. Didn't tell me what they were doing. Feels like he's hiding something, but at least they're together. They ain't found the lab yet either, so we have to keep looking. Still a chance we'll stumble onto it before they do."

"What did Ezra tell you? He hooked back up with Lieasel, didn't he?"

"They been occupied. Not getting much searching done either."

"It's not the same without Leo and Donny. I'm actually getting a little bored."

His brother gave him an incredulous look. "That statement is an invitation for disaster if I ever heard one."

"I think it's an invitation for the two of us to have a little fun while we're at it. C'mon, Raphie. What do you say?"

"I dunno, Mike. Your definition of 'fun' is a little hit and miss from where I'm concerned."

"Hear me out, okay? This is the perfect environment to finally try out 'get help'."

The red-masked turtle's blank expression disappointed Michelangelo. "You know, 'get help'? Thor Ragnarok? ***** "

Raphael groaned at once. "Mikey, why the shell are you always trying to reenact some dumb movie? We do plenty of our own stunts. Most of the stuff those people pull off wouldn't work in real life."

"But we could make this one work better than Thor and Loki."*

"It's a _movie_."

"Think about how much you'd enjoy it."

"Think about how many times we could get shot," his brother retorted.

"The Vagari aren't that trigger happy with us, Raph. Sure, if we'd pulled it on those Green Berets, we both would have ended up with holes in our heads, but we can confuse the shell out of these aliens. It could be our only chance to do something like this without our responsible half or the kids looking over our shoulder. Let's do it!"

"One shot, Mikey. We do this one time, and if you bug me about it again, I'll pitch ya through a wall instead."

Mike's chuckle was gleeful as he'd gotten his way. They emerged together from the hall the turtles had just cleared, and stepped back onto the metal catwalk.

"You wanna head up another floor and see what we find?" Michelangelo suggested.

"Depends. Are you planning on throwing yourself at the first guy we see?"

"That isn't how it's supposed to work. Raph, lighten up. This is exciting!"

"It's annoying, and I ain't saying the dumb lines."

"Raph, you have to make it believable. Concern for me is supposed to be your driving force. Let's practice on the way."

"I'm not practicing this crap."

" _One_ time, bro. I have to make sure you don't sound lame."

"If anyone's lame, it's _you_ , shell-fer-brains. This is ridiculous."

"It's gonna be hilarious."

"If you end up getting broken, I'm telling everyone you did it to yourself."

"Agreed. Now you have to assist me." Mike cast an arm over his brother's broad shoulder. "I can't do the talking – that's all you."

"I'm not begging those idiots for anything."

"You're _acting_ , Raph. Let me hear it."

The red-masked grimace was awkward. "Um...I need help? Somebody get him help!"

"You can do so much better. Can't you pretend you actually love me?"

"Be easier to do if you weren't so freaking irritating."

"Raph, you're wasting time. And, scene!"

His brother growled something unrepeatable. "You're gonna owe me big time for this."

"The whole act is the reward. What are you gonna say?"

"Fine. _Help!_ Somebody get help!"

"Not bad, but you need a little more feeling. You can work on it while you get me up these stairs."

"Why do I gotta lug your shell around? There's nothing wrong with ya!"

"What if someone sees us on the way? If you're not strong enough to pull my weight, we could always switch roles."

"You're outta you're mind." Raphael glowered at him, but then tossed the orange-masked turtle over his shoulder like a sack of flour.

Raph had no sooner started up a flight of stairs, when a shadowy figure swooped in near them. Mike twisted in his brother's grasp and snickered at the alarm in the legatus' face.

"No, Lieasel, we're good!" the younger turtle said.

The alien alternated a confused glance between them, and Mike laughed while holding up both thumbs.

"We're good!" Michelangelo repeated.

"Oh, for the love of..." Raphael broke off with clear frustration. "We're good, Lieasel. You go and do your thing, whatever that is."

"I...go?"

"Or you can follow along and enjoy the show," Mike suggested.

"He don't understand a darn thing you're saying, shellhead."

"Yeah, but if he watches then he _will_ understand."

"I can't believe all this stupid lead-up for a bunch of morons we could take out in thirty seconds anyway. Dumbest idea you've ever had."

"We're doing it!" Michelangelo said stronger.

Lieasel was still staring between them in silent contemplation, and Raphael waved the alien off.

"Go, Lieasel. We're fine – you go!"

The legatus backed up a couple steps but didn't take off, not even when the older turtle resumed climbing. It wasn't the most comfortable position to be carried in, but Mike knew better than to complain.

When his brother hesitated on the next floor, Michelangelo looked around with anticipation to find an empty platform. "Shell." He pouted. "We have to keep looking."

"How many flights am I supposed to carry you up?"

"As many as it takes, Raphie!"

"You're _gonna_ pay for this."

"Quit whining and get climbing."

"I could always go halfway up and drop ya," the larger turtle threatened while stomping through the next flight.

When his brother stopped with a jolt, Mike thought he was carrying out the promise. He instinctively squealed, only for a hand to be clapped over his mouth.

"Shut it, pipsqueak. Somebody's up there."

"Awesome. You're on, Raph." He couldn't see his brother's face the way the he was slung over his back, and had to trust that Raphael was playing along.

In the stillness that followed, Mike heard multiple voices echoing off walls and tensed up with building exhilaration. When Raphael strode up the last of the steps to the platform, his brother broke their silence.

"Hey, I need help! My brother's dying!"

Michelangelo grinned as the larger turtle yanked him off his shoulder, and tucked his head against his plastron in preparation. He submitted to the hands curling his frame in a ball, and maneuvered his body to help the process.

"Help him!"

The delivering of the magic words provided the warning Mike needed before the release. He kept his form in a tight somersault while flying through the air. The orange-masked turtle didn't get to see what he collided with, but that wasn't the real point.

Michelangelo felt the shock-wave associated with several collisions, but was none the worse for wear when he picked himself up from the center of laid out aliens. He did a quick head count, but jerked around when he heard Raphael coming.

"I was right! Admit it!" The younger turtle chortled.

"It'd be more fun if you didn't enjoy it so much. But was that a strike, or what?"

"You need ten for a strike," Mike corrected.

"Maybe we _will_ have to try-" Raphael was cut off by Lieasel nearly slamming into them with his haste.

"I'm good!" Mike reiterated, holding up hands innocently to convey the point. "See?"

The legatus murmured something in his own language, and finally took a running leap off the platform.

"You're an idiot," Raphael told him.

"And _you_ enjoyed that."

"I don't gotta admit anything."

"It was cool. Just say it."

"You looked a little better than Loki."

"Only a little? Who would you rather be hurling at bad guys, Raph?"

"There's no contest there, Mikey."

"I can't wait to tell Don it worked. We took out five on that blow, but I still think we can up the count. You ready for another round?"

"Told ya I was only doing it..." Raphael hesitated suddenly. "You hear that? Think someone else is coming."

"We should set up!"

"No, you lunkhead. Pipe down and let them come to us."

Raphael darted into the shadows furthest from overhead lighting. Michelangelo followed his example by hunkering down across the way and grasped for nun-chucks. This group sounded larger than the last, and waiting for them to reveal themselves proved to be a difficult challenge. The former game left his mind in a flash while he mentally prepared for the next onslaught. _This is the part where I miss my other bros the most. But I've still got one, and we'll handle it together._

Mike allowed the first two giants to run past him so he could get a better idea of how many there were, but his red-masked brother didn't get the memo. When Raphael lunged from hiding the younger turtle had no choice but to follow suit, leaping on the next figure to run past him.

He separated the alien from his gun and was a split second away from knocking the stranger out when the enemy shouted at him.

"Terrapin, _wait!_ "

Michelangelo's fist hung in mid-air for a couple seconds while he took a closer look at the individual he'd tackled. " _Iyas_? Dude, we thought you were dead! What are you doing here?"

He stepped off his friend and yanked firmly to help the elohim upright.

"We went into hiding when it became clear we could not access the Aquaducts, during the initial onslaught of Arcadia. Then we took advantage of this opportunity," Iyas returned. "Why are _you_ here?"

"Came back to destroy their freaking lab," Raphael announced mechanically. "Mighta hurt one of your guys before I realized he wasn't Vagari."

Mike glanced around his friend to see another figure leaning against the wall in an apparent daze, and followed Iyas when he darted toward his comrade. From the orange-masked turtle's perspective, the elohim was sporting what looked like a broken nose, but definitely nothing mortal.

"Sorry," the larger turtle mumbled, abashed.

Iyas studied his man another moment, then turned to the turtles. "He will be all right, terrapins. You came back to wreck destruction? Surely you did not do this alone."

"Nah, we got more help around," Raph replied. "Do you know anything about this lab? Why did you come down here?"

"We received intelligence that the fusion of the dunamis gene was complete. When fighting broke out among Vagari on the surface, we decided to take action of our own during the madness. We already located Crael Pachal. He passed on before we arrived."

Raphael caught the elohim by his tunic. "You found the lab?!"

"We have dealt with two separate locations already, but there are yet three more to address. We must confirm that every trace of their research is destroyed!"

"We agree," Raph said quickly. "And if you know where we're going, that's even better. Promise to only punch the bad guys from here out."

Iyas gave his rocked companion a hand up off the floor. "We should finish this quickly. If we can-" The elohim faltered and pressed a hand to his ear. "One moment, terrapins." Then he launched into his own language, addressing someone on his radio link. After a couple sentences, his booming laugh startled Mike.

Iyas exchanged a few more words, then nodded toward Raphael. "You should not feel guilty, terrapin. Our own went so far as to 'kidnap' Alarid from your young ones. It seems in the midst of madness, they experienced misunderstandings of their own."

Michelangelo felt more confused for the explanation. "So...are they together, or what?"

"The youth caught up with them, and are traveling with our kin to their next goal. We split up so we could address their records faster."

"But they're okay," the red-masked turtle verified with a frown. "You got any clue why these Vagari turned on each other to start with? Their entire army did the same thing out by Cri Drojen."

"I cannot explain it any more than you, Raphael, but I am grateful to know our people live. I think that we should focus on what we are doing here. Not knowing their motivation for fighting does not bother me. We ought to use the opportunity handed to us, and bless El while we are at it."

* * *

*Thor Ragnarok, Thor and Loki belong to Marvel


	142. Rest

Tim didn't leave Charlotte's side, even after he was sure his cousin was asleep. He wasn't positive why he hadn't crashed himself, except for the remaining concern for family and friends. He wasn't afraid exactly, at least, not in the same way he'd been before. But closing his eyes and deepening breathing didn't put him to sleep the way he expected.

 _Probably still too hyped up or something. Given a little more time, I'll definitely be able to-_

A definite twinge within the teen's spirit caused him to sit up with a jolt. Tim nearly tripped in his haste to cross the room, and shot a cautionary glance at Charlotte before continuing to the door more carefully. He let himself into the hallway and immediately dashed to the right, in the direction of the nearest transporter.

The doors to the elevator opened as he approached, and he was met by a surprised Lasaro.

"I thought you would have taken rest by now!" The elohim didn't sound pleased.

Tim bypassed the alien's irritation to get to the point. "What's happening?"

"You family is minutes out-" Lasaro didn't need to say another word.

The teen pushed past the elohim to get on the transporter and mashed the button to shut the door. "Why didn't you call us?"

"You were supposed to be asleep," he returned sternly.

"Then why were you on your way up here?"

Lasaro shook his head wearily. "On the chance that perhaps you were not. What about your cousin?"

"Charlotte's fine. It's so rare for her to relax completely, Lasaro. She can see the family later."

"She will not be angry you did not retrieve her?"

"If she is, it'll be my problem, and not yours."

Tim's entire body suddenly felt lighter, even as eagerness threatened to overwhelm him before they made it to the top level. Once the door inched open, he heard the unmistakable laughter of his orange-masked uncle. The teen forgot about Lasaro instantly in his race to meet up with arriving family members.

Familiar shadows took shape to reveal his uncles and teammates mingling among the taller alien figures within the hangar, and Tim's breath released like he'd been holding it for hours.

Raphael was the first to notice him with a scowl. "Didn't anyone tell you not to wait on us?"

"It's good to see you too, Ojisan."

His burly uncle squeezed his shoulder. "Y' seen your dad?"

"Not yet, but they say he's stable. Won't let me stay in the lab unless I get some sleep first."

"Then why didn't ya?" the older turtle challenged.

"Not like I didn't try. Now that you're back, maybe I'll be able to relax too."

"Get on that soon, Tim, 'cause the rest of us won't be much longer for this world either."

The blue-masked turtle peered around his uncle to fix on the silhouettes of the others.

Olivia met his look with a smirk. "Afraid you were missing something?"

"I _know_ I did," he answered ruefully. "But in a way, I kind of didn't."

"What was up with you?" Jayden asked. "Liv said you were acting sorta...loco."

Tim snorted, not caring if his counterparts _did_ give him a hard time. "It was different."

"But you're okay?" When Nate stepped toward him Tim felt his gaze intensify, as if his leader was determining whether he was actually all right.

"Better than okay. But what about you guys? Was Arcadia as bad as before?"

Olivia rested one hand on her hip, while the other comfortably grasped the hilt of the katana. _It's like she'd been separated from an old friend forever, and doesn't want to let it out of her sight._

"If it was that bad, it would have taken us longer to get back," she told him. "We handled it."

"The longer stories can probably wait," Nate added. "Be better to catch everyone up at once, after we've had the chance to settle down."

"You're sending us to bed already?" There was a hint of the normal whine in Jayden's voice, but the sixteen-year-old also felt strangely repressed.

At first, Tim thought his purple-masked cousin was just tired. But the longer he stood by him, a stronger undercurrent of awkwardness washed over his frame. The blue-masked turtle eyed Nate and Olivia before clearing his throat casually.

"Wanna head down to our room, Jay? Charlie will want to see you when she wakes up."

The mammoth turtle's countenance softened. "Yeah. Someone needs to keep an eye on you two, in case you start spazzing out again." Jayden shot a glance at Olivia like he was waiting for her to do something.

The red-masked turtle only waved him off. "Take good care of them, Kaiju. We'll meet back up later, right, Nate?"

"Let's not plan anything formal. Once everyone has had enough sleep, come hang out in the open."

"Some of us need sleep more than others," Jayden jabbed, sounding a little more normal.

Tim expected a smart retort from Olivia, but the female only rolled her eyes.

"Don't go attacking our reserves if you wake up first, Jay. If you eat the rest of our food, I'm hunting you down."

"Not scared of you, Liv."

"Itoko, you will be..."

The exchange felt authentic for the pair, but there was still something off about the purple-masked turtle. Tim watched him carefully from his peripheral vision while they headed for the transporter.

The teen couldn't understand many of the voices rising through the hangar as they made their way through it. Still, the joy of their alien allies was so great, it made Tim feel like he could burst. Part of him dearly wanted to remain in the midst of Elohim and Legatus a while longer to learn about everything that had happened, while he also didn't want to be separated from Jayden.

Behind the closed door of the transporter, the larger turtle's frame buckled partially while he leaned against the wall.

"Jay, what's up?"

His cousin didn't answer right away, prompting Tim to back up against the wall beside him. "Don't keep me in suspense, or I might _never_ sleep."

Jayden shot him a look. "Nothing's up. Almost got toasted, and Liv had to save my shell."

Tim cocked his head thoughtfully. "Well...it probably won't be the last time she has to."

The purple-masked turtle rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand, finding no humor in the statement. "Yeah. No big deal."

The dismissive reply had the opposite of his intention on Tim.

"Then why does it bother you, Jay?"

"It doesn't," he retorted defensively. "You gonna tell me what _you_ guys were up to earlier?"

"I will tell you, if you're honest with me, Jayden."

"I was honest."

The elevator door opened, and Jayden bounced off the wall fast enough for Tim to be certain he was deflecting.

"You weren't completely honest," Tim countered.

The glare his cousin sent almost convinced him to drop it. "I don't need to be analyzed right now."

"I'm not trying to-"

"I know you don't try, but you do. I'm tired and I don't wanna talk anymore."

Tim nodded at once. "Okay. We don't have to."

He could tell Jayden was confused by his quick acquiesce, but he also seemed grateful. The blue-masked turtle said nothing more while leading him back to the small room the three had been sharing since the sixteen-year-old was reunited with them.

Tim quietly reentered the space and hesitated a couple of feet from Charlotte to hear her deep breathing. It was one of the most wonderful sounds in his conscious remembrance. He saw Jayden smile faintly while passing her, before going to the bed in the center of the other two.

His cousin didn't flop on the mattress like usual, instead sinking into blankets like they were swallowing him whole. Tim itched to ask more questions, but kept his mouth shut. Instead, he laid down on his bed to Jayden's right, and gave the larger turtle one more look before fixing on the ceiling.

The silence lasted between them for several seconds, during which Tim sensed his cousin's discomfort increase.

"Since when do you give up so easy?" Jayden hissed softly.

Tim repressed a smile while rolling on his side. "Is that an invitation to keep bothering you?"

" _No._ But you usually do."

"I don't know everything, Jay, and I don't need to. If you'd rather keep something for yourself, it's not my job to bug you."

"Then whose job is it? Charlie's konked out on me."

Tim's eye ridges rose. "You wanna talk about this or not?"

Jayden buried his head in the pillow like he was finished, but then turned slightly Tim's direction. "Thought I was gonna die. It's only happened about a dozen times in the last few weeks, but today was different."

"Why was it different?"

"Because I didn't expect it. Tim, these guys were already beat down. You could feel it from the first group we ran across in the tunnel. They were inches from being finished off, and a couple idiots with guns almost ended me. Didn't see that coming."

The blue-masked turtle sat up further. "You'll never be able to predict everything, Jay. That's why we need each other. Olivia give you a hard time about it?"

"No, the opposite. She's been real chill. Freaking me out a little, almost as much as what they told us about you and Charlie. Tim, what happened earlier?"

The younger turtle hesitated. "I'm not sure, I mean..." He struggled for the right words to describe the event. "It might have seemed like we were going a little crazy, Jay, but if you'd been there, if you knew..."

"If I knew what?"

"It wasn't like losing my mind, even if that's how it sounded and looked. It was as if I'd been set free. All the stuff that mattered so much and scared me to death, it felt like it evaporated. It was peace and joy, and...overwhelming security. I can't explain it in words that make sense, but I knew we were going to be all right. That whether we lived or died, it was gonna be okay.

"Bahri was the one who started laughing first. Then Charlotte and I picked it up like it was contagious somehow. Every time we started to settle down, someone would lose it again, and we'd be back where we started. It wasn't bad, Jayden, just...new."

"But why were you laughing?"

"Probably would never strike you the same way it did us in the moment. Everything became clear. The futility of the Vagari's battle, which was lost before they came out to fight. All the things we'd been dreading and afraid of happening, when the Vaga honestly never had a chance of winning. Not because we were mighty enough to defeat them, but that nothing could compete with the power surrounding us.

"And His ability didn't suddenly change and become greater because we needed it to. It's been epic all along. We didn't see it before, couldn't fathom how big El is. I still can't. But every time I feel afraid, I'll try to remind myself that...He already knows the end _and_ the beginning. Regardless of what comes against us in the meantime, I have a feeling it won't be as intimidating."

* * *

Leonardo was tired of hovering in a state that seemed between dreaming and reality, where he had to question everything going on without him. The desperate desire for sleep produced an all-over ache which left limbs limp and energy nonexistent, but it was hard to give in entirely.

 _Too many things I don't know. I should let it go. I can't accomplish anything in this condition, so it would make sense._

The rational was sound, but part of his mind rebelled in spite of the futility of fighting. A determination to at least change positions in the bed proved even harder than expected, and in the end, impossible. A frustrated grunt escaped: the only protest he was currently capable of offering.

"What do you need, Dad?"

Leo blinked and found his son hovering over him. Words were slow in coming for some reason.

"Is there something I can do to help?" Tim went on.

"Probably shouldn't," he murmured after another second. "What are you doing? You sleep?"

"I had enough," the teen answered. "Think _you_ could use some more."

The older turtle was grateful Tim didn't bother asking how he felt. The energy to come up with a fitting description didn't exist.

"Can I get you something?" his son offered.

Leo shifted an inch to orient on him, and regretted the minute movement of his neck. "No. Make sure everyone is okay."

"They are okay," Tim reassured him.

"Maybe I am too..." Leonardo meant for the statement to go somewhere, but the sensation of swimming made it hard to focus on what he was going to say. "How long have I been like this? Days?" he wondered groggily.

"Hours," the younger turtle corrected. "Not surprised it feels longer. Doc would tell you to go back to sleep, and if Shukri was here, he'd say the same thing."

Leonardo surprised himself with a small snort. "Doc never gives us a say."

A hand grazed his forehead. "I can pretend to be tough on you, if it'd help."

"Would you? Thanks."

"You're gonna close your eyes, stop talking and get more rest," Tim proclaimed sternly. "That, or I'll put the smack down on you. Just gonna sit right here and make sure you do."

Leonardo tried to obey the command, but uncertainties plagued his mind. The question of what he'd been through alone made surrendering difficult.

Tim sighed. "You don't want to let go. This will be over quicker if you do."

"Will you hold on then?" Leo suggested, without a clue why he said it.

"Sure I will. I'm here to handle all the anxiety and worries so you don't have to."

The older turtle felt the pressure of fingers closing around his hand, and it immediately felt warmer.

Leo was going to ask how he would accomplish it, but the inquiry died on his tongue while he dropped back into darkness.

* * *

When the blue-masked turtle woke again, it was to greater clarity of his environment. His frame which had felt frozen solid also seemed to be thawing out slightly. This time, elbows responded to the request to rise, and managed to partially prop him up.

"I know you are feeling better, but take care," a familiar voice directed from nearby.

Leonardo turned his head to see Bahri, and the elohim beamed. "Where's Tim?" Concern automatically flared.

"No one is allowed to remain here all hours, terrapin, though his sensitivity proved beneficial for you."

"He _did_ help, didn't he? I was so restless before..." Leonardo began to follow through on the urge to sit up.

"You find strength returning, but you have to be careful," Bahri reiterated.

"I will be, if you tell me what really happened. How's Ghyath?"

"He is returning to us slowly. Ghyath does not have the quality of your regenerative genes."

"Why don't they give him a transfusion?"

"Ghyath prefers to recover at his own rate, Leonardo."

"Doesn't want anything else from us, you mean."

"Would you have someone force it upon him, terrapin?"

"Of course not, but that doesn't change him needing it. Would you convince him please?"

"I am perfectly capable of hearing you, Leonardo," Ghyath complained from somewhere to his left. "The weakness has not destroyed all my senses."

Ignoring Bahri's former encouragement, the turtle eased his way upright for a better look of the golden-eyed elohim. "No one thinks you're deaf, Ghyath. I just didn't know you were so close by."

"Now that you do, you can lie back down as well."

"As soon as you agree to accept a little more help, I will, Ghyath."

"I have already _had_ blood, terrapin."

"Which was canceled out by the Vaga's monstrosity buried in your brain stem," Donatello cut in suddenly from across the room. "Quit arguing, Ghyath. You _are_ getting more. Leo is looking a lot better, Shukri is almost on his feet, and Tariq's spirit is energized. Their improvement has one treatment in common."

The mention of the vagari made Leo's eyes widen. "Wait, what's happening? Why wouldn't Shukri be on his feet? Tariq is all right?"

The purple-masked turtle crossed the space rapidly to reach him. "Everyone's gonna be okay, Leo, especially Tariq. He probably has some stories to tell, but it needs to wait a bit longer." While he spoke, the genius was eyeing _him_ judiciously.

"You're gonna have to stop looking at me like that," Leo insisted. "I still don't get what the Vagari did, but this part is over, isn't it?"

Don chuckled strangely. "It's a little more 'over' than you think."

"It's impossible to know what to think when no one tells you anything," he replied sullenly.

His brother and Bahri shared a laugh.

"Leo, you've been mostly out of it for a day and a half. There was never an opportunity to tell you, and you wouldn't remember it if I had."

"So what's stopping you now?"

"Your big mouth," he retorted.

"Aren't you supposed to be nicer to people when they're wounded?" Leonardo challenged.

"I agree," Ghyath grumbled. "It seems my own wishes mean nothing."

"Brother, there is no reason to fight it," Bahri stated unexpectedly. "Donatello only wants to help you rise up sooner than you would otherwise. Our friends are going to need to return home-"

Leonardo's head jerked at the statement. "It's _that_ over? We slept through all of it?"

The blue-eyed elohim nodded. "Quite a bit happened in a short amount of time."

"But how?" Leo persisted. "What did it? Are either of you going to lay this out for us?"

"We'll tell you the whole story," Donny promised. "But Ghyath needs to start another transfusion first."

"I do not appreciate being made to accept this," the Rynn repeated.

The purple-masked turtle headed toward Ghyath. "Listen. Our family has been separated for long enough. We'd love to have the chance to revel in this victory for a few days, but the rest of us are also pretty antsy to get home. It could take a couple weeks to recover at your natural rate. Would you rather we left you this way?"

"No," the elohim said morosely. "I would prefer to take you home myself."

"Then you have to cooperate," Don told him logically. "No more arguing."

Leo remained quiet for a couple of minutes while he watched his brother hook up a bag for the elohim. He still had a lot of questions, but needed to clarify something else first.

"If you're taking us home, I don't want you to drop our family and run, Ghyath," Leonardo finally said.

The elohim lifted his head slightly. "What do you mean, terrapin?"

"I mean, this time you're meeting the rest of our people."

Glazed golden eyes gazed back in confusion. "There is considerable risk in lingering within your atmosphere."

"A ship doesn't need to hang out there," Donny corrected. "They can come back to get you, just like the one which retrieved us from Earth. We want our family to meet the faces and hearts behind the stories. Besides, don't you want to see Jenna again, as well as Brandon and Jazz? You've heard so much about our clan, but never had the chance to know a lot of them. What do you say, Ghyath?"

"I cannot agree to any such thing on a moment's notice, especially as I am currently feeling."

"But you'd like to, right?" Leonardo wheedled.

The flash of irritation in Ghyath's face disappeared almost as quickly as it materialized. "There are few things I would love more," he admitted. "Yet the risk remains."

"Bahri and Kamryn spent several days with us," Leo reminded him. _And it sounds like Kamryn will be "hanging out" a lot longer, though I won't be the one to say it at the moment._

"I am considering this, Leonardo, I promise."

"That'll work for now." Donatello tapped the elohim's shoulder. "You're going to feel better so much faster, Ghyath."

The elohim managed a small scowl. "You told me that before."

"There's nothing to hinder the gene this time," Donatello said firmly. "If you need to be topped off, I'll make sure you get it."

The purple-masked turtle switched to look at Leonardo. _"You_ need to cool your jets a little longer too. I'm not ready to let you off bed-rest yet. We'll set up a guard-rotation if it's necessary."

Leo's eye ridges rose. "You always talk tougher when the medical team isn't around."

"Because I have to fill the role of absolute tyrant on my own. It's a big responsibility, bro, and I take it seriously. Now is there anything else you want before I take another look at you?"

Leonardo nodded. "There absolutely is. You can tell Ghyath and I what the shell went on while we were out of it."

"Our world didn't end," Donny replied glibly.

"So I gathered. And now we're ready for the extended version."


	143. Change

Habit was likely what drove Tariq out early in the morning. It was his normal time of day for emerging before other inhabitants of Cri Drojen covered the surrounding grounds. Fear had been the driving force, along with the belief that he could never align himself or stand as an equal with those he'd chosen to follow.

 _I didn't think I belonged here, and I'm still not entirely sure what to do with myself. The one thing which is now clear..._

He was wanted.

The thought still struck the vagari at random moments and caused him to smile in what was probably a foolish fashion. _Regardless of what Ghyath or any of the Nalikjan said, I didn't believe my life could be this different. To imagine, if I had never found out and seen it with my own eyes...or given up when I wanted to._

The chill which washed over exposed skin wasn't just because of the predawn temperature, but the overwhelming knowledge that things _could_ change, and already had. His shoulders trembled slightly under the coolness they weren't accustomed to. The weight of wings had been a natural insulator, and their loss would probably take some adjustment.

 _Strangely enough, I don't particularly miss them yet._

Tariq glanced to the sky, fixing on the way the light blue expanse was breaking on one side, while darkness lingered to the southwest. _I'm sure I'll regret the loss of flight eventually, but for the moment, I only feel...lighter._

The vagari traveled slowly around the outskirts of the tree line, in no hurry to get anywhere. He'd already gone further than he normally did, but felt a stirring curiosity over the wilderness that many of the Elohim crossed through on their own walks.

 _There is nothing to hold me back from the forest. Why am I lingering on the fringe of the trees as though I am trespassing where I shouldn't go?_

The sound of approaching footsteps made answering his own contemplation unnecessary. Tariq turned around to peer right and left for who was coming, but didn't expect it to be one of the terrapins emerging from the shadows. The vagari was familiar with the silent manner in which the aliens moved, but this one made no attempt to mask his arrival.

Tariq hadn't seen the young blue-masked alien since their parting in Arcadia, and felt an immediate sense of relief, despite being told that Tim was all right.

"You're here," the vagari stated, then winced awkwardly. "I'm glad you were not injured badly, terrapin."

"I'm sorry _you_ were," Tim replied, coming alongside him.

"I put myself in that position, young one. While it's not fair to blame it on anyone else, I assume you have still taken responsibility."

"I talked you into going. I'm the reason you almost died."

"No, you're not. But you are part of the reason I've found something which I thought was only a mirage."

"What is it? We don't have to stop here, Tariq. Do you mind walking with me?"

"You probably know these paths better than I."

"No, I haven't come out this far either. Both of us like to fly under the radar, Tariq."

"Fly under the...I'm not sure what you mean. Radar is your term for tracking technology, isn't it?"

"That's part of it. What I said means we both like to avoid notice sometimes."

The explanation perplexed Tariq, though he recognized it was true. "I'm not aware of what happened to you," he said carefully. "I knew that you preferred privacy, terrapin, though perhaps not for the same reason as I."

"There's more than one reason, Tariq. Always is."

"Can you...that is, do you wish to speak about it?"

"It's still not easy to talk about. But I'm trying to force myself to do some things, even though it's hard. Kinda like the way I forced you to take me to Arcadia."

"Terrapin, you made me do nothing."

"Why did you agree to help me? Was it just out of guilt?"

"I'm fairly sure you see things better than that."

"I'm trying not to pry, Tariq."

The vagari chuckled. "You, of all people, don't need someone to tell you such things. I was guilty, yes, but that's not the real reason I chose to cooperate."

"Then why did you?"

"I've done very little good in my lifetime, terrapin. Assisting Ghyath in escaping Central is one of the only worthwhile things in remembrance."

"You helped Charlotte and I get out too."

"Ghyath pushed me to do that, Tim. Releasing him was on my own initiative, and marked the only bold step I've taken."

"You've done other great things, but you're not counting them. I think you deserve credit for bravery. You offered yourself up to the enemy on a platter as nothing more than a distraction technique. You had to know they would kill you."

After a beat, Tariq nodded. "Yes. I expected to die, but the idea didn't bother me. From my perspective, there was no reason to exist. I had no people, no future, and no purpose for going on. So you see, I had very little to lose, terrapin. Sacrificing myself made more sense than allowing someone else to give up their lives."

"You're a better person than you'll admit, Tariq."

"I don't know about that. But I've come to understand that the Light is not what I once thought. My whole life, it seemed El was against me. There was an emptiness always inside. Though the Vaga assured us that we were performing an important work to preserve Nature, a part of me was not convinced.

"I won't say that I felt guilty for actions, but I had a feeling there was supposed to be more to our goals than destructive conquests. While the 'successes' brought joy to my brothers, I don't remember ever being satisfied.

"So I worked harder and immersed myself deeper within his ranks, to help achieve the great work for which we were set apart. I expected to find peace in fulfilling such missions. But I never did."

Tariq turned to face Tim uncertainly. "I don't feel like I should speak so much of myself."

"I want to hear it, Tariq. Go on."

"I assumed there was something wrong with me," he admitted. "That I was hopelessly flawed. For I heard the wisdom and compassion for Creation when Arzhan spoke, yet found no joy in following him. I saw it in the eyes of others, but never experienced it myself."

"Did you ever question if _they_ were the ones who were wrong?"

"I had no reason to. There were many more of them, and the Vaga seemed to act out of a pure heart. I believed his intentions had to be correct, and I was simply off."

"How did Ghyath convince you it was the other way around?"

"I will not say he convinced me with words. What he succeeded in was demonstrating a side of El I'd never known."

Tariq was drawn to look at the tree tops over their heads. "I always believed El existed, Tim, but I didn't see Him. From the time I was young, I associated the Creator with judgment. Every race which we destroyed, every alien civilization we dismantled because they were a 'blight', convinced me of His nature. They were a danger to us all, and I was taught El chose Vagari to execute His will upon the Universes. I understood His desire to be wiping them out. The Creator Himself was removed from the situation, depending on us to carry out the directives.

"As far as I knew, El was close to no one. He only cared about my kind performing as He required. Because I had no real affinity for the work, in spite of trusting our Vaga, I always sensed I couldn't actually please El.

"When Ghyath said that El was concerned for me, I wanted to hurt him. The violence was encouraged by Arzhan, and I thought taking part in his introductory beating would allow a temporary reprieve from guilt. Here was one who represented a _real_ enemy to me, as opposed to the souls we targeted without warning. He was a member of the race responsible for helping tear the Annunaki apart."

"But it didn't make you happy," Tim countered.

"No. And Ghyath kept describing El in ways that no one had before, as One who is present, aware, and faithful. But hearing that there was more to our Creator than the ideas which were originally presented made little difference. I couldn't accept that I was worthwhile to El, or that He wanted me. Nothing anyone said could force me to believe otherwise.

"Alone in that room with Muhsin, I was exposed to the same judgment I helped Vagari mete out for decades. The same ruthlessness which I'd been taught was inspired by El. But in the midst of his battering and interrogation, my eyes were opened. That which was forever elusive and hidden became as clear as the forest now around us.

"The El who Ghyath described, the Light he painted with such glowing terms that I couldn't help yearning for it...For the first time, it was near me. And I realized that the sheer hatred and judgment I was raised to embrace, was not El.

"Light _is_ one of the only ways to describe Him. I'm not sure I can recount how it felt to discover that El didn't desire to punish me. He wanted _me_ , all along. Everything Muhsin did, the torture and questions which continued, meant very little after that.

"It hurt in more ways than I dreamed possible, but the revelation of meeting El was euphoric in spite of it. I don't regret taking you to Arcadia, terrapin, or getting involved with the Ruairi and giving myself up to Vagari. I wouldn't take back a single thing."

Tim's gaze was wistful. "None of it? You're not sorry you lost your wings? Getting tortured isn't the only way you could have met El."

"Why would I waste thought on what is over, young one?" Tariq reached to massage a shoulder blade. "I'm sure part of me will experience sadness, but I will _never_ miss the darkness."

"That makes sense," the terrapin agreed.

"I decided to help you because I thought you deserved a chance, Tim. Something I didn't think others would give me. I chose to join the fight because while I knew action needed to be taken, I lacked the courage to go alone. You gave me the strength to go forward."

"All I did was beg for help and appeal to the guilt I knew you harbored. It was actually pretty manipulative."

"I was ashamed, but that isn't why I went. I prayed that I would either find the ability to live outside of guilt, or die in the process. Either would have been acceptable, but the small journey accomplished so much more, terrapin. I would appreciate you taking some responsibility for the glory to which I was exposed."

"It's gonna take a while, Tariq. Probably don't have that much time," he admitted. "The plans for returning to Earth are already in motion."

"That's a good thing for you and your family."

"I'm ready to go. Just not sure how I'll feel when I get there. I've changed."

"You've learned. I'm sure there is more knowledge to acquire, but this experience does not have to be a worthless one. I wouldn't request to be tortured again, young one. But what I gained from it is infinitely more important than the pain I suffered."

Tariq stopped suddenly in his tracks to stare at the sky."I wish that none of it had happened to you, but there is still the opportunity to grow."

Tim's eyes didn't meet him that time, focusing on something which didn't appear to exist. "I'm not sure if I'll be normal in the long run."

The vagari shook his head. "What is normal, Tim? Is your family a typical representation of Earth's inhabitants? Do any of the races on Zuhur appear 'normal' to you?"

"No one seems to struggle like me."

"That's only your perception. I didn't notice anyone else struggling to obey the Vaga, but from reports in Arcadia, it's clear I wasn't the only one who was unsure of his methods. Yet at the time, I felt hopeless and alone.

"You have an entire family and many other loved ones at home, as I understand it. I doubt they are eager to judge you any more than your terrapin counterparts."

"No, they won't. Still have to find some way to get over myself."

"I'm not sure what that means, Tim, but I have confidence you can grow because of this, instead of being ruined. Don't harbor fear of going home, or you will build it up to be much worse before you get there."

* * *

Tariq was much later in returning with the young terrapin than he meant to be. They'd traversed further than either of them intended into the forest, and ended up taking in some of the destruction which the Vagari had wrought upon themselves.

By the time they made it back to Cri Drojen, the grounds teemed with people sharing the mid-day meal. Among those outside in the largest court yard, Tariq picked out Donatello with his twin young ones. The terrapins seemed aware of them in the same moment.

"Starting to wonder about you," Charlotte complained to Tim. "You _know_ there's limited time to work on weapons."

The blue-masked terrapin shrugged. "We got sidetracked. Is the team still down there?"

Jayden rubbed his hands together. "Dude, there are three of them just working on my ono. It's gonna be sick."

Tariq's cocked his head toward the young one. "How does a blade become sick?"

"He meant it's gonna be really cool," Charlotte filled in. "Once Jay is done hogging the craftsmen, maybe they can help with our blades too."

"Craftsmen?" the vagari echoed. "Are they doing something with Arsiterite?"

Jayden nodded eagerly. "It was my idea. They're here, we're here, why not take advantage of it?"

Tariq smiled with growing interest. "Will they recast all of your weapons?"

"If they have time," Donatello answered. "Grateful I don't need to fit in there. It's a huge project-"

"They have a team, Dad," Jayden interrupted, and got a look for it. "And they're happy to do it. Can we head back down there and see how far along they are?"

"Jay, I don't want you bothering them."

"They won't even know we're there! C'mon, Tim. Charlie and I have been waiting on your shell forever."

The younger terrapin didn't fight his larger cousin's excited grip, despite Donatello's disapproving gaze.

Charlotte looked to her father hopefully. "We won't bug them. We'll only pay the mine a little visit."

The older terrapin's face softened under his daughter's reassurance. "Don't make yourselves a nuisance. They're doing this for _you_."

"We won't!" Jayden caught his sister's wrist in his other hand, and nearly dragged the smaller two off in his haste.

"I'm sorry we took so long," Tariq said once they were gone. "It wasn't intentional."

"You didn't hurt anything, Tariq. Are you hungry?"

"A little, but I meant to pay Ghyath a visit sooner than this. I would rather see him first."

"He and the Ruairi were asking about you in the lab earlier."

"How is he?"

"Getting strength back, though Shukri is forcing him to take it easy. It's driving Ghyath crazy not to have a hand in their weapons."

"Didn't he train artisans for years so he wouldn't have to do all the work himself?"

"Yeah, but this project is personal. He's still counting on taking part in fashioning Leo's new pair."

Tariq glanced at the ground. "How long does your family have?"

"We're stretching time a little for Ghyath's sake. We really want him to make the trip with us."

"I only hope you don't mean to keep him," Tariq joked weakly.

Donatello's smile was faint. "I wish we could kidnap all of you, but I don't think Earth is ready for it. Sure you wouldn't like some lunch before heading up?"

"No, I have kept my friend waiting long enough. I will catch up with you later, terrapin."

* * *

The glorious ability to roll over without pain wasn't something Ghyath took for granted. The golden-eyed elohim reveled in the ease with which it was accomplished, and was begrudgingly grateful for the blood he'd been given. _Though, I am certain Donatello gave me more than I am aware of._

He was also grateful to be stationed nearer to the Ruairi youth, instead of the private corner in which he'd been residing.

 _"How hard do you think it would be to sneak out?"_ he heard Aalok hiss to his friend.

 _"Harder than you think, especially since Shukri has returned,"_ Ghyath offered. _"He is either watching himself, or entrusting someone else to do so."_

Aalok looked aghast to be caught in the act of conspiracy, but then he smiled. _"I have an ally in Shukri's young ones. They already offered to assist me if it was necessary."_

 _"I would not risk it still,"_ the elohim advised.

 _"The terrapins are leaving soon, and we are doing nothing but lying here,"_ Huziah grumbled. _"Do you not want to get up too, Ghyath?"_

 _"There are few things I want more,"_ he acknowledged. " _But if we demonstrate a willingness to cooperate, it will work in our favor."_

"Aye, and give you the chance to be released that much quicker," Ezra announced, peering through the arched doorway. "Someone has come to see you lot."

"I am only interested if they are here to set us free," Huziah said stoically.

"I can't help you there," Tariq apologized. "But perhaps I can distract you from the annoyance?"

"Where have you been?" Aalok spoke up. "I expected you hours ago."

"Tim and I traveled a little too far into the wilderness, and it takes longer to backtrack on foot."

Ghyath grimaced at his words, but the vagari didn't seem disturbed. "How far did you venture?"

"Far enough to see the fire damage. There's nothing left out there, save some excess rubble from the ships. You wouldn't know Vagari were there otherwise."

Aalok sat up gingerly. "Are you sad?"

Tariq appeared to think about it. "A part of me aches for them, while I'm also relieved. It isn't how I wanted things to end for anyone, but if their hearts would not be changed..." He hesitated a few moments. "They have no one to blame but themselves. The battle was of their own doing. I'm sorry they're lost, but not that their dominion will cease to cross galaxies."

Ghyath sent the Ruairi a quick glance, wishing for privacy so he could speak to Tariq more freely. He motioned for the vagari to come closer. "Are you really all right, my friend?"

"I am, Ghyath. I'm also changed, but that part doesn't need to concern you. I've been set free, as your kind would describe it."

"Free?" Huziah repeated, and the elohim mentally begged the teen not to interrupt.

"Yes," Tariq confirmed. "You were right, Ghyath. I assumed that you were, though I still couldn't fathom El wanting anything to do with me. I know better now."

"What do you know?" Ghyath held his breath for the answer.

"I know that El is good. He has always desired me. And the continuous flowing well which first got my attention in your prison cell is not going to run dry."

Ghyath nodded firmly. "No, Tariq, it will not. What happened to you?"

"I had opportunity to see and experience the truth. Nothing I lost under Muhsin's treatment compares to this."

The elohim stretched a hand toward Tariq, and the vagari immediately caught it. "You were always our brother. I hope you understand that clearly as well."

"I do understand. I don't know what the next few days hold, but it doesn't matter. This is home, and you're my people now. Provided that the terrapins don't claim you," he ended lightly.

Ghyath sighed softly. "They wish for Bahri and me to spend a little time on their world."

The statement gave Tariq reason to pause. "You've no reason to fear their family, do you?"

"It is not fear, Tariq, but the difficulty of drawing out the inevitable separation. I sense the longer I remain on their planet, the more difficult it will be to remove myself."

The vagari gave a light shrug. "Maybe it will be. But that doesn't mean the time won't be well spent. Do you want more time with them, Ghyath?"

"I wish I had _all_ the time, Tariq."

"The choice falls to you, Rynn."

The title struck Ghyath at once. "You have never called me that. Why this time?"

"Because my perspective has shifted, and I'm thinking for the long term. I mean to follow you forever, Ghyath."

The simple acclamation made the elohim more emotional than he expected.

"I don't deserve a place here," Tariq continued. "But you welcomed me. I may never be on the same level as the rest of the Nalikjan, but I intend to make a good life with you."

"We are all the same, Tariq – it is what I said from the beginning. In our hearts, no one deserves the goodness which is poured out for us. We have all failed, and are united by our decision to rise from the ashes. I am very proud to have met you, and will boldly call you my brother to everyone in this place. I cannot speak for the hearts of the entire Nalikjan, but I count it as if you have been one of us from the moment you decided to set me free."

Ghyath shifted to look at the Ruairi. "And the same goes for the both of you. The past is gone. We cannot remain inside it. There is much ahead, which no one can predict. But can go forward, together.

"You never have to fear if there is a place for you, young ones. It is here, with us, and that is not going to change. You have only to choose to remain. When it is your time to move on as the terrapins must, we will love you still. But I pray that what has been forged in these last few days is something we will never lose."


	144. Chances

Shukri's eyebrows rose as he was baffled by the way Michelangelo's strange white confection ballooned in size once applied to a heat source. "You are _supposed_ to eat it?"

The orange-masked terrapin looked up from handling his stick. "Well, you don't have to, but your little girl is gonna love it."

The five-year-old bounced up and down excitedly at the prospect of a brand new treat, causing Shukri to shake his head.

"Now eat?" her voice chirped like a small bird of Bahri's video documentaries from Earth. Despite Catani's limited English, she seemed determined to communicate with the alien.

"Tell her it's not finished, Shukri," Michelangelo said. "I'm gonna make it way better."

Shukri smiled at his daughter. _"He is not done yet, Catani. Give our friend a few more moments."_

 _"I'm ready_ now _, Daddy."_ The girl started to pout, but got curious again when the terrapin began unwrapping a metallic paper from the waiting bar in his other hand.

"Here – hold this." Michelangelo offered the stick to Catani, while he assembled his small stack of unfamiliar ingredients. "Okay, dudette, this is gonna blow your mind." He motioned for her to extend the stick, and deftly captured one of the skewered fire-roasted treats between two halves of the flat crackers, along with a sliver of "candy" he'd broken apart.

The orange-masked terrapin blew on the sandwich and nodded at Catani. "You have to give it a second. It's still pretty hot."

Shukri could see the child's impatience growing, but she waited silently for Michelangelo to yield the promised treat. The elohim watched his child take the first bite from his hand, and then bounce even harder.

The terrapin laughed. "You like that, Catani?"

The five-year-old nodded vigorously, though Shukri couldn't be sure she understood. The way the girl crunched through the rest of the sandwich evidenced how she felt about it.

Catani tugged on the terrapin's cloak insistently. "Mikey, for me? For me?"

"Yeah, I have enough marshmallows for a couple more s'mores, kid." Michelangelo shot Shukri a look. "You need to have one too."

The elohim chuckled. "Thank you, my friend, but I am all right."

"Nope. You're gonna at least try it. I had to eat all your food last time. You're going to test one thing of mine."

"But you do not have many supplies. What about the rest of your family?"

"They get to eat this stuff all the time, and they don't mind me sharing. C'mon, Shukri. I won't make you take the whole thing if you don't like the s'more, but you need to _try_ it."

The elohim warily watched his friend build another sandwich, and hesitantly accepted. Catani whined almost immediately for more, but the terrapin was already constructing a second for the child. Shukri nibbled the end of the crunchy square, finding the cracker pleasant enough.

Michelangelo tapped his shoulder. "No, dude, you have to bite it. You need to get everything at once."

The Banrif gave in, since he knew the terrapin wouldn't relent. The difference in melding textures struck him first. He wasn't prepared for the treat to fall apart in his hands or the stickiness of the marshmallow Michelangelo had cooked over the fire, but the combination of flavors made him not mind the experience as much. He concentrated on trying to eat the snack without making a mess in the process, but wasn't entirely successful.

The elohim reddened when he caught Michelangelo gazing at him. "It is not easy to eat."

"But you like it?"

Shukri nodded willingly. "It is different, but not bad. I am told by Bahri that your Earth's sugar is known for having a particularly strong effect on young ones, so perhaps Catani should be limited to two."

Michelangelo laughed over the child having finished scarfing her other one. "Don't worry. I had a kid of my own. I may not like limits, but I know when to use 'em."

"More, Mikey," the young one requested innocently.

The terrapin chuckled while boosting her onto his hip. "You're cut off, kid. Sorry." Michelangelo shook with more laughter when she wrapped sticky fingers around his neck. "Glad you liked your s'more, Catani."

 _"What do you say to the terrapin for sharing with you?"_ Shukri suggested.

" _It was really good. Does he have any left?"_

 _"Catani. What do you say to Michelangelo?"_

She planted a sticky kiss on the alien's forehead. "Thank you!"

"Let me take her for you, terrapin," Shukri offered apologetically.

"It's all right," Michelangelo reassured. "I came prepared."

He shifted the child to his other side and dug a cylindrical container out of his bag. The terrapin popped the top and dragged out a couple sheets from the opening. The girl giggled when he "attacked" her face with one. " _Daddy, they are cold. Where did they come from?"_

 _"I cannot tell you, Catani."_

Michelangelo finished wiping off the child before grabbing another sheet for himself, and handing one of the damp cloths to Shukri. "No harm in getting a little messy sometimes."

The terrapin ran a thumb over the little girl's back, lightly caressing the tips of folded wings. "You're a lucky guy, Shukri. You've got awesome kids."

"I am lucky," he agreed. "And you were blessed with a wonderful child of your own."

Michelangelo smiled sadly. "Life wouldn't be the same without Nate."

Shukri's eyes lingered on the turtle's expression, then returned to Catani. "Did you ever try to have another?"

"Yeah, we tried, Shukri." The way his voice lowered surprised the Banrif. "Just wasn't in the cards for us, but it's okay. We're happy." The sentence felt forced, even though the terrapin's grin didn't budge.

"Your brother recently had another child. Do you _want_ to try again?"

"Isabelle wasn't planned, Shukri. Shell, most of them weren't, except for the twins. Jen needed help getting pregnant. It's just...carrying one of our babies is really hard on the girls, and risky. Becky got very sick during the last pregnancy, and we ended up losing the baby anyway. She still blamed herself too. It's sorta better not to bother."

"Michelangelo, if this is something you both desire, you can have another child."

"I don't wanna put Becky through it. We're happy," he repeated.

"I _know_ how you can do it," Shukri told him. "And the pregnancy does not need to take a violent toll on your mate."

"What do you mean?"

"Dunamis, Michelangelo. It cancels out the instability of your DNA, and adapts to the needs of another user. You do not _have_ to father another child. But if you want one, it is within your reach."

"I...I don't know. I'd have to talk to Becky."

"I am not telling you what to do, terrapin. Merely informing you of the options. I can speak to your brother, if you wish, and tell him exactly how we stabilized Jenna's pregnancy."

Blue eyes widened uncertainly. "Uh...yeah, you could, if you wanna."

"There is no pressure on my part, Michelangelo. But I will share the information along with the rest of the packet I am sending home with Donatello. I do not know everything about dunamis, but I mean to pass on the knowledge I possess."

"Thanks, Shukri. That means a lot."

The elohim cleared his throat to say something else, but then had trouble finding the right words. His discomfort was obvious, based on the terrapin's sympathetic look.

"What's the matter?" Michelangelo pressed.

"Nothing. There is nothing, but..." Shukri stopped when his voice cracked, and tried to clear his throat again. "I am just not ready to watch you leave. That is all."

"Aw...we're gonna miss you too, Shukri. None of us ever expected to see you guys again. This time it's almost harder, but we've got to."

"I know. It is merely a joy to have you among us. I wish it could last much longer, yet your family has been without you long enough."

"They really have. And I miss my wife bad." The terrapin's somber look suddenly lightened. "You ought to come with us, Shukri. Meet the family, talk to our docs. We've got a genetic expert of our own who would kill to pick your brain."

"I do not know, Michelangelo..." the Banrif faltered. "I should speak to Chirayu before I say anything else."

"It's just a thought. You've got a couple more days before you have to make up your mind, so...think about it."

"I will speak to her, and let you know," Shukri said meekly. _Though whether I see you off from here, or follow to your planet, it will not make this part more bearable. I wish it did not have to be this way._

* * *

Shukri wasn't sure how long Elweis had been trying to get his attention, because it was Chirayu who alerted him to the child standing adjacent to his chair.

 _"Will you read it, Father?"_

Shukri glanced down at the somewhat tattered story book in the eight-year-old's grasp.

 _"They are leaving, and I need to give it back to Jayden. How much can you read tonight?"_ Elweis half-pleaded.

Shukri smiled weakly. The young purple-masked terrapin had already told the Banrif that his son could have the book. " _It is yours, Elweis. Jayden means for you to keep it. I will come read a few pages to you in a little while, all right?"_

Satisfied by his promise, the boy ran off down the hall with his new treasure tucked under his arm.

Chirayu rose from her chair a little stiffly. She was still recovering from injuries of her own, albeit at a normal rate since she hadn't taken any of the transfusions. " _What troubles you, my love?"_

Shukri intentionally looked away. _"I am sad to lose the terrapins so soon. I long for more time."_

She nodded with understanding. " _I wish for more of that too."_

 _"Michelangelo asked me to travel with them today, and meet the rest of their family. I did not know what to tell him."_

 _"Do you consider them dangerous?"_

 _"No, but remaining on their planet could be."_

 _"Ghyath told me he and Bahri are going to visit with them too."_

 _"I know that is the plan."_

 _"Are you also aware of what Kamryn is doing?"_

Shukri stiffened. The young woman hadn't confirmed anything to him recently, but he knew about earlier intentions. " _She means to go with them as well, only...I believe she intends to stay behind."_

 _"I thought it was likely she had told you. Such information would not be given to me first."_

 _"We have not discussed it in a few days, but I know where Kamryn's heart lies. Being with the terrapins is what she always wanted. If her health allowed, she would have followed them the first time."_

 _"Are you okay, Shukri?"_

 _"I feel like my heart is going to be torn from my chest. But I cannot dissuade Kamryn from doing what makes her happy. She deserves to be with them."_

Chirayu lightly rested wings around him. _"You do not need to pretend to be happy though."_

 _"I_ will _be happy for her. I can do that much. The terrapins are the reason she lives at all. If not for the twin's stem cells, she would have been lost many years ago. And if not for Donatello's intervention, her spirit might have been broken forever too. I wish none of us had to be separated."_

Chirayu didn't have anything else to say. She merely clung to him, and allowed Shukri to relax in the unhappiness of soon-to-be partings.

* * *

Bahri stared at the uneaten soup before him, and looked across the table to find his companion hadn't touched his food either. _"Ghyath, you are still recovering. If you do not eat, Shukri will continue to watch over you himself."_

His friend sighed. " _Do you remember how hard it was to lose them before?"_

Bahri nodded with a deep sense of regret.

 _"I imagine this is going to be worse,"_ Ghyath continued.

 _"It does no good to dread it, brother,"_ Bahri returned quietly. " _We can change nothing. They were not meant for our world. Only set apart to help our kind, and us them, as we were able. But we know they cannot stay."_

 _"It is selfish to want them to,"_ the Rynn murmured. " _But it is hard to wish otherwise."_

 _"I feel the same, Ghyath. I have become heavier as the days grow shorter, and yearn for months and years more. Yet even in sorrow, there is wonder."_

 _"That relates to your prayer time during the battle, does it not? I have never asked you to speak of it, Bahri, and will still not request to hear things if you are not ready. But from my perspective, you have a peace which was lacking before."_

Bahri crossed and uncrossed his arms while searching for an accurate description of what he was experiencing. _"I find myself living with both regret and hope. At times, they are still at war with one another. I will not say I am 'cured', Ghyath, but that I am convinced."_

 _"Convinced of what?"_

 _"I am certain that El will not give up on me, in spite of every emotion which tells me the opposite. I am choosing to believe Him."_

 _"You_ should _believe Him,"_ Ghyath affirmed. " _You should also not be this hard upon yourself. You have been through events in these last weeks that would destroy others. But though you wanted to give in, you did not."_

Bahri slumped slightly in his chair. _"There was no choice where I was concerned. Were it not for the others-"_

 _"You did not_ have _the others on the ship with you, during the worst of your trials under the Vagari."_

 _"No. But I was not in control of my fate then either. I could not have killed myself."_

 _"You still would not have done it, even if the opportunity existed."_

 _"No,"_ he relented at last. " _I doubt I could have. But I wanted to. You would be disturbed to know the number of times I begged El to take my life. It is still shameful to remember."_

 _"You have to stop looking back. None of us can change what happened, but it can still bind you if it is allowed."_

Bahri pushed aside his soup bowl. _"These fleeting days do not feel real. Maybe they never will. Do you think we will ever understand what happened with the Vagari?"_

Ghyath scooted his chair back a few inches. _"No one can say why they fought with each other, and getting answers from the few left alive in Arcadia is proving unlikely. But I would dare to accept that their motivation for battling does not matter."_

 _"It matters to me,"_ Bahri negated. _"More than ever, the truth of history needs to be told. But I do not want to focus on it right now. I would rather make up for the stress and lack of sleep I have had in the last several days."_

 _"Would you prefer to go back to bed, my friend?"_ Ghyath's serious phrasing of the question almost made Bahri laugh.

 _"No, I would rather celebrate with our people and not dread what is soon coming."_

Ghyath's smile took a rare devious quality. _"We could always create some complications of our own. Traveling in space is no simple feat. Donatello may be able to devise a ship himself, but it would surely take a while."_

The blue-eyed elohim _did_ laugh that time, because he knew their Rynn would never purposefully sabotage one of their space crafts. _"It seems too much to ask for mere happiness. Almost every time, there is a measure of bitterness mixed in. Vagari have beaten themselves, but it means we must lose our friends a second time."_

Ghyath opened his mouth as if to reply, but then rapidly sat up straighter. The instant change in his friend's demeanor was all the warning for Bahri to muster a smile before turning around to see Leonardo and his young one coming into the room.

"Just the two we were looking for," the older terrapin announced. "Are you finished? We don't want to interrupt."

Bahri eyed the unappetizing soup. "I think that neither of us are interested in eating now, terrapin. Do you need something?"

Leonardo looked around like he was making sure they were alone, then his gaze shifted to Tim.

"There are still a lot of opportunities to say things," the youth began. "But it's easier for me not to put it off, because that's what I tend to do anyway. What I _have_ done, my entire life."

Bahri waited for the young one to continue, but Tim was slow in speaking. No one else dared say anything while the terrapin gathered his thoughts.

"I've heard stories about this place, about your kind, my whole life. In one sense, they never seemed real. They were just fantastic tales my dad and uncles told us to pass the time. Your characters in particular felt like nothing more than figments of someone's imagination.

"But from the moment I woke up on a space ship and found myself in a situation similar to what my family experienced, the reality set in fast. When I look around now, having actually lived among you, I feel...torn. Because even though I never expected any of it, meeting my dad's alien friends has been one of the best things that ever happened to me.

"You used to be some heroes who felt too fantastic to be real. Getting the chance to see all of you in this light, I understand that everyone doesn't measure up to those stories. You're _more_ than I thought you were."

Bahri sent the young one a smile. "You realize we have strengths and weaknesses of our own. We are not so different from your people. Although, the majority of us will never be half as strong as your kind."

"You're wrong there," Tim insisted. "I see a lot more strength in _you_ than you're willing to believe. I know you can't accept it at the moment, but I have faith you'll eventually realize it too."

Bahri's gaze shifted to the table. "Everything has come together better than we could have dared hope. We are grateful that your family gets to go home."

"You also don't have to pretend between the four of us," Tim told him. "We feel the heaviness too, y'know? We come to a place like this, fight with amazing people like you, and then we're supposed to walk away and never see anyone again?"

"I do not think we have to say 'never'," Ghyath replied.

Tim fixed the Rynn with an intensity that made Bahri shudder. "There is _still_ so much ahead of you. Your race has been through a lot. But you're gonna have the chance to thrive again, and you're going to do great things. Feels weird to be the one to say it, like I have some expertise on the matter. You're the one who held me together when I almost came unglued."

Ghyath rose and circled the table. "I did not expect to find a youth in that prison cell. But from the moment I met you, I was never disappointed. I see not only your father, but all of your uncles' influence within you. None of you are an exact copy of one another, and you ought to never try to be. But their strength and teachings are represented very well through your life."

"He's got a lot of his mom in there too," Leonardo ventured. "We're excited for you to meet everyone else."

Ghyath nodded. "I confess, the idea still unnerves me, but I cannot turn down such an invitation. Mostly because your family will not let me."

"Nope – you're not getting off easy," Tim retorted, but his smile was wistful while staring at the muscular elohim. "I don't think you get how important you are to the Nalikjan yet. There were so many things that could have crushed you, but they didn't. I understand how much you look up to my family, but you need to realize that we look up to you too. Especially me."

To Bahri's perceptive gaze, he knew Ghyath was struggling not to become emotional.

"It has been an honor, Zylli. I am grateful for the time we have had, and the chance to see you again." Ghyath inclined his head toward Leonardo, and pointed at the hilts crossing his back. "You have not shown them to Bahri yet."

The blue-masked terrapin withdrew both blades. "I didn't intend to replace mine," he said solemnly. "But the chance to work with Ghyath again wasn't something I could refuse, especially since I already passed on my original Arsiterite pair to Nate and Olivia."

"I did not do very much," the golden-eyed elohim protested.

"The others helped me start, and you assisted me in finishing. It was wholly appropriate."

Bahri admired the new Arsiterite katanas and gave the terrapin an approving nod. "If anyone should carry the mineral, it is you, Leonardo. I am glad you are taking a small piece of us back with you."

"We have more than a small piece," the older terrapin corrected. "Everyone has left an impact, but probably no one more than the two of you. That kind of influence shapes a life." He glanced back at his son.

"Yeah," Tim affirmed. "It is life changing. And I wouldn't pass on it if I had the chance to, except for the Vagari."

Ghyath's face clouded over. "I would sooner die than let you go through any such thing again."

The young terrapin offered a hand to the Rynn. When Ghyath accepted, the gesture felt more intimate than if Tim had embraced him.

"It's not goodbye yet," the youth finally said. "But I was ready to burst. So thanks for letting me talk to you."

The golden-eyed elohim shook his head, clearly not wanting to let go of his hand. "I do not want to speak or think about goodbye. I hope to enjoy what time we have left, Zylli."

"We will," Tim said confidently. "We're gonna show them a good time, right, Dad?"

Something in the older terrapin's smile made Bahri a little uncomfortable, but he shook off the feeling. In truth, he was excited to be going with them, but also fearing how hard it would be to leave.


	145. Freedom

Liran breathed in the fresh evening air with a tremendous sense of relief. As much as he appreciated the refuge the mountain had offered them during their stay, it was more satisfying to be free from the confines of tunnels and halls of stone.

He was the one to suggest moving their dinner outside from the formal confines in which it was supposed to take place. _The atmosphere was too heavy. This is not a time to grieve, but for celebration. I will not blame anyone for being sad over such a parting, but that does not mean every moment of this evening should be suffered through._

The legatus sent a sidelong glance to Lieasel, who was showing Donatello's son one of the crude drums he and another member of the Reruqi had fashioned over the course of two days time. The lack of a common language between the pair did nothing to dampen the young terrapin's excitement.

 _There is little doubt in my mind that Lieasel and the others mean to use their instruments tonight, whether our hosts are prepared for it or not._

The Hiryn meant to be respectful of their reserved Elohim counterparts, which was the other reason he desired to move the gathering outdoors. _The noise is less overwhelming under an open sky than a low ceiling. Perhaps they can even appreciate it._

Liran was surrounded by scents which had become familiar since dwelling among the Nalikjan, but he wasn't ready to eat anything yet. The legatus was happier to observe the growing group being drawn to circle where Lieasel was setting up drums. The rest of the terrapins' children had been warily joined by several of the young Ruairi.

The bird-like aliens were yet timid. To Liran's gaze, it appeared the youth would bolt with very little provocation, despite their fascination with instruments.

 _"They were not going to come,"_ Aalok offered suddenly from behind him.

Liran turned to regard the ruairi. _"I understand that all are welcome here. I am glad they decided to join."_

The seventeen-year-old avoided his eyes for a few moments before looking up. " _They yet bear the shame of our earlier actions, as I do myself. I am not certain how long we will remain at Cri Drojen."_

 _"I have not heard the Nalikjan decided to release you."_

Aalok shook his head. _"We had no choice but to work together in these last few days. That does not mean anything can be the same as it was before selfish decisions."_

 _"From what I can see, it appears the terrapins and Nalikjan have both chosen to forgive impulsive acts."_

 _"But it does not erase them. Do you not think it would be wiser for all of us to return home, where we belong? The Ruairi are our kind, our future. Why should we not be with them?"_

 _"The matter is not whether you should be with them, Aalok. It is not wrong to wish to see your family again, or to resume living with your kind. But your motivation for leaving also had relevance. Do you assume the Nalikjan has nothing more to offer you?"_

 _"The Nalikjan is not the problem, Hiryn. I do not belong here anymore. If I could only-"_

The ruairi froze up when a pair of figures broke from the group, and the patter of small feet rushed toward them. Liran watched Aalok cringe when Shukri's young ones all but tackled the teenager.

 _"We went looking for you!"_ Elweis clung to the alien's cloak as if he would try to escape them. " _Why did you not come out earlier?"_

Aalok forced a smile for the eight-year-old, but his discomfort was obvious. " _I meant to, Elweis. I have...not been feeling well."_

 _"Daddy said you are better now,"_ Catani insisted, but the little girl also looked worried. _"Are you still hurt?"_

Aalok patted her shoulder reassuringly. " _I am fine, because of the terrapin's help."_

 _"They are so much fun, Aalok!"_ Elweis declared. " _We have been with them for hours, but we wanted you to come too. Lieasel will let us play with his drums."_

 _"You should go have a good time,"_ the teen encouraged.

 _"We still want you."_ Catani yanked his hand to try and pull the alien from his chair.

Aalok sent a mute look to Liran conveying a cry for assistance, but the legatus merely laughed.

 _"Why fight with them, Aalok? They have chased you this far."_

Liran beamed when the ruairi allowed the children to drag him toward the expanding circle. The Hiryn was half-tempted to join himself, but concerned that his presence could intimidate the shy Ruairi youth. _It is better for me to enjoy them from afar._

The legatus scanned around the courtyard to filling tables where some were already eating. The meal was arranged not as an event, but a continually replenishing spread so individuals could partake of food whenever they chose. He selected a chair at the end of another empty table, so he could inconspicuously observe the young ones without them being as aware of him.

The group which had hidden the view of those in the inner circle parted halfway, with the majority of Ruairi sticking to the outskirts. Curiosity seemed to be getting the better of the youth, though, and they looked less likely to run since their _Parin*_ had joined them. (first student)

The partial breaking up of the circle also revealed Raphael's daughter discussing something with her larger cousin. Liran noted the object slung over her shoulder, which made him chuckle softly. The instrument had been explained somewhat by Bahri on the trip back to Zuhur from Earth, but he'd had no opportunity to hear the red-masked terrapin play. The one time she'd been _about_ to use it onboard, his entrance into the cabin caused Olivia to put it away.

Lieasel made a gesture to Jayden, and pantomimed a motion over the drum between them. Liran recognized the invitation from where he was sitting, and the mammoth young one didn't require further encouragement. The Hiryn was impressed by the lively rhythm the purple-masked terrapin selected, and surmised it wasn't his first time exposed to such an instrument.

Liran watched his grandson patiently allow the alien to set the tempo, before joining in behind him with a second. The parts which easily could have dueled for the lead position melded seamlessly instead. The genuine joy with which Jayden threw himself into drumming caused the legatus to smile again, and stop worrying if the noise might be too much for Elohim. _They can retreat to their caves if need be._

His eyebrows rose when Alarid emerged from the shadows to snap something onto the red-masked terrapin's shoulder strap. When Olivia joined with the pattern the pair provided, it was clear the device had something to do with amplification. Liran was familiar with the technology, but didn't expect to see the quiet elohim technician volunteer it. The rich sound struck the legatus with admiration for her skill. His smile grew wider when she began singing, though he couldn't understand any of it.

Regardless, he abandoned his chair to edge closer to the young ones. A desire to hear more of the "guitar" Bahri vaguely described drove the Hiryn to risk it since the Ruairi were now distracted by the song.

That was when he noticed the terrapins' older counterparts on the far side of the half circle, watching the scene with their own approval. Liran immediately headed for the warriors, and Raphael pointed him to an open chair on his right side. Bahri leaned toward him from across the table.

 _"Good evening, Hiryn. I apologize for not noticing you."_

 _"There has been much to occupy attention."_ Liran indicated to the youth. " _It would seem they have all played together before, if I did not know Lieasel has taken up no instruments on Zuhur yet."_

Raphael said something, which Bahri then had to fill in.

 _"His daughter is very talented. I have not heard her sing or play myself, but Raphael says they often do this at home. He plays with her as well."_

Liran thumped the red-masked terrapin's shell. _"You will have to ask him to make an appearance for us, Bahri."_

The elohim eyed Raphael like he understood the statement before replying to Liran. " _I have heard him sing before, though I do not know if he will tonight."_

Liran gazed around at onlookers to gauge their reaction to the interwoven melody and drumbeat. Most of the Elohim were behaving like nothing strange was happening, while a couple were clearly embarrassed. _"I hope they are not all driven indoors."_

 _"There is not much danger of that,"_ Bahri answered. _"They are likely to at least give it a chance. I think the majority of them are at least intrigued. The song is reminiscent of the Human's Latin music, though I am not sure how she accomplished that. This would not be my first choice, but I do not find it objectionable."_

 _"Can you understand what she sings, Bahri?"_

Even in the low lighting, he swore it seemed like the elohim reddened. " _Do not ask me to sing, Hiryn. I recognize the Spanish, but I am not comfortable translating what she says."_

 _"You need a few more days with them,"_ Liran teased, nodding to the terrapins at their table.

 _"I would give anything for a few more_ years _, Hiryn."_

Liran glanced over his shoulder as the sound of additional drums united with the others. The Reruqi weren't laying a competing pattern of their own, but fit in with the arrangement in progress. Then he turned back to Bahri.

 _"You will not have years, my friend. If you are hesitant to act, you still miss experiencing much."_

Bahri ducked shyly. _"I do not mind watching."_

 _"But watching is not the same as doing."_ Liran was drawn to the left when the orange-masked terrapin pulled out his chair. _"Where is he going, Bahri?"_

 _"He is Michelangelo,"_ Bahri answered, like he had explained all. _"I am surprised it took him this long."_

Liran looked back again to catch the older terrapin falling in with the young ones like it was where he belonged. The Hiryn wasn't shocked by his enthusiasm, but seeing him match steps with the teenagers still caused him to laugh once more.

Michelangelo yelled something back at his brothers, which prompted a swift conversation between the terrapins at the table. Their words were interrupted by Charlotte approaching the group with hands on her hips and a stern expression. Whatever they'd been discussing ceased as the older aliens followed her back to the celebration.

Liran flipped his chair around to view the melee from a better angle, and shot Bahri a smile when the elohim joined his side of the table. _"Do you think they are wrong, brother?"_

 _"Wrong? In what way?"_

 _"Do you wish they would not behave in such manner?"_

 _"No, Hiryn. Their behavior often amuses me, as it seems to you."_

 _"What do you think it is which causes your kind to often hold back from this enjoyment?"_

 _"I cannot say. In some ways, I envy their freedom. If I could, I would be a little more like them in this respect too."_

 _"You do not have to be like them, Bahri. You can find your own freedom, just like the other night."_

 _"That was...Hiryn, I still do not understand what happened to me. There is no explanation for it."_

 _"But you found the laughter enjoyable."_

 _"Very much, if a bit intimidating."_

 _"Anything new that you try will likely feel intimidating, Bahri. You do not need to copy our unique friends. But if you are drawn to find more freedom, do not let anything stop you."_

* * *

Michelangelo felt antsy while waiting for the ship to enter the hangar. On one hand, he was dying to get home to the rest of the family and their own planet. At the same time, what was going to be another difficult parting loomed over their heads.

The hangar had started out crowded, but the populace thinned over the course of an hour. Mike wasn't ready to see that many familiar faces and new friends depart, but the Elohim in particular were still uncomfortable with emotional exchanges.

It was down to a core group including Shukri's family, Ezra and Violet, Liran with his grandson, as well as Alarid. It was also much too quiet for the orange-masked turtle's liking.

 _Someone has to say something. This is getting old quick._ He looked at everyone around him in turn, inwardly pleading for another person to start it. When he locked on Leonardo, his oldest brother's bleak gaze told Mike he agreed.

"It's a weird feeling to be standing here again," Leonardo said. "It's sort of like deja vu, but...different."

His brother's pause gave Michelangelo opportunity to hear Ghyath murmuring to the two Legatus, interpreting for Leo.

"The first time around, everything was unexpected. Being abducted, meeting all of you, and finding a way to work together," Leonardo continued slowly. "On this occasion, you had to chase us down, and risk everything to help our family. We honestly couldn't have done any of this without you."

The blue-masked turtle's arm went around Tim. "We owe you guys an impossible debt. There's no way to pay you back for what you did for our family, and by extension, our planet."

Leo looked toward Ezra, who was still huddled near Alarid. "You didn't have to come. You could have fled the other direction from ridiculous odds. No one forced you to fight with us, risk your lives more times than anyone can count, or watch your brothers lay down theirs."

Alarid took a deep breath. "I do not regret any of it, save perhaps not trusting El more. I know Ghysis would not regret his actions for one moment either. It is not the end for him, or any of us really. This life is but a vapor, a shadow. The eternity which follows is far greater."

Ezra smiled sadly. "Seeing you turtles again fulfilled my longest standing wish. I'm grateful that we got to have any part of this, and for surviving it. In our minds, you don't owe us anything but friendship. We ourselves would never have been free to begin with if it weren't for all of you."

Leonardo glanced at Kamryn out of the corner of his eye, and Mike instantly looked away. The fact that the woman was returning to stay with them was common knowledge, but it didn't make goodbyes easier to witness.

"I'm scared, and...I feel selfish," Kamryn faltered. "But it also seems like I'm about to explode. There are too many things I want to say, and I...It comes to this moment, and I don't think I can."

Mike chanced a peek over, and found the woman wrapped in the Irishman's arms.

"You are not selfish, _hamna._ No one wants you to feel bad. Only to know that you're dearly loved. You're a part of us, and you always will be. Nothing is forever, not even these separations. Let's not say we won't see each other again."

While Kamryn turned to hug Violet, Leonardo moved toward Liran.

"When it comes to your people especially, you had nothing to do with any of us. You intercepted that message and chose to get involved, without knowing the full situation. I can't thank you enough for taking a chance on us. We might not be here if you hadn't, and the same could be said of the human race."

Mike gazed at the Hiryn for his response, even though he couldn't understand it. Ghyath listened carefully, then turned to Leonardo.

"He wants to remind you that _none_ of this happened by chance. Every action, every 'coincidence' which occurred, is actually anything but. There was never a question in Liran's mind if he should respond. He did not know what to expect from your kind with the stories he was told before arriving on Earth. He said the humans are blessed to have you, and he feels like a better person for knowing you."

Ghyath cleared his throat suddenly, and Mike could tell he was struggling to contain emotion. "He would like to pray for you, if you do not mind."

The blue-masked turtle didn't bother glancing around the circle of family and friends before agreeing.

Liran motioned for everyone to gather in tighter, and silence descended on the group again. Mike found Nate on his left and crowded so close to his son that he could detect the teen's breathing when it quickened. Bahri ended up on his right, close enough to brush up against his side.

When Liran spoke, it was more like a song than speech. His pleasant bass was both soothing and mystical in a sense, probably enhanced by their current environment and the emotions in play. For a few moments he would speak, and Ghyath would finish with the interpretation.

"El, You always fight for us, and throw down those who attempt to cause harm. You are the armor and shield of our protection. Continue to rise up and hinder any enemy in our path...Show us that You are our salvation. Surprise evil-doers by catching them within the snares they tried to lay for us. Then fear will dissolve into peace, and our entire hearts overflow with joy.

"We will shout that there is no one like You. You protect the weak and hopeless from such oppression. For You delight in the well-being of Your creation, and the love You possess has no limit...Your kindness leaves no person forgotten. All those who seek You for refuge will find it. El, keep pouring out Your faithfulness, and release Your blessings to our friends, and all who are loyal to them.

"As You do not forget them, neither do we. Make Your Light always shine upon them and grant them unending favor and peace."

When Ghyath translated the last phrase, Tim edged out from underneath Leonardo's arm to approach the Hiryn, and the alien's wings enfolded the teenager. Liran murmured something else which made Bahri nod, while Ghyath quietly explained the meaning to the youth.

"What'd he say?" Mike whispered to the elohim.

Bahri bent nearer to his ear. "He said that what Tim carries is not his burden alone. He should not treat it as such."

Though the blessing was done, no one backed up from the close proximity they'd taken with each other.

"We really can't thank you enough for the different parts everyone played. It's impossible to say what will happen next," Don volunteered. "Ezra's right – we shouldn't act like this is permanent. There's no telling if it will be. Either way, seeing all of you again and going through this together, it binds us in a sense that we _can't_ be broken. Even if we're far apart.

"We think things will continue to get better on Zuhur. That's what you have to believe. Don't stop working with the Elohim who aren't part of the Nalikjan, or the Ruairi and Ducaz."

"Nothing is broken," Ghyath answered. "Our treaty with the Ruairi stands, and we have new ground for developing a relationship with the Ducaz. As for the Elohim who initially fell into line with the Vagari, there will be no formal punishment on our part. We only require peace. If they do not fight against us, we will take no action against them."

"We're confident you'll do the right thing where your people are concerned," Leonardo returned.

Raphael snorted suddenly. "You ought to do the right thing by your kids too." He pointed toward Elweis nestled at Shukri's side, and Catani sleeping on Chirayu's shoulder. "You've been letting 'em have all kinds of fun, and that doesn't have to change. They don't gotta grow up like..." The red-masked turtle searched for words while Leonardo gave him a warning look.

"Just be free," Michelangelo filled in for him quickly. "You guys are awesome parents. Enjoy it as much as you can."

The eight-year-old said something to Shukri which Mike couldn't understand, and the alien answered in hushed tones, then shook his head. Chirayu stretched a hand to pull Elweis closer to her, though it appeared he didn't want to be separated from his father.

Michelangelo surmised what was happening without literally comprehending anything they said. "Not to worry, little dude. We're not keeping your dad. He's only going on a trip, and then he'll be right back here."

Elweis frowned with folded arms, but the sour expression cracked when Mike made a face of his own at him. "Will you come back too?"

The orange-masked turtle exchanged a glance with his brothers. "Don't know, kid. Maybe we will. You need to be the best guy _you_ can be, and grow up amazing like your dad."

"But I want to visit you. When will I be old enough?"

Elweis' eagerness brought out a few chuckles in the group.

Chirayu ruffled his golden hair fondly. "That is a discussion for another time, Elweis."

Leonardo reached to gather Tim in again, and embraced Kamryn on his left. Around the circle everyone followed his example, linking shoulders as an unbreakable chain. "All the differences in our worlds, our pasts, our people, they don't mean anything. You've never treated us as lower life forms for our uniqueness, and though your technology puts you light years ahead of us...When we're together, we _are_ one. Not only through a common enemy or purpose. But because at the heart of everything, we're the same. We fight for what's right. We respect every form of life. And we love and take care of each other.

"Of all the random races we could have gotten mixed up with, considering the multitude of alien civilians that exist...I'm glad we got kidnapped by yours."

"You'll be lucky if we don't come kidnap you another time," Ezra quipped, breaking the somberness which had settled.

Raphael let go of Olivia and Alarid to give the Irishman a giant bear hug. "Better take out some insurance before you scare us that bad again. A little advance warning will give ya a better shot of surviving."

The hiss of the nearby ship made Michelangelo swallow. Their time was almost spent. There were so many more things he wanted to say, but none of them seemed like they could sum up what he was feeling. Instead, he clung to Nate and Bahri tighter, intent on not letting go of anyone until he had to.


	146. All Right

Charlotte wasn't happy when the visor came out for the jump, even knowing it was a necessity. Vestiges of the original terror which had been evoked the first time the device was forced on her were quick to surface.

Emerging from being suspended this time was still so violent on her part, the harness was the only thing which kept Charlotte seated. Telling herself there was no longer anything to be afraid did nothing for a the purple-masked teen's racing heart or labored breathing.

It took a moment to register the elohim kneeling in front of her, and she grimaced at the concern in Shukri's eyes. Charlotte immediately leaned back in her chair and held her breath to steady the outward traumatic reaction.

The alien reached for her harness and promptly removed the belt. "Your heart rate went far too high. Someone needs to look at you, young one. Your father is here, if you would rather he-"

"I don't need to be examined," she interrupted, catching her dad's eye when he crowded in from the right. "I'm fine."

"Suspension can have complications," Donatello told her. "With that negative of a reaction, we're not going to ignore it."

"Dad, I'm _fine_ ," she repeated stronger, drawing both knees up in her seat to hide behind. "I just don't enjoy the experience. Never have."

"Charlie, you won't talk me out of this." He lightly tapped her legs to demonstrate his point.

"Please just let me be." Her voice rose slightly with the request. "I don't need a physical every time I breathe wrong."

"Ojisan," Tim interjected. "She's okay. There's nothing wrong, it's just...memories."

Shukri backed up a few feet, but Don remained reluctant. Charlotte was on the verge of getting truly angry with him, but also acutely aware of the attention the conversation was gaining from the rest of the cabin.

Her father caught her by the wrist to test a pulse. "We're going to delve into the information which was recorded during your suspension," he said slowly. "Then if Shukri says we need a closer look, you're going to submit to this. In the meantime, I want you to take it easy."

She twisted her wrist away from him a little too hard, but didn't care if she hurt his feelings at the moment. Charlotte was on the verge of tears, and hated herself for it. She felt more like yelling at him than getting emotional, but the urge to cry was increasing.

The young blue-masked teen clearing his throat was a merciful distraction. "Charlie, will you come with me?"

"I don't want you guys disappearing." Donatello's reproachful tone stoked the embers of Charlotte's smoldering rage worse.

"Where would we go, Ojisan?" Tim stated reasonably. "We need to decompress."

"Bro, they're fine," Leonardo added softly. The oldest turtle's gentle manner was in stark contrast to how Charlotte wanted to respond.

 _I think it's better for me not to say anything else._ The fact that their Jonin was calm instead of authoritative seemed to diffuse her father faster than she could have. She still flinched under her dad's hand when he grasped her shoulder.

"I'll come back around to check on you when we know a little more," he reminded her.

The girl stared at the ground instead of answering him, so that she was surprised by Tim's sudden proximity on her left side.

"Do what you need to, Ojisan, but we're gonna take off for a bit."

Shukri was the one to prompt the older purple-masked turtle to walk away. The pair no sooner left the room when Charlotte spun on heel to go the opposite direction, without bothering to check if Tim followed. It wasn't until she made it half a dozen steps through the adjacent hall that she realized _two_ turtles had pursued.

The sight of her Jonin made the teen cringe. She wasn't free to tell their clan leader to leave her alone, no matter how much she wanted to. "Jonin, I...I really don't wanna talk right now-"

Leonardo held up a hand to stop her. "It's all right – I get it. I just wanted to tell you that I'll speak to your dad. I understand where he's coming from, but at the same time...I'll handle it. Okay?"

She simply nodded, not trusting her voice to remain steady. Charlotte gave Tim another mute look as his father left them, feeling both clueless and worn. For his part, Tim seemed unaffected by the near meltdown she'd had on her dad.

 _It feels like I blew it out of proportion, but he just doesn't have a clue. Neither do I, for that matter. Why did it make me so mad this time when my dad's anxiety has been a consistent way of life?_

"You want to get something to drink?"

Tim's question called her back to reality. "Yeah, I guess."

He led the way further down the corridor, pausing at a cooler device that was inset within the wall. The blue-masked turtle selected two of the cylindrical silver containers, before heading in the direction of the room which had been assigned to the boys.

Charlotte wordlessly accepted one of the bottles from him, and silently dropped onto the edge of a bed. She knew it was Jayden's, based on the way he'd characteristically refused to make it. After a few moments, she snuck a glance at her counterpart on his own bed. Though he wasn't looking at her, she knew he was cognizant of her mental state.

 _How could he not be? Maybe Tim can actually explain it._

"Why did it make me that mad?" she asked without precursor.

Tim hesitated a minute from replying.

"You're not going to offend me, Tim. I think both of us are beyond the need to sugarcoat things for each other. So why did I get mad?"

"Being aware of your emotions doesn't mean I understand all of them," he answered carefully. "But if we talk this through, I bet you can figure it out."

"I don't really want to talk it through."

"You wanted me to come though. What did you expect to do until your dad shows back up?"

The reminder made Charlotte grind her teeth. "He's _always_ been overprotective. It's only going to get worse from here, isn't it?"

"I'm not sure, Charlie. I mean...he didn't stand in your way during the mission in Arcadia. He turned you loose and trusted you to fight alongside your teammates. You're used to your dad getting nervous, so I imagine something else triggered this."

"Nothing even happened," she grumbled. "Why is he flipping out over the physiological effects of being suspended? It's not like _any_ of us are used to it. Why throw a fit because my body experienced a weird jolt? It's over with."

"Is it?" he ventured. "Charlotte, I felt your terror well up almost as badly as the first time."

"I don't like being suspended. What difference does it make?"

"Your dad and Shukri were focused on your physical response," Tim said thoughtfully. "But that wasn't the real problem, huh?"

"Tim, you know there's nothing wrong with me."

"Physically, we're both fine. But on a deeper level? Charlotte, I think we'll be dealing with our own quirks for a while."

She shook her head vigorously. "No. It was different after that prayer time during the battle. I felt better, freer. More relaxed than I've been in my whole life."

"How do you feel now?"

"You really have to ask?"

"I don't have to, but I think _you_ need to focus on it."

She rolled onto her shell and stared at the curved ceiling. "It was the same," Charlotte admitted bleakly. "I thought I was different now, but it was just like before."

"Being suspended?"

The purple-masked turtle nodded. "I didn't expect it. I thought that part of me was gone. But it's not, Tim. I wasn't cured of anything."

He didn't say anything for such a long time, she turned her head to look at him.

"I don't know why the prayer didn't work on me. I must be missing something, or I didn't do enough. The peace isn't supposed to be temporary, is it? Only a brief flash that's long enough to keep you from going insane? Do you know why this happened?"

He scooted to the edge of his bed and then rose to join her on Jayden's. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then I'm not fixable?"

"That's not it," he replied quickly. "I'm really sorry, Charlie."

"You're sorry I'm still screwed up? It isn't your fault."

Tim sighed heavily. "I'm sorry I consumed so much of your energy and time. We were both in hell, but you spent the majority of our captivity trying to prevent me from losing my mind. We hardly focused on you, and it wasn't right."

"It wasn't as bad. I didn't enjoy any of the experience with Vagari, but you had it worse."

"It's not fair to put it that way. I was caught up in my own head, and the whole family was distracted by my issues when they arrived too. You repressed a lot of the things you went through in order to look after me."

"But it doesn't matter anymore, because it's over," she reiterated. "Or I thought it was."

Charlotte shrank away from fingers grasping her shoulder. "Why did this have to happen? Why did I get to experience those blissful moments of rest, only to end up right back where I started?"

"You're not where you were."

"How is this different, Tim? I'm more angry now than I was originally!"

"You're angry because you think you messed it up."

"I obviously did _something_ wrong."

"Charlotte, listen. A terror induced setback doesn't erase what happened a few days ago."

"Then what does it mean, Tim? Because I'm definitely not better off!" Her voice broke with the statement, and hot tears followed. She didn't fight the arm that wound around her shell that time, but didn't relax into his embrace.

"I wanted to be free..." she faltered. "I thought I was. But I'm not."

"Charlotte, no one lives in constant peace. No one. You know it doesn't work that way."

"But most people can walk around like normal-"

"Stop," he ordered. "Think about the physical environment we live in. What's 'normal' about our climate? It's hard to predict the weather we'll have even a few hours in advance."

"Modern meteorology has fairly accurate forecasts-"

"But they aren't fool-proof, right? And being able to see the approaching weather on a radar doesn't enable us to change it. Sunny days turn stormy in the blink of an eye. Temperatures rise or plummet based on the whim of high or low pressure. The only consistent thing about weather in many parts of the world is that it _isn't_ constant. It can shift and change without a lot of notice, or we might be stuck in a heat wave or freezing temperatures for a week at a time. Does that mean there's something wrong with the cities being assaulted?"

"Tim, there's no correlation for me. My regression has nothing to do with weather patterns."

"Regression is the wrong word," he insisted. "Charlie, not all wounds can heal overnight, not even with your blood. That doesn't mean they won't get better, or haven't been affected. You can't stop everything that goes through your mind, but you get to choose what to accept.

"If you allow something like the perceived failure of a panic attack to drag you down and assume it's a sign that nothing else you experienced is genuine...you're likely to believe it."

"This isn't a case of mind over matter, itoko. I'm significantly screwed up."

"You're hurt," he corrected. "That doesn't invalidate the awesome thing that happened to us."

"But I thought I'd _changed."_ She shifted sideways, away from the arm protectively gripping her back. "Why can't I be normal?"

"Because none of us are." His wry smile didn't make her feel better. "One of the only things we all have in common is being messed up somehow. Why do you think it's just you?"

"I don't think no one else struggles, Tim. But I want to know why the peace was there for a couple days, only to end in me flipping out again!"

"It was real," he assured her.

"How do you know?" she demanded. "You realize what it did for you. You can feel _my_ turmoil too, but you're not inside my head. I can't hide much from you, but you still don't see everything."

"I don't see it all, but I'm sure it was genuine."

"How do you _know_ , Tim?"

"Because I was there. And I know you, Charlie. Not how you're doing at every given moment, but...If there's one person we don't need to hide something from, it's each other. We both went through it."

"You still had it worse-"

"Charlotte, don't. It's okay to admit that you're not settled, or that the experience brought things to the surface which you don't like. I'll probably never shake the memory of some of those days, or the awful action it compelled me to take. But it doesn't mean God didn't meet us."

"If He met us, why is it still a struggle? Wasn't the point to improve our lives? Why show up otherwise? Why inspire hope if I'm going to end up disappointed? It almost seems cruel, but..." She paused with a wince. "It's wrong to say that, and to act like God owes me something. But I can't understand why...Why are we supposed to ask Him for help, if it was never going to last?"

"The hope never disappeared," Tim said slowly. "That's your emotional reaction to it. It's really hard to separate our feelings from every aspect of our lives. So when we have a spiritual experience, it often involves our emotions too. The resulting 'high' leaves you under the impression that it's supposed to always feel that way.

"But you know it's not the case, Charlie. Our feelings are fickle, and they change in a flash. They don't even need a real reason. You're not sensing hope at the moment, so something tells you that it's gone forever, or that it was never real to start with. But it's far from the truth.

"At some point, you have to accept that the same power which revealed itself to us in that sanctuary is still here with you and me. Regardless of what your emotions tell you. You can't trust everything you feel, Charlotte. If anyone knows that, it's me."

* * *

Charlotte sent a glance around the circle of her cousins, biting her lip to keep from snorting over their silence. They'd been listening to Tim provide a brief synopsis of everywhere Dante had been between being chased down by Immortals, and reconnecting with Alia weeks later.

"But if they're together, does that make them safer or in more danger?" Jayden wondered. "'Cause running from the bad guys in broad daylight seems crazy."

Tim exchanged a look with Charlotte. "We talked about this, how many times? We were more in favor of them hiding during the day too, but it wasn't what Dante and Alia decided to go with. Clara was the only one who initially balked-"

"But she wasn't going to disagree with Dante to his face," Charlotte added. "Don't get me started on Anders."

Tim shook his head. "Trying to corral him is like attempting to walk a cat on a leash."

"It's been done," Nate pointed out.

"But if you want them to take the safer route, why are you letting them go their own way?" Olivia persisted.

The blue-masked turtle chuckled. "It's not about what we want. They're running the story, not us."

The red-masked turtle's brow furrowed in confusion. "That makes absolutely no sense. You're making this up. It comes from your heads. Aren't you writing this thing how you see it?"

Tim cast a helpless look to Charlotte, and she ducked her head sheepishly.

"It doesn't work like that, Liv," she answered. "At least, I don't think it's supposed to. Everything tends to flow better when you let the characters make up their own minds."

"You're writing them," the older female declared obviously. "Why do they have any say in the matter?"

"Because we're not making a lot of this up," Tim explained. "We get ideas, okay? Some of the clues are pretty big, while others only involve a whim, or a single event. So as writers we set the scene, introduce the characters, and after that...it's up to them."

"I really can't wrap my brain around this," Olivia said. "You're telling me that the fictional characters you create can make decisions that go directly against what you want, and you _let_ them?"

"Not much choice," Charlotte offered. "Your remember our first story, Tim? What was it, like five years ago?"

"Something like that. The dragon with the broken wing?"

She groaned. "It's a little painful to think about now. I yanked my heroine around on a ball and chain while she tried to heal this dragon, and it was the most unnatural experience of my life. I wanted her to be this tough tom-boy who could easily stand up to the challenges presented...but she wouldn't fall into that role. I knew what I wanted her to be, but it wasn't who she _was_. Alia is a lot closer to herself in this story with Dante, I think."

"Wait, so it's the same character?" Jayden asked. "You put this girl into more than one story? Are they both connected somehow?"

"No, they're really not. But Alia is special. Once I started to get to know her, I didn't want to let her go. It's kinda like having a kid, okay? You get the inception for a character, and then they grow up and take on a life of their own."

"That's insane," Liv stated. "Not in a bad way. I just don't understand how it possibly works. You guys have been making up these stories for years?"

Tim met Charlotte's steady gaze before replying. "We're not usually as deep as we've gotten with our current one, but yeah."

"Have you written any of them down?" Nate suggested.

"I've penned bits and pieces," Charlotte replied. "Never finished anything, not even the dragon story. Maybe I could revisit it again, after Tim and I work out the rest of this one."

"How come you never said anything about them?" Her twin elbowed her side. "I wouldn't have made fun of you or anything. It's sorta cool."

"I...I don't know, Jay. Tim and I have always had our...quirks," she finished evasively. "But if you give us time to finish the current project, we'll share this one." Charlotte instinctively knew Tim wouldn't offer tidbits if he wasn't prepared to tell them the entire story.

"Yeah, you guys can hear it, if you want," the blue-masked turtle agreed. "But it's not done, and I don't want to give any other details away. Ruins the intrigue."

"But you never explained where the Valiant come in," Jay complained. "We've got all kinds of time to kill. I want to hear more!"

"Well..." Tim hesitated. "I guess I could start from the beginning, at least."

A light knock at the door preceded the older purple-masked turtle from looking inside.

Charlotte returned his gaze stoically. "Yeah, Dad?"

"Can I talk to you please?"

She got to her feet and nodded at Tim. "You go ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

The teen slipped out the entrance behind her father and paused in the quiet corridor. "What's up?" She kept her voice intentionally even. "Are you convinced I'm not dying yet?"

His nod was sheepish. "Charlie, I didn't realize you, um...I didn't understand that your reaction was more mental than physical. All I noted were the outward symptoms, and I failed to grasp what produced them."

"I don't like being suspended," she echoed, for what seemed like the hundredth time. "It's the most god-awful, traumatic thing ever."

"Charlotte, do you have memories of being suspended?"

"As if I could forget?"

"No, I'm talking about _during_ the experience. What are you feeling?"

Charlotte leaned heavily against the wall. "It's like drowning without dying. Then I start to see and hear things. Stuff that I'd rather not repeat..." She drifted off with no urge to continue. "Apparently my inner world is rather violent."

"You're not supposed to see or hear anything," her father returned. "The act of suspension should be just that: an interruption in consciousness which eases the transition during dangerous space jumps. Charlotte, it sounds like you're not going under the whole way. I think Shukri needs to modify the device for you."

She rubbed her arms self-consciously. "If he could make it not quite as terrifying, it'd be a step up."

"I'm sorry." He offered her arm apologetically. "I should have asked more questions, instead of assuming what was happening."

Charlotte willingly stepped toward him. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to get mad. I was still kind of in a panic at that point. It's discouraging when you think you're okay, and something proves that you're still not."

"You're going to be okay," he said confidently. "This is temporary. Even if some of it isn't, you're a master of adapting, and we'll always be behind you."

"I know, Dad."

Being held in his grasp was reminiscent of the presence she remembered from the sanctuary, though she couldn't reproduce the same feeling on demand. _God isn't an emotion or a feeling. And the sensations I'm experiencing have nothing to do with reality. I have to accept it. I have to._


	147. Contact

Jayden was growing more stir-crazy with every passing hour, but doing his best to contain it. Refraining from bouncing off the walls took more effort than actually giving in to the urge. The teen fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced at the posted clock. It felt late, even if the time of day couldn't be marked the normal way. Without sun and moon to note the morning or evening, there was nothing but an atomic clock to measure the passing of hours.

Jayden knew it had been too long since he'd slept. _That's why everybody else went to bed. Doesn't explain what I'm still doing up._ As far as he could tell, he was the only one of his family not bothering to get any sleep at the moment. _Even Charlie went, and Liv said she seemed to settle down._

A smile emerged at the thought of his twin getting real rest. He was half tempted to check on her himself, but it likely would have been disruptive. That was how he came to be lingering in the main cabin of the ship, struggling to keep his eyes open, yet unwilling to retire to the boys' quarters.

When the far door opened Jayden shot to his feet, expecting to find his father or uncles had come to remove him. It wasn't one of the turtles who'd entered, but an elohim who looked surprised to see him there.

"I have yet to encounter any of you this late," Ghyath said. "Are you the only one present?"

"Yep, the last hold out, except for your alien techies we never see." Jayden referred to the actual captains of the space ship who'd yet to make an appearance among the rest of the travelers. "Do they think we're the plague or something?"

"The plague? No one thinks you are sick, young one, though I am not sure why you ask."

The teen grinned. "That's what we say when someone won't come near us, Ghyath. They avoid you like the plague."

"I assure you, our technicians mean no offense. They are simply tied up with the task of piloting the ship. It is a complicated process, even for those with experience. They are also shy, and being surrounded by several of you can be a little...overwhelming. It does not mean they do not like you. They feel very much the opposite. You and your family are objects of intense admiration among all our people."

"Well, what if just one of us wanted to hang out? They couldn't get too awkward if they outnumber me."

"What is it you want, Jayden?"

"Can I see where they work? This is probably gonna be my last time on a real space ship. Unless you guys plan on coming back to kidnap everyone. I wouldn't hate that, personally speaking."

The elohim gave him a sad look. "I would not hate it either, but entering Earth's atmosphere has always presented a risk."

"Which your people have taken repeatedly over the years. I'm just saying, if you wanna see us, you're gonna have to do the majority of the work."

Ghyath didn't answer the light jab. Instead he headed back toward the door he'd come from, and motioned for Jayden to follow. "Is curiosity the only thing which keeps you up when the rest of your family have chosen to sleep?"

"Nah. More like being really excited, and having no way to burn it off. We're supposed to be home tomorrow, right?"

Ghyath nodded. "In the matter of a few hours, we will take our last jump." He seemed like he was going to say more, but hesitated. "There is a chance...that is, we are well within range to attempt communication again, if the link is active on your family's end. But should the solar flares persist, we will continue struggling to get through. We last tried yesterday, and there was still too much interference."

Jayden made a face. "Can we keep trying anyway?"

"It will not hurt to make another attempt, but we cannot leave the line continuously open. Communication from our current distance puts strain on the power reserves. If we left the link up, it would require longer periods of time to recover from making a jump."

"Okay, so we can't try it over and over. But will you let me make one attempt after I meet the captains? There's like a bunch of them, right?"

"Two teams of six each, who alternate their shifts."

"Is it true they don't get suspended?"

"It is not absolutely required, though the experience puts tremendous strain on individuals. I have heard of many who were negatively impacted by remaining conscious during a jump, and complications which caused death in a couple of cases. It is not worth the risk for those who have not been conditioned."

"How do you condition for something like that?"

"Through experience in space. Their bodies develop some tolerance for symptoms, and the fact that the teams switch places half way through makes it easier to endure."

The golden-eyed elohim led Jayden to a transporter, which carried them to an upper deck the purple-masked teen hadn't laid eyes on. He'd bugged his dad about it a couple of times, but been talked down from invading.

 _He thinks I'm gonna bug them, but I don't_ have _to be annoying. I can totally chill out._

Jayden caught the elohim's glance out of the corner of his eye.

"You really are not tired?" Ghyath asked.

"No, I...Well, kind of, but I'm more eager than I am sleepy. I'm not gonna spazz out on your technicians – I promise."

"Spazz out?"

"Sure, y'know...I won't go crazy or act like my usual self."

The alien chuckled. "I see nothing wrong with being your normal self, young one. It would not hurt to remain a little...calmer. Your nature as of this moment should not overwhelm anyone."

"I can behave. Why aren't you asleep, Ghyath?"

"I suppose I am a little eager and nervous myself, terrapin. I have never spent any real time on your planet."

"It didn't kill Bahri," Jayden pointed out.

"Clearly it did not. I am not exactly afraid, Jayden. Only experiencing some unusual tension."

"It's a new place, and you can't afford for anyone to find ya," he allowed. "I get that feeling. We could never trust random people either, and my size makes it harder to blend in than the rest of my family. You don't have to be nervous about our allies though. None of our guys gonna be against you."

"I am sure they will not be, but it does not remove all the uncertainties."

Jayden was listening to the elohim, but when the Rynn paused outside another wing, anticipation made the turtle forget to carry on conversation. He stiffened to control the bounce in his step, and to appear completely docile.

Ghyath let them into the room, which ended up being darker than Jayden expected. The first thing which caught his eye was the enormous crystalline surface of the domed cabin. The exposure revealed the vastness of space through which they were traveling, and left Jayden frozen for such a long moment, he didn't notice the elohim move on without him.

It wasn't until the teen blinked that he came to realize the Rynn was flanked by two more Elohim. Ghyath's smile was dimly illuminated by overhead spotlights, and demonstrated that the alien noticed his amazement.

"Jayden, this is Tareli, and Ranon. They are some of those you would call captains."

The purple-masked gazed between the individuals who nodded politely, but neither spoke.

"Sorry to bug you guys," Jayden quickly inserted. "I've wanted to come up here for days."

"We do not mind a visitor, so long as the conditions are hospitable for it," Tareli told him. "We also did not wish to infringe upon your own space. We prefer for you not to think of us as reclusive, but rather, occupied."

"I understand. You're doing important stuff." Jayden's gaze was drawn irresistibly back to the dome. "Do you get used to seeing things like that? Is it just the normal, every-day boring stuff?"

Ranon shook his head. "I would not describe it as boring. The environment changes so frequently, we are often striving to maintain control of our vessel. It is laborious and fairly intense in the precision required, but there are none among us who desire to do anything else."

"Thanks for taking good care of us," the turtle told him. "We get to do all the relaxing while you bear the entirety of the stress."

"We are not bothered by it," Ranon assured him. "It is...how would you say? More commonplace to us than the spectacular sky which no one tires of."

"That's cool to hear. And you get your own downtime?"

"Downtime?" Tareli repeated uncertainly.

"Yeah. You get to relax and chill out?"

The pilots looked at each other.

"It never becomes too cold in here, because we are controlling the temperature gauges," Tareli explained unnecessarily.

Jayden could only laugh. "You're doing a good job. Keep it up."

Ghyath circled an arm around his shell to indicate that it was time to move on. The elohim led him quietly around other technicians who remained at work, surrounded by too many screens for Jayden to count. The Rynn kindly introduced each pilot, though none of the others gave the teen more than another nod or a smile.

Seeing complicated displays of statistics and witnessing every small correction being implemented over the course of a few minutes spent observing the technicians convinced Jayden of the difficulty of their tasks.

 _Flying a space ship isn't for the faint of heart, that's for sure. Probably more of a calling than a real job._

He was disappointed when Ghyath drew him away to an empty corner, and assumed he was close to being kicked out.

"Have a seat, terrapin." The elohim pointed him to a nearby chair.

"I don't have to leave?"

"No, we do not need to go so soon. You said you wanted to try and reach your family again. This is something you still wish to do?"

The teen nodded emphatically. "Are you kidding? Hook me up!" His volume automatically transitioned too high for the environment, and he ducked his head guiltily. "Sorry."

"I can hardly imagine your excitement, young one. I guarantee you nothing, Jayden, but our last attempt was over twelve hours ago. It is a good time to try once more."

The purple-masked turtle grasped both arms of the chair to keep himself planted in one spot and held his breath while Ghyath adjusted his monitor.

* * *

Jenna had spent most of the morning lingering in her new normal position at Lotus Salvus: the small study bordering the back door of the massive cabin. It was considered public enough that it didn't require anyone to coax her out of "hiding", but also a quieter area where the others didn't tend to congregate. In that sense, the den contained the best of both worlds, because the family knew where to find her, but understood the woman preferred to be left alone.

Jenna glanced down when Tiger shifted from lying upon her feet, and butted his head against her leg. The animals had only been reunited with them ten days previous, when Hisui and Kouhei were cleared to fly.

The effects of the strange solar storm on the planet had dissipated for the most part, though remnants of the Aurora Borealis were still visible in every nighttime sky. Glancing outside at the cloudless blue expanse, it was hard to picture the disturbances scientists said were taking place in their cosmic neighborhood.

The raven-haired woman felt something brush her other leg, and looked down to find Picaso lying down closer to her chair. Both felines thoroughly made themselves at home in the study, regardless of whether they'd been invited. Jen didn't technically mind their company, but the presence of the animals reminded her of who was missing that much more.

She lightly ran a hand over Tiger's arched back, fingering along the faint stripes of his coat. The cat seemed to enjoy her attention, but the moment pounding feet traveled down the hallway which connected the den to the rest of the house, he bolted from her side like she'd lit him on fire.

The woman cast an annoyed look over her shoulder when Greg emerged into the room. "What are you doing?"

The rapid nature of his breathing changed her attitude in a flash, but he caught her shoulder before she could ask more questions.

"Great Room, _now_."

Jenna pulled her arm back from him as she lunged to her feet to follow. "Heff, what's going on?"

The man ignored the question entirely, giving her a firm push to go ahead of him. Jenna almost tripped over Diamond at the other end of the hall, who was tearing around the open Great Room like a wild animal. She was too distracted by the dog's antics to keep moving at first, until Greg gave her another light push from behind.

Her instinct was to berate his impatience, until her friend pointed her to the cluster of family members on the opposite end of the space.

"Look out, everybody, mom coming through," Greg announced loudly.

"What's going on? Why are all of you..." She stopped the moment the others parted, and noticed the new monitor in their midst was powered up for the first time. "What did you do? Who turned it on? Did you try to reach-"

Timothy came rapidly her direction and directed the woman closer to the screen, where she caught her first unobstructed view of her son. Jenna couldn't explain the laughter which immediately left her mouth, and wasn't about to try.

"Jay! Can you hear me? Are you still there? Are you okay?" Jenna braced herself against the desk, resisting the urge to touch the monitor lest she somehow break it.

"Yeah! I'm right here, and I see you too! This is the coolest device ever. We're allowed to keep it, right?"

Jenna had no idea who the last question was asked of, and didn't care. "Are you all right?" she repeated. "Where is everyone else? Did you get to your sister and Tim? Are the others okay? What are you doing right now?" She couldn't stem the flood of questions, even if it was impossible to answer that many at once.

"Mom, breathe," the teen reminded her. "We're good – _all_ of us. We're also almost home."

The announcement was enough to make shaky legs give out entirely. Timothy was prepared to guide her firmly into a desk chair, where she couldn't help breaking down with a sob.

"How long, Jayden? Where are you?"

"Can't answer that exactly, though maybe Ghyath could. You remember Ghyath, don't ya, Mom?"

Jenna blinked through tears and utter disbelief. "I remember...Ghyath? He's alive?"

The tall, broad figure who ducked into view was unmistakable. "I am very much alive. We have all been enjoying your family immensely, but are returning them to you as soon as feasible. If the break in atmospheric interference is any indication, we should not have a difficult time reconnecting with Earth."

" _When_ , Ghyath?"

"Our technicians put us in a projected range to intersect by tomorrow, but we will likely wait for nightfall again."

"Where is everyone else?"

"They are well, but currently sleeping. It is very late here. As your son could not rest and neither could I, we decided to attempt contact once more. I am sorry it has taken this long, my old friend."

Jenna shook her head at the unbelievable image of the golden-eyed elohim. "This feels like a dream, but I don't want to pinch myself."

"Yeah, Mom, it's kinda the same here," Jayden cut in. "Ghyath, Bahri and Shukri are gonna hang out with us for a while, okay? And Kamryn, well, she'll probably stick around a lot longer. But it's cool, right?"

The woman covered her mouth to stifle more abrupt laughter. "They're hanging out with us?"

"Dad said they had to," the teen filled in.

"He and Leonardo were particularly insistent, although the rest of us would rather not impose," Ghyath added hastily.

"If you're bringing our family home, you can camp your entire army in our backyard!" Karina exclaimed over Jen's shoulder. "No one's going to complain."

"We did not bring that many." The elohim's confusion only made Jenna laugh harder.

"You're welcome here for as long as you'd like, Ghyath," the raven-haired woman volunteered. "But it really will be tomorrow?"

"Barring complications, you can expect us after sundown. We will remain outside your atmosphere until then."

"Mom, it's gonna be okay now," Jayden encouraged her. "You wouldn't believe all the stuff that happened! Well, maybe you would, because you were here before, but still. I'll tell dad to try calling you again when he wakes up, okay?"

"Are you going already?"

Ghyath winced apologetically. "We are burning through reserved energy with every moment we spend conversing. We need the cells recharged to make the final jump within hours, Jenna. I swear, we are bringing them back to you."

Jayden leaned closer to the screen with a wide grin. "Be cool, Mom. We're getting there. I love you."

"Just hurry," she urged. "I love you too."

Jenna sank backwards the moment the monitor went dark, and instantly felt a hand gripping her shoulder. She turned to face Karina, who was wiping away her own tears.

"Are you all right, _chica?"_ the Latina asked. "You're not going to pass out, are you? I need your help to plan everything! I've never hosted alien royalty before."

Jenna rubbed her eyes while shaking with another laugh. "Ghyath's not royalty, Karina. Are you gonna try to roll out the red carpet?"

"They're bringing our family back! I'd rent the Taj Mahal if it would get them here faster."

Jenna wheeled around to face her mother, Timothy and Greg, as well as Hisui and Kouhei. "Let me breathe for a second." She took a few moments to collect herself, and try to soothe an out of control heart-rate. Joy made the prospect of calming down a lot harder.

"We need provisions," the woman continued finally. "And not just the normal things for our family. The Elohim are vegetarians by nature. I don't think they'll mind if we eat meat, but I wouldn't try offering it to them. We have to set up a secluded area to escape to, because our group will overwhelm them for sure. Um...we've got to contain the animals somehow, and make sure they're okay with our pets before unleashing the dogs. They've never been around anything like them."

Jenna took another shuddering breath. "If I wake up after this, I'm gonna be pissed."

"You're not asleep," Victoria reassured her. "But we have a lot to do. Can you help me start making lists? The men can see to moving around bedroom assignments if necessary. Karina is the natural choice to start on menus."

"I can do wonders without meat!" Karina declared proudly. "Let me dive into the pantry to confirm what we need. I'm going to have a lot of questions about their eating habits, Jen."

The raven-haired woman wanted to rise, but still didn't trust her legs. "We need to get a hold of the others."

Additional family members were already in Asheville, both for the purpose of restocking household items, and receiving another professional opinion for Scott's recent development. The excitement which had been building because of recent events at Lotus Salvus hadn't penetrated Jenna's facade, but the knowledge that the rest of their family was all right set her free to be relieved.

"We'd better get on phone calls," she went on. "I'm placing dibs on Luke!"

"You're dying to give him a heart attack, aren't you?" Timothy quipped.

"I want to see if he can break his all-time record for getting back up the Blue Ridge Parkway." She laughed at her own joke, not caring if anyone else did. One of the longest nights she'd ever experienced was almost over, and nothing else mattered.


	148. Back

The crew's hesitation to land in the midst of a thunderstorm was logical to Olivia, but it still left her fuming. They were already over an hour past the time the technicians had projected for their arrival, and it made the red-masked turtle want to scream.

She fleetingly considered asking Kamryn to help her escape with one of the pods which her friend clearly knew how to use. How closely the woman stuck to Donatello's side discouraged the idea. _I've got a feeling that having Kamryn around will be like getting an older sister in some ways, and another aunt in others._

The way Kamryn got on Tim for stowing away to the forbidden battle in Arcadia was indicative that the woman wouldn't be an ally when it came to dangerous activities. _Piloting one of the escape pods in a tumultuous atmosphere probably qualifies as risky_ , she thought begrudgingly.

Olivia caught her purple-masked uncle eyeing her, and gazed back boldly. "How much longer?"

"The storm is moving out, but we're still dealing with a significant amount of rain on the radar."

"So _what_?" she demanded. "Are their pods going to melt?"

"Olivia, they're trying to get us back in one piece," Donatello said reproachfully.

"I get that. But are they unwilling to fly through any precipitation?"

The older turtle cast a glance across the cabin to where their Elohim hosts were huddled with a couple of pilots. "I'll see if they have an update for us, all right?"

Liv shrugged with a huff and sank heavily in her seat.

Kamryn's glance was apologetic. "I know how eager you are. I'm sorry it's taking longer."

"You can't dangle a carrot in front of a horse and expect it not to get frustrated."

"Is that what horses prefer, Olivia? Will there be any down there?"

Kamryn's sudden excitement made Liv peer at the woman closer. "We don't have any horses, no. I'm sure there are some people on private farms in the mountains who do. Shun's sister, Hisui, she's been in Colorado rescuing horses for the last year or so, but those are wild."

"Shunshi showed me some pictures." The woman beamed. "But watching them in Jayden's movies, seeing the animals come to life makes me want to meet one even more."

"I bet Hisui would be down for that. Shell, I would be too. Never been to Colorado. I saw a horse in Central Park last winter. It escaped from one of those buggy rides they give to the tourists." Olivia snorted. "Tim was the one who calmed her down. She was huge. They're so much bigger in person."

"They are beautiful creatures."

"Powerful," Liv added. "We ought to get the others to plan a trip out West, after things settle down a little."

"Are you...free to do something like that? I know you have to stay out of sight. Now that I'm here, I should do the same."

"It would be far from the hardest thing we've ever pulled off. If we can..." She hesitated from finishing when she noted Donatello quickly returning.

"They'll give us the green light after the current cell is past, Olivia," he told her.

Her uncle's grin spoke of his own relief, and she impulsively hugged him.

"But how long?!"

He laughed while giving the young turtle a small push. "Too long for you, I wager, but we're getting even closer to home."

* * *

Olivia fidgeted on her seat within one of three silver pods making the trip to the surface. All traces of nerves over the weather were gone, leaving her with impatience that made it impossible to sit still. The fact that she couldn't see outside only made the wait more unbearable.

Distant thunder interspersed with the rain pounding against the small ship, but all she could think of was landing and Jake. The shifting of the chair beside her made Olivia look to her dad. He was also rigidly waiting on the very edge of his seat, straining to see through the sole crystalline pane which was mostly blocked by one of the Elohim captains and Ghyath.

Olivia reached over to squeeze her father's wrist, and he returned with a grin. She tried to smile in response, but surging emotion and desperation to arrive made the expression feel thin.

"It's all right, Kouen. We're almost there."

Liv sensed her dad was reassuring himself as well as her, and didn't find it necessary to answer him. Ghyath's sharp breath made both red-masked turtles whip around in unison, and Olivia swore her orange-masked uncle and cousin jerked at the same moment.

"What was that for?" her father demanded before anyone else could speak.

"Nothing, it was not..." Ghyath fumbled with unusual awkwardness. "I believe we have spotted your dwelling."

"You say that like it's bad!" Michelangelo interjected. "You're not gonna try to bail on us, are you?"

The golden-eyed elohim shook his head. "No, my friend. I am far beyond running. We will be landing shortly."

"What do you see?" Nate spoke up. "Are there lights? Is anyone down there?"

"We will have to get closer," the Rynn answered. "The rain is making it difficult to distinguish shapes, but there is clearly life within the house."

Olivia trembled, on the verge of tears before the pod touched down on earth. Neither of the aliens moved when the ship came to rest, despite all four turtles focusing on them with laser intensity. Instead, the pilot mashed a button on his control panel which caused a door to retract.

The red-masked youth ripped off her harness with a violence that might have destroyed the belt, but Olivia didn't care. All she perceived was the open hatch to freedom.

The driving rain on the other side didn't faze her either. Spotting the brilliantly lit house made the elements practically disappear. She couldn't see the person she'd dreamed of for weeks, but shouted Jake's name nonetheless.

A shadowed outline which darted away from the lighted porch wasn't possible to mistake, and made her speed up to reach him. The ability to slow down or take it easy no longer existed, so Olivia couldn't prevent herself from colliding with the young man harder than she probably should have.

She threw hands around Jake's waist even as he tumbled backward on impact, and unintentionally crushed him in the wet grass. The relief flooding every cell made her laugh even as she cried. Long fingers grasped her chin, pulling her insistently toward him.

Granted, it wasn't hard to convince Olivia to kiss him. It was much more difficult to pace herself, or remember that her current position was hampering his supply of oxygen. His soft hiss of pain was what got through to her, and caused the red-masked turtle to instantly scramble upright on her knees.

"Jake, did I hurt you?"

His shadowed smile was characteristically crooked. "I'm too soft."

The youth darted to her feet and dragged him up by both wrists. "Can you feel everything? Did I-"

His guffaw prevented her from continuing, and she was enveloped in her husband's lanky arms once more. He shook sopping wet curls out of his eyes before kissing her again, reminding Olivia of a bedraggled dog. She cut the kiss short simply by laughing.

"What?" he demanded with fake offense. "I'm not waterproof like you!"

The statement made her laugh hysterically for some reason and left her lightheaded. She felt like she could pass out, but be happy doing it.

A happy shriek broke through the other reunions Olivia had been inadvertently tuning out. She was finally distracted by the sound of her little sister babbling loudly from the covered porch. The red-masked turtle felt herself tearing up again while watching her dad clutch the baby to his shoulder, and her mother cling to his other side.

Jake caught her by the hand. "C'mon."

Olivia was perfectly willing to follow him to the deck. Being met by her mom and baby sister brought an entirely different onslaught of emotions. She shuddered gratefully in her mother's grasp with a sob, and despite Karina's slighter frame, the woman somehow still managed to support her.

Liv wasn't sure how much longer she could stand on her feet with the current weakness threatening to topple her, but the introduction of Isabelle gave her the needed resolve. She accepted the baby from her dad's arms and cuddled her sister against her plastron. "She's bigger!" Olivia croaked. " _Hermana_ , I missed you! You're not supposed to grow without us."

"I couldn't stop her," Karina said wryly. "No more than I could ever stop you, Liv. All grown up and flying off to save the world."

Olivia managed a smirk. "Technically, I only helped save it."

"Give the credit everywhere it's due, Kari!" Raphael complained, broad arms drawing in Olivia and the woman simultaneously.

"I already called you my hero, Raph," her mom returned. "I don't think you want our daughters hearing the rest."

Olivia squirmed to escape the candid conversation. "No, you can save that for later."

Her father only squeezed her tighter. "What, I gotta watch you fall all over _that_ guy, but you can't handle a little of mom and dad?"

"You don't have to watch anything," she retorted, ducking under his arm, and playfully batting the hand that tried to grab her.

She found Jake watching with obvious amusement, but there was an unsettled emotion behind hazel eyes. The unknown factor struck concern in her gut.

"Jake, what's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nothing's wrong. Someone else wants to see you."

She ducked her head with another laugh. "I know. Catching up with everyone will take all night."

"Probably, but this guy has been waiting longer than anyone. Liv, can you come with me for a minute?"

She was startled by the seriousness of his tone, and allowed the young man to lead her into the house. The red-masked turtle hesitated in the door frame to take in the sight of the familiar Great Room. The environment immediately made her feel more at ease, until Jake gripped her wrist tighter.

"Olivia. My dad's wants to greet you too."

She turned on heel to find the long-haired man siting erect in his wheelchair. Scott looked the same as he always had, but there was something different in the blue eyes which had looked _through_ her far too many times. The expression behind them this time was authentically amazed, and more focused than she'd ever witnessed. _It's like he can actually see..._

Olivia didn't finish the thought and turned rapidly toward Jake. The young man nodded, and nudged her toward his dad. She slowly returned to gazing at her father-in-law, and all the insecurities she'd had in his presence came rushing back. Desperation not to disappoint Jake made the turtle hold her ground, despite the desire to run away.

She waited for the man to say something, inwardly cringing, although she tried to hide it.

"Come here," Scott requested quietly.

In the silent seconds it took to reach him, she became increasingly aware of how awkward she felt, in addition to being soaked. Still, Liv went toward him, because there was no other choice.

"Hi, Scott," she addressed him with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

The eyes which took in her entire frame were mystifying, and the rest of his face didn't give away any emotion either. Scott was utterly passive, and calmer than Olivia expected.

"Would you mind coming a little closer?" the man requested.

Olivia _did_ mind, but wasn't going to say so. She came to stand directly in front of him, then crouched so they would be eye level. His "non-expression" persisted, and nerves made her feel sick.

The man seemed to hold his breath momentarily before speaking again. "Olivia, may I...would you..."

The way he stumbled with words only increased her anxiety. "You're not scared of me, are you?" Her voice trembled with the question.

Scott looked startled. "No, no, I'm not scared. No reason to be, I just..." His fingers softly traced her jawline. "Forgive me." He rapidly drew his hand away. "I, um...Jake said words couldn't do you justice. He was right."

Olivia leaned back on her heels uncertainly. She was tempted to look at the floor, but held eye contact instead. "You're not disappointed?"

He shook his head faster than he'd retracted the curious hand. "No, not disappointed. I'm overwhelmed, and relieved, and...Jake, I think the pair of you need some towels." Scott turned his head to include the young man.

"Don't worry, Dad. We know how to warm up."

Olivia was tempted to give Jake a warning look to lay off in front of his father, but amazement was still winning out. She laid a hand on Scott's shoulder tentatively and leaned closer to the man. "I'm glad you can see me."

For the first time, she caught Jake's trademark grin within the man's sure smile. "Really doesn't change much, except for having a visual to go along with the woman. It's a good experience."

He held out an arm to her, and she wrapped his upper body in a slightly clumsy hug which ended with goosebumps. "Jake should dry off, don't you think?" he said into her ear.

Olivia stole a glance of the young man over her shoulder. "I could probably help him with that."

"You better. Real quick now, before anyone else has the chance to jump on you."

* * *

Olivia couldn't bring herself to let go of the sword case for a few extra moments, despite removing her other effects. A towel flying over her head broke her out of the brooding position, and made the red-masked turtle growl softly while spinning.

"Distracted much?" Jake's cocky smile was almost enough incentive to knock him on his back again. "Were you planning on drying off?"

"I'm not the one who resembles a waterlogged sheepdog."

He shook still damp hair without concern. "Not everyone can pull off that look, but I proudly do."

Olivia didn't want to snort at him, but couldn't contain the sound.

"But seriously, I got you something warmer too," the young man urged. "You don't wanna be late for dinner, do you?"

The suggestion of food almost made her stomach growl. "No. We'd better not be late." She glanced at the bed where one of her favorite hoodies and a pair of soft fleece pants that served as pajamas in the wintertime waited. "You want me to wear night clothes?"

"What's wrong with being comfortable?"

"We still have Elohim staying with us."

"So? You think they care?'

"Well, I...they probably don't."

"Why would they? Get dressed, Liv."

She flicked the t-shirt slung over his shoulder. "Are you planning to put that on, or are you gonna try to impress our new friends?"

"You're the only one I manage to impress, Olivia."

"Oh, is that what you think, punk?"

"I impress you all the time."

"Especially with the big mop on your head."

"You can't get enough. I know what you like."

His overconfidence almost made her bust out laughing, but she held it in. "Very sure of yourself tonight."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I can think of a few reasons," she teased, pinching his bare shoulder.

"Don't ruin this by hurting me."

"You know that's how I show love, Jake."

"Yeah. I ought to be jealous of all the criminals you show 'love' to on the streets. Way too many guys, if you ask me."

That time she punched his arm. "It's a different kind of love, you moron."

He caught her by the hand, as if he'd be able to ward off another blow. "Mine may be more unique, but somehow, it's still painful."

"You knew what you were getting into with me."

"Yup. But now I'm wondering if you'll make us starve too. Or do you intend to put something on?"

"What's your rush, Jake?" She innocently looped both arms around his neck.

"Oh, I see. There is a method to your madness."

"What do you think that is?"

"It's pretty obvious."

She allowed him to pull her closer, but the moment her forehead rested against his, she struck him in the back. "What's obvious?"

"That you get a kick out of simultaneously loving and torturing me."

"Could be the most accurate thing you've ever said."

She rewarded his persistence with a deep kiss that laid aside all pretenses of playing. Her breath hitched when his fingers played across the back of her neck, but then he ruined it by grasping forbidden bandanna tails. For that, Jake would pay dearly.

The turtle caught him by the wrist and then shoved him hard, sending him backwards onto the bed. "You _never_ listen."

"I listen plenty. I just don't do everything you say."

Hands went to her hips crossly. "What can we do about that?"

"You could keep trying to train me, but if I haven't gotten it by now, I probably won't."  
She rolled her eyes while he bounced off the edge of the bed, and came in for a landing on his back.

"You could go along me with occasionally too, y'know?" he suggested.

"I let you lead sometimes. You wanna take the reins right now?"

His gaze was hopeful, but he shook his head. "Think we better do the family/eating thing. Your mom might hyperventilate if we miss dinner."

"True. There's always the opportunity for you to try and take control later."

"I can," he assured her, hopping to his feet.

Olivia took the chance to get dressed while he searched for the shirt he'd lost somewhere along the way, and managed to catch him before he'd put it on.

The young man paused under her stare. "What?"

She couldn't resist touching pectoral muscles which were slightly more defined than before. "You been working out harder?"

"Shun and I were bored. It was a good way to pass the time which didn't include electricity."

"I'm not sure how to feel about that. You're letting someone else train you?"

"It's not the first time I've exercised without you. Want me to tell Shunshi I'm booked up for the near and distant future?"

"Nah. I like being surprised. Tell him to push you a little more, if you think you can handle it."

"I like a challenge."

"Me too. But you're also not gonna be allowed to take your shirt off in public. Home is okay, but nobody else needs a show."

"Is this you getting jealous?"

"I'm not jealous," she objected. "I'm protective."

"Protective of the one you constantly beat up. Makes sense."

Olivia was tempted to steal the shirt from his grasp, but one more glance at the clock forced her to relent. They'd been missing in action over half an hour already. Although she sensed he was as ready to separate for the night as she felt, their family deserved a bit more from them.

She watched Jake's head disappear underneath his t-shirt, and satisfied herself with the thought of returning later that evening. Olivia caught him by the elbow when they made it to the hall, and hooked an arm through his.

"Don't embarrass me in front of these Elohim, okay? You know how reserved they are, Jake. If you come on too strong, it'll make them uncomfortable."

"You think I can't keep my hands to myself for a few more hours? You're the one who won't stop coming after me tonight."

"Do you _want_ me to stop?" Olivia let go of his arm instantly.

Jake threw back his head with a laugh. "Talk about mixed messages. If I didn't know better, I'd question if you like me at all."

She scowled. "Pretty sure you know better."

"I know what the best part about you leaving is."

Olivia cocked her head in confusion, nearly hurt. "What are you talking about? Why's it good?"

His irrepressible smile was in full force. "Best part about leaving is when you choose to show back up. Your famous greetings are still second to none."

She gave him one more small push into the wall and stole another kiss that lingered long enough to hopefully satisfy them both until they could escape.


	149. Comfortable

For Donatello, it was as if no one existed in the over-sized Great Room besides him and Jenna. The raven-haired woman was sprawled half way in his lap already, and probably would have gotten a lot closer if they were actually alone.

He'd expected Jen to have questions, but the woman didn't have much to say between greeting their kids and settling into the couch with him. If her contentment wasn't obvious, the lack of speech would have concerned the purple-masked turtle.

The state of relaxed euphoria she appeared to be in made him slightly drowsier too, and added a dream-like quality to the entire experience. He'd planned on telling her so many things when they were reunited, but now none of them seemed important. He couldn't remember a quarter of the topics he'd mulled over for hours leading up to arriving, and wasn't tempted to repeat those he did.

When Jenna shifted her head against his shoulder, he automatically ran fingers through glossy black hair, which had probably been left down for that purpose.

She immediately shot him a knowing glance. "You make it so easy."

"Did you enjoy it more when I made everything hard?"

Jen lifted her chin to display a frown. "Thankfully, you grew out of that."

He lowered his head closer to hers. "You taught me well."

"You needed too many lessons."

Donny nodded toward the twins, who were making up part of the circle of their clan's youth huddled in the center of the room. "End product was worth it though, right?"

Pausing to focus on his kids caused him to realize how _much_ noise was taking place around them.

"You were always worth it," the woman replied meaningfully.

He returned his wife's gaze longingly. The purple-masked turtle was ready to sweep her from the room in the same manner that he'd watched Olivia and Jake disappear under the guise of changing clothes. Granted, he hadn't watched hard for their return, but had a feeling there were ulterior motives involved.

Donatello glanced around the room to confirm that they hadn't come back. When he settled on his wife, he found a similar wistfulness in her light blue eyes.

"It seems like it took forever for you to get here, and tonight might last half as long."

"I could pretend to be tired," he offered. "Wouldn't be hard to fake."

" _Are_ you tired?"

"I could never get tired of you, Jen."

"But if you lay the act on too thick, the docs will think there's really something wrong with you."

"We could always tell the others the truth, or not bother asking permission at all. Worked for Liv and Jake."

"I'm in favor of not asking," she said in his ear. "Do you want to go now? We don't have to disappear for hours. Maybe just until dinner is announced..."

Don was willing to consider it, until he remembered the aliens who'd yet to enter the cabin. "Actually, I think our friends are going to need some encouragement," he admitted. "The sooner we get the Elohim integrated into the group, the more comfortable they'll be."

Jenna rose from the couch. "We still have the chance to be together later," she agreed. "Where are they hiding, Don?"

"I've been a bit distracted. They're clearly not in the house, but..." The purple-masked turtle searched the room briefly. "I don't see Leo or Calley either. There's a chance they snuck off, but Leonardo probably wouldn't yet. Let's check the porch. Hopefully they made it that far."

Her fingers grazed his wrist while she followed after him, and he caught her hand in return. When Donny peered out the front door he could still see rain coming down in sheets, but also found alien allies exactly where he'd predicted they might be. He surveyed his friends for a moment, grateful the Elohim appeared relaxed.

Donatello cleared his throat while stepping outside. "Hey, guys. How's it going?"

"We are not bad," Bahri volunteered, and looked at Ghyath to continue.

The golden-eyed elohim smiled a little shyly upon seeing the dark-haired woman. "Hello, Jenna. It is wonderful to see you again."

She abandoned the doorway to wrap both arms around the alien's midsection. "I'm so glad you survived."

The elohim bent down to reach her easier. "I was protected."

"You saved one of my babies. Again," she pointed out, refusing to release his tunic.

"I...I did not do that alone. The honor of seeing all of you once more and meeting your children, there are no words for it."

The woman separated from the elohim to fix on Shukri. The Banrif was slightly more prepared to be embraced than Ghyath had been.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Jenna teased. "Jayden said you have kids of your own."

Shukri nodded proudly. "Perhaps one day you will meet them and my mate. It is wonderful to see you, regardless. I find your own children to be exceptional."

"I'm a little over my head where Jay and Charlotte are concerned, but let's remember who their father is."

Don flicked his wife's shoulder. "I call bull on that count."

"We can argue later." She dismissed him with a wave, and stepped over to see Bahri.

The blue-eyed elohim opened his arms before she reached him.

"It's nice to have you back," she told him. "Are you feeling better now?"

His expression was sheepish. "Yes. I imagine you are as well."

"Funny how that works." Jenna turned her head to include the other aliens. "This has been nice, but I think it's time to move things along. Don't you, Leo?"

The blue-masked turtle shook his head. "We're just letting them have some room to breathe, Jenna."

"The water might be cold at first,, but you'll get used to it faster by jumping in," she offered.

"What water?" Shukri wondered. "We have to jump in?"

"It's only an expression," Calley explained. "She means you'll get comfortable with everyone quicker if you come inside and meet them."

"And the animals?" the Banrif continued.

"We have them contained," the blond woman reassured him. "The dogs aren't likely to attack you, but we won't bring them around until everything is more settled down."

"All right. We have lingered long enough," Ghyath asserted, taking his first step toward the front door.

"It's not a big deal," Donatello mentioned. "The family is no worse than the rest of us. Just picture...bigger."

The purple-masked turtle allowed his brother and Calley to go in the house first, and motioned for the Elohim to go next so he and Jenna would bring up the rear. He couldn't help grinning when the aliens paused to stare at the massive wooden beams, still covered in the white twinkle lights Mike never wanted to take down.

"You guys made the trip after all!" Michelangelo chortled from across the room. "It's a heck of a journey all the way from the yard, huh? I'll pick you up next time."

Don swore Shukri changed colors. "I imagine we stalled for much too long," the elohim murmured.

Donatello patted his friend's back. "You know Mike is only teasing. You can make yourselves at home. Everything might look and feel a little different, but we're still-"

The purple-masked turtle didn't get to finish, because Brandon and Jazz inserted themselves in their midst.

"You get lost or something?" Brandon suggested.

"The walk was not so long, as it was intimidating," Ghyath replied, resting an arm around the man's shoulder. "It has been too long, my friends."

The awkwardness returned to the golden-eyed elohim's smile when Jazz embraced him.

"This is a loving bunch, Ghyath," she warned him. "We're gonna need to break you in."

"Will it hurt very much?" the alien asked impishly.

The innocent question made Leonardo shudder. "Definitely not like other things have." He shook his head as if to ward off unwanted memories, and didn't say another word about it.

Donatello was eager to let the subject drop and focus on introducing their friends to the rest of the family.

"There are a lot of names to go around," Brandon was telling Ghyath and Shukri. "Don't feel bad if you can't remember them all. Shukri, you're gonna fit right in with our brainiacs. Karina thought about forcing everyone to wear name tags, but the idea didn't stick. You can either figure out who's who as we go along, or you could take turns memorizing our family members. Of course, Bahri's had a head-start on you two."

Bran patted the blue-eyed elohim's arm fondly. "You look good."

"I am much better, Brandon. I was hoping that Kamryn-"

Bahri was cut off by Karina sudden clap, which resounded across the room like the Latina had an amplifier.

"Almost everything is hot!" the woman announced. "We're starting to serve now."

Brandon darted over to catch his sister by the elbow, and practically dragged her to the aliens. "You might not get another chance to talk to her while dinner is happening. Karina, this is Ghyath and Shukri-"

"I've heard a lot about you," she interjected. "Thank you for getting our family home to us. I hope you're able to enjoy yourselves. Please don't hesitate to ask for anything you need." Karina's words ran together so fast, they almost sounded like one continuous sentence.

Ghyath looked amused. "You are Raphael's mate. I was told you also have another child."

"Yeah, where'd my niece get to?" Brandon looked around the room to locate the small turtle.

Karina made a scoffing sound. "Oh, where do you think, _hermano_?" The woman took a deep breath and exhaled. "Forgive me. I'm still catching up, everyone. I've got one more thing to pull from the oven. I'll be back in a couple minutes, but you can start on what's already set out. You're hungry, aren't you?"

The aliens' rapid nods told Donatello they wouldn't refuse Karina's advances, even if they didn't require food.

"Raph!"

Karina's yell succeeded in drawing the older turtle from the couch, and spinning to locate her. "Are you going to bring Belle to the kitchen, or do you want to take on feeding her yourself?"

"I've got her, Kari." Raphael trotted over to join them while Karina hurried off to finish her final prep.

The red-masked turtle grinned broadly at the Elohim. "You guys wanna meet my little girl? This is Isabelle."

Shukri was predictably the most excited, though he didn't try to take the baby when Raphael offered her. "She is beautiful, terrapin." The Banrif traced the little turtle's cheek with his finger and admired her eyes. "You and your mate must be very pleased. I look forward to talking with her when she is not as busy."

Raph snorted. "Kari's good at getting wound up, but she'll settle down. You'll see. She's ecstatic all of you are here."

Ghyath bent down for a better look of the baby. "You must be so relieved, Raphael."

"Yeah, that's one word for it. We can find somewhere to sit first if you want. Dinner ain't gonna be a formal event, especially on a night like this. Everybody will probably eat wherever they fall."

Ghyath nodded politely, but gasped when Belle caught golden hair in her fist.

Raphael chuckled lightly while carefully separating her finger's from the elohim's head. "Sorry. She don't know her own strength. Gets it from me."

"She did not hurt me, terrapin. I am glad Isabelle does not appear frightened of us."

Raphael waved his free hand to indicate the madness building in the background with family members gathering to eat. "She lives with us, Ghyath. None of ya are gonna make her nervous. You might even wanna hold her eventually."

"I would like to, after we eat," Shukri said. "I want to make sure she is fully satisfied beforehand."

"You'll be first in line," the red-masked turtle told him.

"Finding a seat is a good idea." Leonardo pointed to the nearest couch. "We haven't addressed the family as a group yet, and I'd rather do that before we go any further."

Raphael smirked. "'Course, ol Fearless has to step in and take over."

Leo ignored the jab and raised his voice to be heard over the commotion in the room. "Everyone, huddle up!" He waved both arms for attention, calling family members to draw inward. "We're about ready to eat, but I want to bring our guests to the forefront first. Kamryn, where are you?"

The woman slipped into the inner circle, and came to stand at Donatello's side with a little trepidation.

"With the exception of Hisui and Kouhei, everyone is already familiar with Bahri and Kamryn," the blue-masked turtle started. "But we also brought back two of our most valuable allies from Zuhur. Ghyath and Shukri mean the world to us, and we wanted everyone else to get the chance to know them too. You've heard a lot about our Elohim friends through the years, but we have a new level of appreciation for them, and I'm sure the rest of you will take the time to make everyone feel welcome.

"I also need to say how grateful we are to be home. We've thought of nothing else in days, and being here tonight..." Leonardo paused, making eye contact with each of his brothers in turn.

"Many things were different this time around," he went on. "But the most important ones stayed the same. From the day we met our allies on Zuhur, they were people we could trust. They would have laid down their lives for us if necessary. Having them here among us is an amazing gift.

"Though we come from separate worlds and have unique backgrounds, I don't think it will take long for you to realize how similar we are. Let's enjoy this night and each other. And we should also get some food now, before Karina's head flies off into another dimension."

* * *

Donatello noticed Kamryn creeping closer to him out of the corner of his eye, but was careful to hide his amusement from her. "It's all right, Kamryn. I promise, they aren't vicious."

The purple-masked turtle approached the door to the study carefully, only opening it far enough to slip inside. The animals had been corralled in the den to keep them under control and prevent pets from scaring their guests.

Kamryn was the only one who'd requested to meet the animals thus far, but she retained obvious nerves. The woman held her breath while edging through the cracked door too, and jerked in surprise when Molly darted toward them.

Don dropped into a crouch to greet the female border collie. He grinned when the dog immediately threw herself on the floor at his feet and rolled over for him to pet her.

"That's a good girl, Molly. Yes, you're a good dog."

Noah, Diamond and Harley weren't far behind her, surrounding the turtle with joint enthusiasm. Kamryn backed away rapidly even as the male border collie started to jump on her.

Donny caught Noah by the collar and took Kamryn's arm. "It's okay. If we sit, they'll calm down too. C'mon, Kamryn."

He herded the border collies more aggressively since they were the biggest, and prevented the animals from leaping toward Kamryn again while walking over to the leather couch. The woman remained apprehensive of the smaller canines, but Donatello waved for her to follow.

"The dogs are just excited, because we haven't seen them in several weeks. I swear, they're harmless."

Kamryn curled up on the sofa with both legs beneath her, still unsure of the animals.

Donny was distracted by the way Molly buried her snow-white face in the crook of his arm and proceeded to sniff him repeatedly. _I can only imagine what I smell like to her, or any of them, for that matter._

He noticed Kamryn slowly scooting closer to the border collie, though her shoulders trembled slightly. "You're fine," he reminded her, keeping both hands on the dog to contain Molly.

Another gasp had Donatello whipping around, only to find that Tiger had picked out a position on the back of the couch, unaware of her impact on the woman.

"That one's a...cat, right?"

Don nodded. "Yeah. Tiger belongs to Raph. He saved her life when she was just a kitten, and she's been with us ever since. She's definitely our matriarch."

Kamryn went very still when the cat bounded off the back of the sofa and approached her lap.

"Tiger is also very sensitive. She knows where she's needed. If she picks you out, there's a good reason."

"She picked me?" Kamryn sounded confused, but cautiously rested a hand on the feline's back. "Are you sure...they do like being touched by strangers?"

"Our pets don't mind, but that's not true of all animals. It's better to ask one of us before you try."

Kamryn rubbed the cat a little more confidently. "She's soft."

"Feels nice, doesn't it? Animals are great companions. Even though they can't talk or understand everything you say, they're great at making you feel loved."

Molly leaped onto the couch, effectively startling Tiger away from Kamryn's lap.

"Aw. Did the dog scare her?"

Donny laughed. "Diamond and Tiger are the ones who bicker more than the rest of the bunch, but even they're not too bad. The dogs are just the annoying younger siblings. Except for Anchor, who acts like an old man." The purple-masked turtle couldn't see the auburn-colored golden retriever, and assumed Reina already him somewhere else.

"Will Tiger come back?"

"Sure she will, but you better let Molly smell you. It will probably calm her down a bit."

"They like to smell?"

"It's how they get to know a person. Dogs can smell way better than humans, with you as an exception." Donatello held out a hand to demonstrate what to do. "Let her check you out."

Kamryn remained motionless while the dog began to investigate her. "Her nose is cold." The woman giggled when the dog insistently pressed her muzzle against her palm.

"Molly is persistent. She likes having your attention."

The other dogs didn't seem happy to be left out of introductions, but Don knew it would be better to go one at a time. He shielded the woman from the rest of the canines while Kamryn quietly greeted Molly.

"She's intelligent," Kamryn realized. "I can see it in her eyes. They're so expressive."

"They're very smart, and a lot of animals are also empathetic. You'll learn to love them."

The woman nodded, and her smile grew as Molly stretched out on the cushion beside her. "Doesn't take her long to trust someone, does it?"

"Dogs can be a good judge of character."

The squeal of the door indicated someone else entering, and Don turned his head to watch Tim walk into the room.

The teen whistled at once. "Harley? Where are you, boy?"

The blue heeler mix bolted around the side of the couch with a bark, and Tim caught the dog as he lunged for him. Harley's short bark transformed into a desperate whine, which increased in intensity when the turtle got down on the floor with him.

The sound made Kamryn noticeably apprehensive. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. He's just happy. It's one of the best parts about animals, Kamryn. They're so loyal and loving, they make you feel like a king."

"So he's okay?"

Tim sat up with a laugh from rolling on the floor, and gave his dog another hug. "Harley's fine, Kamryn. He missed me, like I missed him."

The woman resumed stroking the border collie's head like she'd been doing it her entire life. "It only applies to household pets though, right? The ones in the wild aren't like that?"

"There are some domesticated animals we don't keep in the house," Don answered. "Like a few of the horses Hisui works with. Others aren't tame at all. A wild animal won't usually seek you out, and some of them are absolutely dangerous. But the majority of the creatures in these mountains try to avoid people."

"I need to see everything," she requested. "I want to meet all the animals I can."

"You will, Kamryn, little by little. Molly is a great place to start."

"She's beautiful, and very sweet. Who is the other?"

"Oh, that's her brother, Noah. They're inseparable."

"And the little one?"

"Her name is Diamond – she's Jazz's Aussie Hound. She was a special gift from a friend." Donatello snorted suddenly. "Most animals don't live as long as ours."

"Of course they live a long time," Kamryn commented. "No one ever wants to leave your family. I'm glad I don't have to."

She sounded happy, but the purple-masked turtle detected a tremor in her frame. He was considering addressing it, when Tim came up behind her with Harley in his arms.

"You don't have to feel like a sore thumb," the teen said.

Donny tried not to laugh, understanding the strange phrase would mean nothing to Kamryn. Tim realized the mistake before she tried to answer him.

"I mean, there's nothing wrong with being different. We all are, Kamryn. It doesn't mean you don't belong here. We have people in this house from various countries and walks of life, mingling along with mutant turtles who double as ninjas. If that's not weird, I don't know what is. Does anyone look unhappy?"

She shook her head. "No. However, you've all been family members for a long time, and I'm brand new."

"No, you're not," Donny corrected. "You've been family ever since you saved my shell in the Matches. You took care of me from the start, and never let me down once. You don't see it yet, but you fit in perfectly."

Kamryn looked down at the border collie lying at her side, and then at the orange and white cat who had staked her claim on the back of the couch again, along with a grey striped Picaso. "I suppose it's just a matter of getting comfortable with everyone, the same as with your animals. I was scared of them, and I didn't need to be. Your family must be no different."

"Say 'our' family, Kamryn. This is going to be your home, and you're allowed to act like it."

A tear fell, and she didn't bother to catch it. "Our family."


	150. Brilliant

Reina felt like she was on the verge of nodding off again, but managed to startle herself awake before her head sank too far. She heard a chuckle to the left, and forced her way upright straighter. "You're not supposed to laugh at your girlfriend. Didn't anyone ever tell you?"

Nate snorted a second time. "Rein, I think it's time for bed. A few more minutes, and the sun will be up."

"That's the point! Don't you want to watch it?"

"It will rise tomorrow too. We could always watch it then."

"No," she retorted stubbornly. "I want to see the sun come up _today_."

"Sure you'll make it?" he teased.

"You don't have to act like you're not tired."

"Who's acting? Of course I'm tired, Reina. We've been up all night."

The last of the other youth departed from the barn nearly two hours beforehand. It had been down to her and Nate ever since, and the young woman was determined to make sunrise.

"This means a lot to you, huh?" The turtle was sympathetic now. "Promise we can crash right after?"

She nodded vigorously. "Just do me a favor, and help me stay awake until then."

"The tired helping the tired? Sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"I don't need you to drive me anywhere or operate heavy machinery. Only to talk to me until the sun comes up."

"What do you want me to say? I'm already feeling a little loopy, so it could get weird in here."

"Weird is our life, Nate."

"True."

He rose from a beat up couch; one of the few pieces of furniture residing in the barn that served both for storage and a gathering ground for the second generation. Nate stretched out to the right and left, then surprised Reina by launching into a set of jumping jacks.

"What are you doing?"

"Waking myself up. C'mon, Reina. Get your blood flowing."

"When did this turn into boot camp? Are you going to make me run a mile at the crack of dawn?"

"Do some toe touches, and then jog in place."

"Seriously?"

"Would you rather go for the run?"

"Slave driver."

He arched an eye ridge at her, and she laughed.

"Fine, Nate, have it your way."

She slowly bent down to reach her feet, and was surprised by the slight pressure of his hand on her spine.

"Straighten out your back – no arch."

Reina corrected her stance and glanced at the eighteen-year-old out of the corner of her eye. He continued to hover directly behind her, but the proximity wasn't awkward.

"Are you feeling stiff?" he asked.

"A little. Been sitting for too long."

"We should have gotten up sooner," he lamented. "It felt too good to relax after...everything."

She held her static position a couple more seconds before rising. "I know what you mean, but it's got to be more relieving for you. You guys were in the middle of it all."

His gaze become unfocused, as if the orange-masked turtle was transported somewhere else. "I'll probably never forget most of it, and I honestly don't want to."

"None of it?"

He shrugged. "There are several parts I wish had never happened, and others that I still don't understand. But all in all, the experience was too important to discount."

"Did you think you were going to die?"

"Only a few times a day," Nate answered tongue-in-cheek.

She turned away from him, fighting the urge to break down again. There wasn't a real reason to now, but it was hard to resist. Fingers caught her chin to draw the young woman back toward him. The directness of Nate's contact startled her, but not in a bad way. Where there was normally a hint of hesitation behind his tender gestures, she saw more confidence.

"It's okay," he reminded her. "I didn't actually die, and neither did anyone else."

"You could have."

"But I didn't."

She tucked a fly-away hair behind her ear and gave him a helpless look. "Sorry. I don't know why I'm being emotional."

"Because everything sucked. But things are getting better, aren't they?" He rested both arms around her waist, triggering the sensation of being protected which she enjoyed so much.

"Just a little in the last few hours," Reina joked weakly. "Some things are different though."

"What's wrong?"

She pulled away slightly, not wanting to cast any negativity on what should be an intimate moment.

"You can tell me," he assured her. "I'm the only one here, Reina. Nobody else."

"Charlotte and Tim, they're not..." She hesitated from finishing. "Nate, are they okay? I get this feeling from them, like...they're trying too hard. Am I reading into it?"

"I wouldn't bring it up with them if I were you, but...No. They're not settled. It's gonna take some time. You recall how Ravensrock and Alex changed you."

"Yeah," she agreed softly. "And what they went through was way more intense."

"Don't compare apples and oranges. Just be there when they want company, and don't get offended if they withdrawal."

"Well, it's not that unusual for the two of them to divide anyway," Reina allowed. "They've been taking off for years. I'm going to try not to obsess over them."

"You've always been a good cousin, Rein."

"Too good." She gave his shoulder a small slap. "We're not even related, but you've acted like we were doing something questionable ever since we took the plunge."

"We did grow up together. We might not be related, but it felt like we could have been."

"But we're not," she reiterated like he didn't know.

"I acknowledge that. Still took me longer to get past it."

She cast her arms around his neck hopefully. "Are you past it?"

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't seem the same as before."

"What's not the same?"

"I don't think I can put it into words, Reina. It's more like a feeling. The intimidation has gone way down."

"Nate, why were you intimidated?"

"'Why doesn't matter so much. I feel more sure now."

"You weren't sure about me before?" She hated asking, but needed to.

"I never had to question how I felt. It was more the issue of whether I was the right one for you."

"Oh, we're not heading down that road, are we? Haven't your dad and uncles plowed through it enough?"

"We're not going there. I told you I _was_ intimidated."

"And now you're not?"

"I know what I want, and I think you're smart enough to figure it out too."

She sighed crossly. "I knew before you left."

"Sorry it took me longer," he mumbled.

"Don't tell me. Show me."

"What?"

"Actions speak louder than words, Nate. I need you to show me."

He appeared to ponder the statement, and nodded toward the door. "I think I can, but the sun will be breaking in a little bit. We should go outside."

Reina never took her eyes off the orange-masked turtle while he led the way into the semi-darkness of predawn.

"I have something for you," he volunteered. "I didn't bother having the Elohim craftsmen fix my blade, even though they could have. I like the battle scar. It's a good reminder."

He ambled past the barn, turning the east-facing corner. "I had another project for them to help me with."

Nate reached into the pouch on his belt and came out with a silver chain. "I wasn't going to give it to you right away, because I wanted this to be special. But it already is, because of what you mean to me."

When he pressed the pendant into her hand, it felt like the cold metal left an imprint in her palm. She had to look closer in the surrounding darkness, but easily identified the defining characteristic of the piece.

"Is it the sun?"

"They helped me with the design. It was the only thing that popped in my head."

"I love it."

She immediately pulled back blond tresses that were loose for a change so she could fit the pendant around her neck. Nate swept the hair out of her hands and held it in place so Reina could fasten the necklace.

"I think it's perfect – at least for two people as obsessed with the sunrise as we are." Her laugh sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet atmosphere, and made the young woman cringe.

Nate's fingers softly caressed the back of her neck while he released her hair, bringing a wave of goosebumps in his wake. "I think the sunrise is more meaningful than it's ever been. Before, it was only the proof that we'd made it through the night. Surviving meant we got to see the hope for another day."

She nodded. "It's always symbolized new hope for me too."

"Yeah, but the thing is, hope doesn't just magically appear in one moment, any more than the sun suddenly shows up on the horizon. Bahri and I were talking about this yesterday. He pointed out that the sun never actually moves at all. It's constant. Our planet is the one shifting and making it look darker as it turns away from the sun.

"Hope isn't some idea out there, waiting for the right moment to show up and deliver everyone. It's been there all along, and we couldn't see it. Light will always illuminate our lives and make things easier to see, more obvious to the naked eye.

"But if I took anything away from this experience, it's a desire to trust in the providence we _don't_ see. To not get so bogged down in the moment that I can't accept the truth: the sun is still shining. And nothing can stop it from coming up again."

She linked an arm through his. "Is that what you wanted to show me?"

"Not completely."

He turned to face her, catching the young woman off guard with an oxygen-stealing kiss. She relinquished for a couple of seconds before tentatively opening her eyes to see if he'd done the same. Ever since being caught by her father during one of their first kisses, Nate had been paranoid about being spotted by someone else.

This occasion, however, he looked completely lost in a way that made her feel abashed for getting distracted. His warm breath on her cheek made everything else melt away in another flash. She was aware of nothing except his lips closing on hers, and the fingers supporting her chin with a grip that was somehow both strong _and_ gentle.

Reina could feel the daylight breaking around them, but was too caught up in the moment to attempt ending it. She was intensely disappointed when the turtle slightly withdrew.

"Reina. You need to look."

She was irritated and didn't understand what he wanted. It wasn't until Nate pointed to her pendant that the young woman found it to be practically _glowing_. The incandescent sheen of the alien alloy was revealed by sunlight, and the sight was so startling, she laughed again. Reina fingered the necklace in awe and fixed Nate with a smile.

"Arsiterite is a really cool mineral, Rein, though you can't always tell what's underneath. The potential for brilliance was there all along, but you can't see it without light. Our potential was always there too, and I didn't realize it. I was afraid this couldn't work, no matter how much I wanted it. I'm not afraid anymore. I'm in the light, I don't care who sees, and I trust that you feel the same way."

She nodded vaguely, still heady from the combination of their close contact and the unexpected beauty of his gift. It was so much more than a simple piece of jewelry.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said finally. "And neither is this."

Reina gripped one hand around the pendant and wrapped the other around his neck to enjoy the rest of the sunrise.

* * *

Nate wasn't surprised to be met with a couple of smirks from his cousins when he emerged downstairs that afternoon, but consciously ignored them. He fully intended to walk right past everyone, but got hung up when Olivia stepped directly in his path.

"Think you got enough rest?"

He sidestepped the red-masked turtle, refusing to give anything away. "I only sleep in once a decade, Liv. What's your deal?"

"I wouldn't normally wonder, but I haven't seen my best friend either."

Nathaniel smoothly evaded her next attempt to block him and skirted the edge of the Great Room to get into the kitchen. "Don't know what that has to do with me."

"It's not like you can hide anything that happens in this house, Nate. It all eventually comes out."

He pretended not to hear her, and headed for the cabinet to check his cereal options. Nate made his selection, and gave Olivia a sidelong glance. "You guys better not have used all the milk."

"You're not getting any milk unless you answer a question."

Nate sighed inwardly while grabbing a bowl from the cupboard. "What, Olivia?"

"Did you have any fun?" The sing-song quality of her tone made him wince.

"Shell, Liv, we're not five-year-olds on our first date. Why wouldn't we have fun?"

"You never want to spill anything, Nate. How would I know what you end up doing?"

"You could try asking your friend instead."

"But you're a lot easier to fluster."

Nate whipped the kitchen towel off the stove and threw it at her. "You admit to torturing me and enjoying it."

"Of course I enjoy this, Nate. I've never seen anything throw you off as much as Reina does. It's freaking hilarious."

The orange-masked turtle growled under his breath and brushed past her to get to the fridge. "You're not funny."

"That's a matter of perspective, itoko."

Nate opened his mouth to argue, but shut it when the kitchen door swung open to reveal Jonathan and Alexis. He shot Olivia a pleading look to lay off.

The twenty-year-old merely grinned and pulled out a chair across from him.

"Why are you eating cereal?" Alexis scoffed. " _Amigo_ , the ladies of the house are going to be wrapped around your finger for days. Take advantage of it."

The proclamation made heat rise to Nate's cheeks, but Olivia spoke up quickly.

"The moms are famous for trying to overfeed us, and here _he_ was worried about running out of milk."

Nate gave her one last warning glance before digging into his cereal. "I'll be ready to eat again whenever dinner comes around. I prefer not to bother anyone on the 'off' hours."

Jon shook his head. "None of them have off hours, except for my mom."

The orange-masked turtle tried to contain a snort, but couldn't. Katherine's notoriously bad cooking hadn't improved with age. She was probably the only person in the family who had a worse rap than Leonardo. Nate wasn't the type to tease the woman about it, but had mastered the art of disappearing to avoid her "clean out the fridge" experiments.

"After where we've been, cereal is fantastic anyway," he added.

Jonathan pulled out the chair on his right. "Was it what you expected after meeting Bahri?"

"Knowing one alien can't prepare you for meeting a planet full of them, Jon."

"What are their women like?"

The words hardly left Jon's mouth before Lex smacked the back of his head.

"What? It was just a question!"

"Rude much, _primo_?"

"How's it rude? I've never seen any of 'em. I'm not asking for pictures or blood samples."

Nate knew the young man was only curious, so he hadn't taken offense. "You probably shouldn't pose that question with our guests."

"I wouldn't!" he protested. "That's why I asked you."

"Shukri's wife is like a warrior princess," Olivia stated proudly. "She came from high society, but her dad made sure she was trained. Now she serves with the Braliq, which is basically the highest level of the Nalikjan's honor guard. _And_ she has wings. Chirayu is beyond awesome."

Jon nodded eagerly. "Yeah, see? Those are good details. Liv, I'm gonna need more."

"You're so full of it," Alexis asserted, and then gave Nate her attention. "You up for leading a group hike later? We can wait for your girlfriend to come around too."

Nate folded arms across his plastron. "You're just as bad as Jon – you know that, right?"

"How am I just as bad? He's over here fantasizing about perfect strangers, while I offered to wait for your crush before going anywhere."

"She's not my crush," he answered sharply. "I think there's a significant difference."

"I'm with him," Jon agreed. "Besides, I'm curious about this alien race. It's not like _I'm_ ever gonna meet life on another planet."

Nate exchanged a glance with Olivia.

"They're different," the red-masked turtle allowed. "But they're not like...It was easy to forget they were aliens. They stopped being weird fairly early on, and then they were just...friends."

"Yeah, but it had to feel different for you guys," Jon pointed out. "You didn't have to hide there."

"We did spend most of our time in hiding," Nate clarified. "We couldn't let the bad guys find us."

"But other than the bad ones," Lex inserted. "You were free to wander around like you're normal." The young woman balked the moment thoughtless words left her mouth, but it only made the turtles laugh. "Not that you aren't normal," she hastily added. "None of our family is, so..."

Olivia flicked her braided mask tails with another snort. "Please go on, Lex. I wanna hear the rest of the train wreck."

"Oh, you know what I mean!" Their cousin was abashed. "There's nothing wrong with any of you. I was pointing out how you didn't have to hide from the same creeps who'd want to hurt you here."

Nate nodded. "It was an interesting experience. We didn't have to feel too different, since we were dealing with multiple alien races in one place. And that's what felt normal."

Olivia grinned at the memory. "It was probably the coolest part."

The orange-masked turtle took his empty bowl to the sink and rinsed it out. "I'd go back to visit, y'know? We didn't get a ton of chances of enjoy ourselves on Zuhur. We were mostly occupied with whether or not we were gonna be toast."

He wasn't trying to bring down the mood, but the statement had a dramatic impact on their teenage counterparts.

"We were occupied with that too," Jon admitted softly.

"But it's all good now," Olivia spoke up smoothly. "We don't even need to think about the crap. What I wanna know is why Nate always gets to lead these hikes. Wouldn't kill his shell to let someone else choose our direction for a change."

She was only trying to get a rise out of him, so the orange-masked turtle refused to be angry. "I don't remember asking to lead anything. You can all go without me, as far as I'm concerned. I'll wait for Reina."

"We're waiting too!" Alexis insisted, not realizing what Nate inferred.

Acknowledging his eagerness to catch up with his girlfriend was an invitation for additional teasing, but the red-masked turtle merely grinned.

"Are we gonna take the whole group?" Nate continued casually. "Anyone seen Charlotte or Tim today?"

"I saw them head out back earlier," Lex told him. "They took the dogs for exercise, but I bet they'd like to go with us."

Nate perked up at the mention of their animals. "Let's go see what they're doing."

The eighteen-year-old crossed through the Great Room and into the passage which led to the back of the house. He heard barking before he opened the door, and took in the immediate sight of Molly capturing a Frisbee from midair. The border collie landed on her feet and wagged her tail wildly while the youth piled onto the porch.

The auburn-toned golden retriever's tail thumped the deck enthusiastically, but the dog didn't bother rising from where he was leaning up against Reina on the steps.

Alexis went toward her. "When did you get down here?"

"Been up for a while," the young woman answered. "Thought I'd get some fresh air before eating anything." She made eye contact with Nate and gave him a pointed smile.

"Did you get enough sleep?" Olivia's teasing jab was ignored by Reina entirely.

"You feel good, Nate?" The blond woman got to her feet, and her movement had Anchor taking the opportunity to rise and stretch out too.

"I'm great. You?"

She beamed. "It's a beautiful day"

The golden retriever greeted him more warmly now, and Nate took a few moments to scratch his ears and pat his back. "You're a nice boy, Anchor. This playing fetch stuff is for the birds, huh?"

Reina laughed. "The day he jumps for a Frisbee, he'd probably keel over from a heart attack. Did you eat?"

"Only cereal. I was going to wait until later, but if you wanna get something else, I'll keep you company."

"Make it snappy!" Alexis urged. "We've all been waiting around on you two."

Nate fixed Reina with a quick look, and turned to his Latin cousin. "Sorry, Lex, but you'll be waiting a bit longer."

He hooked an arm around the blond woman's waist and drew her in for a shameless kiss. The raucous response from the others didn't bother him, nor did it appear to faze Reina.

"No rushing us please," she instructed, tugging his arm toward the door.

The young orange-masked turtle felt like he was ten feet tall while they sauntered back into the house, and no amount of teasing could change it.


	151. Confess

Calley peered through the window from the Great Room and smiled at the sight of the two blue-masked turtles seated side-by-side on the porch. Under normal circumstances, she would have encouraged their own bond and opted not to join them. With her loved ones only recently returned, however, she couldn't resist venturing outside.

Tim was the first to glance over his shoulder and greet her with a nervous smile. Calley intuitively understood he didn't mind her presence, but was anxious about something else.

"I don't want to interrupt you two," she offered, "Please carry on."

Leonardo's expression in return was indiscernible. He focused on Tim for a couple more silent beats before turning to Calley. "You're not interrupting. Doc already reamed me out for missing _my_ turn in the lab. I should probably head up there."

"That's what you get for ducking him earlier today," she chided lightly.

"Be nice if he'd take our word for it occasionally," Leo muttered. "We really are all right. And I don't technically have to leave before he's sent Don to drag me inside. I can afford a little more time, _musuko_."

The teen shook his head. "It's okay. Go get the exam over with, and we'll still be here."

"You're fine?" The way Leo confirmed it a second time struck Calley as odd, but she didn't say anything. "I'm gonna go then. If I'm not back in three hours, please sent a rescue team after me."

"I'll check on you in one," Calley told him.

Leonardo's lingering look back conveyed nerves that had nothing to do with being examined by their doctors, but he went inside without another word.

Calley padded across the smooth, wooden planking of the porch, and claimed the adirondack-style chair Leonardo had been using. The woman didn't speak immediately, reaching out with her senses to gather the atmosphere instead.

From the way Leonardo departed, it seemed the blue-masked turtle had been disturbed by whatever he was discussing with Tim, and simultaneously protective as result. _I don't need to imagine why, what with everything we just went through. Our son most notably._

She found the teenager watching her placidly, but his frame of mind was harder to gather than anticipated. Calley could read his intense relief, yet also found an undercurrent of dread which he was actively controlling. _Hiding emotions is truly difficult for either of us. It could mean something very bad, but I won't figure it out by staring at him._

Calley opened her mouth to ask him outright, but then hesitated. She focused on the tree line displaying evidence of changing colors, and decided to wait him out a little longer. The woman was contemplating the best way to gently coax him into letting his guard down, when the young turtle suddenly sighed.

"How much do you know, Mom?"

She broke from gazing at leaves to look at him. "How much do I know about what?"

"You were with me sometimes, when I was on Zuhur," he said thoughtfully. "I noticed it more often when I was dreaming. But that doesn't mean you're aware of _everything_."

Calley shook her head. "I'm not psychic any more than you are, Tim. I picked up many impressions I didn't understand at the time, and I don't want to remember them. But whenever you're ready to talk, I'm going to listen."

"Do you know what I did?"

"What you..." she trailed off, surprised by her emotional response to the frank question.

Tim broke eye contact. "I don't want to hurt you, like I already did the others."

"Tim, even if it hurts, this type of pain doesn't usually remain at the same level. I think I'd rather you tell me whatever is weighing on you."

"Arzhan was intuitive too," the teen said, strangely wistful. "Their Vaga had been trying to get inside my head for days, and I wouldn't let him. So he ended up giving me the same drug Lendano forced on dad and my uncles."

The information was alarming, even in the past tense. Calley fought not to react outwardly, and motioned for him to go on.

"Drugging me achieved what he wanted. The Vaga tricked me into cooperating, and we ended up inside each _other's_ heads. The stuff I saw was..." Tim paused, rubbing his eyes like he was currently blocking it out. "I don't think I could ever forget it. Seeing was bad enough, but _feeling_ the hope and life of so many people go out at one time...I've never been through anything like that. You know they wanted to use our genes to kill off entire populations."

Calley nodded slowly, but interjected nothing.

"It became intensely real in the moment, like...it was a certain thing, not a possibility. I had to stop it, and the only way I imagined..." Tim swallowed, meeting her gaze once before turning away again. "I...I tried to kill myself. I would have, if they hadn't saved my life."

Calley's mind froze up for an instant. Then she came back to herself to discover she was clutching the arms of her chair, and Tim was silently waiting for a response. "I...uh..." Words felt like lead on her tongue, but she forced them out anyway. "I knew it came close. I felt you on the edge, but I didn't grasp the real situation. Tim, are you..."

It was difficult to phrase what she wanted to ask. "Are you relieved that you failed, or..."

"I'm glad to be alive," he filled in rapidly. "I never actually wanted to die. I just didn't see another option at the time. It was like being cast into the darkest pit I've ever been in, with no hope of finding a way out. I wanted to prevent those people from dying, Mom, but part of me also wanted the pain to simply...stop. I know that's awful, but it's the truth. I couldn't take it."

"I don't know the pit the same way you experienced it," she said slowly. "But I get it, Tim. I honestly do. You've heard about my past, but there are things I've held back. Like the circumstances in which I met your dad."

"Wasn't it the night that creep from the Akiudo tracked you down, and tried to kill Grandpa?"

"Tim, I'm the one who told the creep where we were. I led him right to us, because I was so desperate for a fix, nothing else mattered. I didn't realize what he would do with my dad until it was too late.

"By the time I managed to make a break for it, I thought my father was already dead. I got myself to the top of a building, and I planned to jump. I didn't want the drug anymore, but I also couldn't believe I would ever stop needing it. I wanted the pain to end. I was _going_ to kill myself, both for not being able to give heroin up, and for losing my dad. That was when Leo found me."

"He stopped you?"

Calley nodded. "I can't remember it all, because I was already in a haze. But I recall him helping me off that ledge, and immediately being safe in his arms. It was like a tiny part of me woke back up. That's nothing compared to what you went through, but I can grasp the hopelessness which pushed you to..."

She took another breath to steady her voice. "The difference is, I brought the darkness upon myself, whereas you had it thrust upon you. I'm sorry, Tim."

His gaze stared off vacantly at nothing in particular. "I haven't told anybody else the part about feeling hopeless, not even Charlotte. Her and dad felt better when they found out I'd been drugged, and was desperate to protect other people. It's really hard to admit I was being selfish too. I wanted to be free so bad."

"Wanting to be free doesn't make you selfish, Tim. It makes you more human."

He rested his chin in one hand, continuing to gaze into space. "I'm not over what I did. I kinda wonder if I can be. How do you forgive yourself for something like that? I wouldn't be here, Mom. They saved me. Do you get it?"

"They also put you through unthinkable things which would have broken most people."

"He _did_ crush me. Arzhan sucked out all the information he wanted after that. Stuff I never wanted to tell him, or anyone else. If he'd had me long enough, I probably would have attempted suicide again."

"Tim, I tried to kill myself at least ten times," she said bluntly. "Over the seven year course of my addiction to heroin. The only reason I failed on all those occasions is because I was too drugged up to pull it off correctly."

Calley turned over her arms to display old scarring. "The worst part is knowing I did it to myself. You didn't, Tim. You were kidnapped, tortured, and sent to the depths of Hell. None of those things were your fault."

"If _I_ was stronger, it wouldn't have been as bad."

"Your strength has nothing to do with being drugged. He cheated, Tim."

"But it doesn't make it easier to let go of. When did you stop hating yourself, Mom?"

She wasn't prepared for the question, and it took Calley a few moments to provide a response. "It wasn't overnight. Left to my own devices, I don't know if I would have. But your father and this family never gave up on me. Leonardo probably told me how valuable I was hundreds of times, before the words sounded less empty and hollow to my own ears.

"When you hate yourself with that kind of ferocity, it's difficult for the love of others to get through. No matter how much they say it, the voices in your head are louder. Even when you know they're lies, it _feels_ true, which makes it easier to accept. And the moment you adopt that worthlessness, it has power over you.

"I can't nail down a specific moment in time when I stopped hating myself, Tim. I think it began with letting Leonardo, my dad, and the other members of this clan take care of me. Despite never deserving it. Even when the darkness was so great, I didn't think I'd be normal again.

"Shutting down the lies in my head was the hardest part. I couldn't get past how much I hurt my dad when I ran away, or the fact that I'd wasted my life. The way he refused to let me go, and demonstrated over and over how much he wanted me...It did eventually get through, Tim.

"But it wouldn't have sunken in if I didn't let him near me. You're going to have to make a choice to allow us to help, Tim. You can't wait until you feel better, or your thinking magically clears up on its own. It's not going to happen that way. You won't wake up one day and be cured. Yet you _can_ come back from this. I think if I can get over ruining my life, my dad's life, almost getting him killed...There's a lot of hope left for you too."

* * *

Leonardo had a hard time repressing a smile while watching Shukri listen intently to whatever Caleb was telling him in the background, even as Luke digested his own blood-work. "I'm confused, Doc. Is Caleb teaching Shukri, or is Shukri supposed to be teaching him?"

Luke glanced up from the screen of his scanner. "It's both. Shukri is teaching all of us as much as he can within the next few days. But it's not enough for him to leave us with information. We have to show him where we are, so he can tell us how to take the next steps."

Leo shook his head in amazement. "Forget about revolutionizing this family. Caleb is about to change the world, isn't he?"

The blond man set his machine down. "It's impossible to say what we'll do with the knowledge, Leo. Dunamis is a huge deal. What it can accomplish, and the lives it could potentially save, make it mind-blowing. But it's also not something we can package and put into mass production for the public."

Leonardo folded his arms pensively. "The temptation to save lives that easily is hard to resist, Doc."

"Leo, you can't save everyone."

"I know. But we could help quite a few, who have no other alternative."

"I don't want to get into this yet. It's way too complicated to discuss, even hypothetically."

The turtle nodded. "What do you think about _my_ blood?"

"Your brother's description of their fusion is going to give me nightmares for months to come."

Leo scowled in Don's general direction, but the genius didn't notice.

"He had to tell me, Leo. It's in the contract."

"Doc, I'm gonna burn that stupid thing."

"Thereby forcing me to write a stricter one?"

"Seriously though, Doc. What do you think of me?"

"If I didn't know better, I wouldn't have any indication for concern. I'm still waiting on a couple tests to come back, but-"

"Leo?"

The blue-masked turtle started at the sound of his wife's voice, having not noticed her enter the third-story laboratory. He rolled over at once, and his eyes widened at the tremor in her frame.

"Are you okay?" she asked tightly. "Can you come?"

Leo looked back at Luke quickly. "Doc, I gotta go."

The man motioned for him to rise. "You're fine. I doubt I'll find anything else in your blood-work, but I know where to track you down."

The turtle went after his wife, but she was already half way out the door before he caught up. Calley didn't say another word; only continued down the stairs, and headed for their room on the second floor.

Leo held his breath while shutting their door silently behind them. "You all right, Calley?" The question was awkward, because it was obvious she wasn't.

The woman collapsed on the side of their bed with another shudder, and snatched a pillow to muffle her sob. The turtle hurried across the space to join her, but then didn't know what to do at once.

His first impulse was to apologize. Leo had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from telling her he was sorry repeatedly. He chose to hold on to the woman instead, but her wracking cries were like getting stabbed in the gut over and over. He desperately wanted to soothe her, but it felt impossible. The turtle would have gladly accepted a brutal physical assault rather than witness _her_ in pain.

He couldn't track the minutes he spent lying with her quietly, but the urge to speak was becoming too strong to ignore.

"Calley," he whispered finally. "I think he's gonna be okay. Tim's already better than he was when we found him on Zuhur."

Leonardo had to hesitate, because the memory of his son's brokenness was just as bad as seeing his wife sob her eyes out. Now he found her gazing up at him, waiting for the turtle to go on.

"He was in really bad shape. It messed me up, Calley. All I could think about was killing the bastard who hurt him. I didn't know what Arzhan had done at that point."

"I wouldn't have blamed you," she said honestly.

"He was distant, despondent, and closed off. Calley, if you'd seen it, you would know this is an improvement. He's talking about things, whereas before...Tim could barely touch me."

Calley nodded. "He was more honest than I expected. But I wasn't ready to hear a lot of it."

"I'm sorry. I probably should have told you most of that myself. I would have, if he hadn't insisted he needed to."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Leo."

He shook off a tremor of his own. "Still doesn't feel that way. His life has been changed forever, and our lack of insight contributed to everything that happened."

"Leo, it has to stop," she insisted. "Your guilt will only make it harder for him to get over things. He's going to struggle with that enough as it is."

Leonardo studied the woman for a few silent seconds. He wanted to ask her to recount what Tim said, in order to know if it was necessary to tell her more. In the end, he decided not to.

Calley gripped the pillow tighter. "I didn't see it coming. I knew he'd been rocked, but to hear him talk about hating himself..." She squirmed from his arms and sank backwards on the bed. "It brings up too many things I haven't wanted to feel or think about in a long time. You know how you believe you're over something, but then one powerful hit reminds you it's still there? That's what it was like.

"Listening to Tim refer to his hopelessness made me relive portions of my past I never fully explained to him. And I think that's partially why he's struggling now. I always wanted him to open up to me, but I never found it necessary to air my dirty laundry to him.

"He knew the general idea of my drug addiction, running away, and enslavement to the Akiudo, but I kept the darkest specifics from him intentionally. If I hadn't done that, he might have turned to me before."

"Calley, there are things that...Even though they're in the past, it doesn't make them simpler to repeat. We both decided to tell him fragments, and fill in more as he got older. You can't blame yourself for it. And guilt on your part doesn't help any more than mine will."

He scooted closer to where she'd retreated and stared up at the ceiling. "If it makes you feel any better, we already got through the hardest part."

She lifted her head slightly. "You're right. I don't know why this is upsetting me so much."

"Because our son is in pain, Calley. It's one of the worst things to witness, especially when you can't do a lot about it."

"Except for loving him, the same way you did." Her voice was soft. "I still don't understand what you saw in me."

He reached out to pull her closer to his frame. "You've never been good at separating what you did from who you are. You got hurt, Calley. People didn't understand you, your mom abandoned you...And your first love got you hooked on heroin, then sold you into slavery.

"But none of those things have anything to do with your worth. When someone treats you like you don't matter, it can be hard to believe you do. Yet the most important person, your dad, his opinion of you never changed. Do you know why?"

"Because he's one of the most amazing men who ever lived?"

"Yes, but that's not the entire story. Your dad was willing to wait. He couldn't let the dream of you returning go. You were worth forgiving all your mistakes."

"Not all of them were mistakes."

"Doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does. I brought darkness upon myself."

"Calley, you didn't invite it to intrude your life. You didn't intend to get addicted to a drug, or sold to some crummy gang. You looked for an escape from the world in the wrong place, and paid a terrible price. You also fought to find your way back. That's a huge deal."

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"We all need help, Calley. Everyone. And now it's down to our son. I'm positive few people will reach him the way you can, because you understand."

"Our situations were completely different."

"Your emotions aren't though, are they? You see yourself in him. That's part of the reason it's hard to take."

"He's just a kid, Leo. He shouldn't have to live with any of it."

"You were a kid too."

She shook her head with surprising violence. "He was innocent of any wrongdoing. And now he's supposed to pay the price for years to come?"

"He shouldn't. But we can't go back in time and change anything. All we can do is try to help him through this. I'm glad he shared with you, Calley. Though it hurt, I think it was necessary."

"I'm glad he told me too, but I'm not sure what to do with any of it. I can tell him my own stories, but what will it accomplish?"

"I think it could be proof that he's not alone, or going crazy. Can't you remember a time when you thought there was no one else on the planet like you?"

"He can find solace in the fact that we're both screwed up?" Her wry smile encouraged the turtle slightly.

"I wouldn't put it that way exactly, Calley."

"It's the truth, and you know it. He gets it from me."

Leo snorted. "We're all screwed up in our own ways, Calley. Safe to say the myriad of issues within this family don't go back to you."

She smiled faintly again, but it didn't last long enough for his liking. "I was haunted by the impressions I received while he was gone...and that was before he spelled things out for me, Leo. I sensed some of the events correctly in the background, but couldn't connect the dots. I'm going to need your help getting through this too."

"Calley, it's not you and Tim, or even just the three of us. This entire family will make it together. I'm certain it left a powerful impact on Charlotte too, though it's not as obvious. We've already seen evidence of the emotional scarring she's repressing.

"We're gonna be okay, Calley. Not in a few days time, but we'll get there. We have the _chance_ to be okay now, and so do a bunch of other races and planets we'll never know anything about. We paid a heavy price for freedom, but the knowledge that no one else will be stalked by the Vagari hoards...it makes me feel better. It really does."

"It comforts me too. I just wish the kids didn't have to suffer. It's changed their lives completely."

"It has, but it won't remain this fresh forever. In the meantime, we have to be there for them in every way possible. Storms do eventually clear up, and then we appreciate the good weather more, don't we? It's going to happen, Calley. Just like it did for you."


	152. Start Over

Rebecca could feel Mike hovering nearby, even though she didn't see the turtle. She focused on carefully turning her chicken on the grill grate before shooting a look over her shoulder. "Do you think I cook faster if you're watching me? I don't supervise _you_ in the kitchen."

"This isn't supervision," he answered. "I'm just enjoying the view."

She tossed her head while returning attention to the rest of the chicken. "You are so full of it. You're only excited to eat again."

"That's a given, but I still enjoy you too."

Rebecca snuck a glance at the Elohim who still reminded her of giants, even sitting down at one of the nearby picnic tables. "Cooking meat isn't considered offensive, is it? I feel paranoid, Mike. I was barely around Bahri when he was here before, and now there are more of them."

"Beck, relax," the orange-masked turtle urged. "It's no big deal. You think they'd be out here if they were offended? We gave 'em safe space to escape to if necessary, and they haven't used it once. They're different, but they're not _that_ different, okay?"

The woman started to shrug, but his muscular arms came around her from behind.

"They seem to be really liking your veggie kabobs," he pointed out.

"Karina made the marinade. All I did was grill them off."

He grinned proudly. "You're the master of the flame. No one grills half as well as you."

"No one's cooked over an open _fire_ as much as I have."

"Right, because my Jungle Girl always kills it."

"Would you quit?" she requested under her breath. "No one's supposed to hear you say that."

"Aw, they're not paying any attention to us."

She sent a swift glance to congregating family members and guests who were strangely converging around one table in particular. "What are they doing, Mike?"

"Drawing the name for who gets to be the master of ceremonies for tomorrow's events."

"That's only a formality, isn't it? I thought all the players for the individual games are going to be called randomly."

"Someone still has to pull the names, Becky. Using one person to do all the drawing means we don't have to keep track of whose turn it is. Not my idea, but whatever. We're all gonna play one way or another, except for Donny."

"Don's skipping out on your field games? That's gotta be a first. Did he say why?"

"They're working. Still catching Shukri up to where they are, so he can teach 'em his own stuff. You know how I feel about all work and no play, but I don't really blame him. The geniuses have a lot to do in a short amount of time."

A celebratory roar made Becky jerk and almost drop her tongs. She gave the older red-masked turtle a look when he circled the two of them to smirk at Michelangelo.

"The first of many victories," Raph boasted. "Tomorrow can't come fast enough."

"Keep telling yourself that, Raphie. Winning the master of ceremonies doesn't make you anything more than a glorified Vanna White*. Instead of revealing the letters, you get to draw names out of a hat. Maybe the girls could rustle you up something cute to wear."

Raphael's smile was a little too sadistic for Rebecca's liking. "Oh, it's gonna be a show all right. You wait."

While he sauntered off, the woman shifted out of the turtle's grasp to check the chicken for final doneness. "You better watch your shell, Mike. He's up to something."

"Someone always is in this group, Beck. I can handle Raph."

"Are Ghyath and Bahri actually going to participate?"

"I'm sure they won't do everything, but I bet we can twist their arms for some of the milder events. I think Ghyath could really get into it. He's more competitive than you'd expect, Becky."

"Can I have that platter, Mike?"

The turtle retrieved the waiting clean plate and held the dish out so she could load it up with grilled chicken.

"I hope you all have a good time. Maybe I can stop walking around on eggshells, especially since I don't think it's necessary."

"No, it isn't," he agreed. "The Elohim are awesome. I didn't think Leo would talk 'em into visiting, but since they're here, we wanna show them the best of everything we have to offer."

"I don't know how much their scientist is enjoying himself." She laughed suddenly. "Although, if Shukri is anything like Donatello, the work probably _is_ a joy. If I could understand any of it, I'd pop in and listen myself."

"They wouldn't mind you coming by." There was a forced optimism behind Mike's sentence which she didn't anticipate, and it left her confused.

"Mike? What's the matter?"

"Nothing. Why does something have to be wrong?"

"It doesn't, but it sort of seems like it is."

"It's nothing," he repeated evasively, further convincing her of an issue.

She gave the turtle a probing stare while pointing for him to carry the tray to the table. "Next round of chicken is up," Becky announced, briefly ignoring how nervous the orange-masked turtle looked.

She faked her own smile while helping serve the others, but snagged her husband by the mask tails once he'd claimed his own chicken. He squealed softly, but didn't fight the woman's grip from separating him out of the group.

Once they reached a couple of adjacent chairs, she forced a stern expression. "What's the matter?"

"I'm hungry," he stated pathetically. "You still mad at me for calling you Jungle Girl?"

"You can eat as soon as you tell me what's going on. Is Shukri doing something to make you nervous? You didn't act weird until I brought him up."

Mike's anxious posture eased slightly. "There's nothing wrong with Shukri, Becky. If you knew what he's capable of, you'd wanna be in that room."

"That doesn't explain what's going on with you. I need you to spill."

"Spill what? I didn't do anything, Becky."

She folded her arms and adopted a severe look.

Michelangelo rubbed the back of his head self consciously and stared down at his plate. "I don't wanna upset you."

"If you don't talk to me, you're going to."

"Shukri and I..." The way the turtle still held back bewildered Rebecca.

"It can't be this hard, Mike. You aren't going to hurt my feelings, unless you keep hiding something. What about you and Shukri?"

"If there was a chance, that is, if we could do something like Nate over, would you wanna?"

Her eyebrows rose. "Why would we need to start over with Nate? Is he going to age in reverse?"

"No, that ain't what I meant. I'm talking about another kid. If there was a chance we could do this, without you getting sick or almost dying in the process, would you want to go through with it?"

The unexpected question caused her to swallow with the emotion it induced. "I...thought you didn't want to. B-but if..." she faltered, attempting to contain rising tears.

"Becky, don't cry, please? I shoulda left it alone. I'm sorry."

"But why are you bringing it up?" she persisted. "I thought that door was closed. I heard..." The woman stopped herself from finishing.

"What did you hear?"

She shook her head and leaned away from him. "It's not important."

"I can tell that's not true, Becky. We've started, so now we have to talk it out. What did you hear?"

"It was a couple days after we lost the other." She winced at the difficulty in addressing the baby she'd miscarried. "I heard you unload on Doc from the next room. You thought I was asleep, but I wasn't. You said you didn't want to do it ever again."

He ducked at once. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

"I know. That's why I never said anything, Mike. Just kept taking the pill to make sure I wouldn't accidentally get pregnant. The risk for disappointment is so huge, and I know neither of us need that sort of devastation."

"Becky, I was scared for _you_. It wasn't just the chance of another baby dying. It's the possibility of losing you along with it. That's why I panicked. You don't realize how bad off you were for a while there."

"I should have asked you about it, but it was easier not to," she mumbled.

"I should have talked to you," he emphasized. "But if there wasn't that huge risk, would you want another baby?"

"It was always something I wanted to try more than a couple times, Mikey. Do you wanna go upstairs right now?" She tried to play it off like a joke.

The turtle's face remained serious. "The thing is..." He paused, setting down his untouched plate. "The thing is, Shukri says we can do it. We can, without the complications. He knows how Yasir stabilized Jen's pregnancy with the twins. He said that dunamis is the key to all of it. We could try again, if it's something you still want."

Rebecca held his eye contact steadily. "Is it what you want?"

"That's not fair. I asked you first."

"Mike – is it?" she asked, lowering her voice.

"Well, yeah. But not if it was gonna hurt you."

"Are we still speaking hypothetically, or can your friend really help us, Mikey?"

"He already said he would, if we wanted to. I wasn't trying to make some decision without ya," he added hastily. "Shukri has kids of his own and I really dug them. We got on the subject of why you and I didn't have more, and it kinda snowballed from there."

"Does he have time to talk to us?" Rebecca wondered. "I know the team is busy, but maybe he could fit in a few minutes for a consultation."

Mike snorted. "We don't need an appointment, Beck. Some of your chicken will get us in that room in five seconds flat."

"I did save Doc some dark meat," she mentioned knowingly.

He held out an arm to her. "My girl is so smart." Mike caught her hand and gripped it tightly. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me. I was trying to protect _you_ , Mikey. You've got such a huge heart, that when it gets broken, it's harder to take."

"You're the one who actually went through it. I feel like you lost more than I did."

"We both lost our baby, Mike, and I don't think either of us addressed it properly. We can't do anything about that now, but maybe it's not too late to try at least one more time."

"Trying is the fun part," he declared, poking her side.

She gave bandanna tails another twist of her own. "We both get into it. But should we be conversing with your friend, or going our own route? Will he be comfortable discussing reproduction? I know these aliens are pretty discrete."

"That's one word for it, but he's a doctor-type, Becky. Shukri is used to this stuff. I think we ought to just drop in real casual like and see what he says. Easier to ask forgiveness than permission."

"They're expecting lunch anytime now, regardless. I would be happy to hand deliver it."

"Only if I get to come too."

"When are you going to eat your lunch?"

"Eat?" He glanced over at his plate. "I'm too excited to eat now."

"Does that mean I can give your chicken to Raph? He'd grab it in a heartbeat."

His hand closed around the rim of the plate like she would carry out the threat. "No way, Becky. Raph can forage for his own food, and I'll save this for later."

"It won't taste as good as it would fresh!" she protested.

He pulled the woman close and planted a kiss on her lips. "This is too cool of an idea to wait on. Let's get inside."

* * *

Mike had a hard time controlling his grin while meandering into the third floor lab. He wasn't surprised to find all the doctors gathered around one work station, or by the need to clear his throat to announce their presence.

"Lady and gents, we come bearing gifts. Is anyone hungry?"

His purple-masked brother was the first to trot their direction. "I've been smelling it for over half an hour," he confessed. "I was about to sneak away for a few minutes."

Luke came up behind him. "Thanks for going to the trouble."

Rebecca shook her head. "No trouble at all. We'll set you up to eat. I hope you don't mind if we stick around for a little while."

"I think we've earned a break," Donatello replied, then looked to the others. "C'mon, you guys."

Becky smiled shyly at the elohim who bowed his head to greet her. "I made a vegetarian option too."

"Thank you for your consideration, Rebecca."

Setting up a table in the corner only took a couple of minutes, and Michelangelo chose a chair off to the side while companions ate.

"What's happening down there?" Donny asked. "Is everyone gearing up for the games?"

Mike made a face. "Yeah – everyone but you."

"I'm passing on one field day, Mike – not moving out."

"Yeah, I know. What you're doing is important."

"It really is," Don wheedled. "We have limited time left with Shukri."

"Raph got the master of ceremonies," Mike continued with another grimace.

"Oh, good luck with that. He'll be insufferable."

"He's already working on it. We'll be okay though, right? Raph can't control any of the events. Picking names still leaves things up to chance."

"Hard to say with him. If you need somewhere to hide, you know where to turn."

Michelangelo glanced at Becky uncertainly and took a sharp breath. "I don't need to hide yet, but we were wondering if we could interrupt for a little bit. I realize you're busy, but it would mean a lot to us."

Luke set down his fork at once. "This sounds serious." There was humor in the man's tone, but Mike could tell the doctor was trying to get a read on him.

"It's just..." He exchanged another look with the curly-haired woman. "We wanna talk about a baby. Shukri, you said we could do it if we wanted, and we both do. Right, Becky?"

She nodded, and Michelangelo's eyes went straight to his genius brother. Besides the two of them, the loss of Rebecca's pregnancy had struck the purple-masked turtle the hardest. _Maybe I should have prepared him. Would have been nicer to do, but it's too late now._ He gave Donatello a pleading look to detract from his possible annoyance, but Don didn't seem upset.

Donny sat up straighter. "Should have seen that coming."

Julie pushed her plate back. "You just got way more interesting than lunch."

"Do you guys have time for something like this? Becky and I gotta do other stuff on our own, of course." Michelangelo snickered at the simultaneous reactions he elicited from Luke and Marcus. "We remember where babies come from, even if it's been a while since we had one. Shukri, can you think of any tips to help us?"

"Your compatibility is without question," Shukri answered nonchalantly. "You already have a son. It is not a matter of whether you can produce a child, but the most effective manner in which it can be achieved. When we are done here, it would be beneficial to take some blood-work, if you do not mind, Rebecca."

"No, I'm ready for that."

The alien glanced around at the rest of the team. "A small interruption would not hurt us. Donatello, do you possess the records from Jenna's pregnancy?"

"There's a huge gap in them from our separation on Zuhur, but yes,," Donny acknowledged. "With hers being the most successful gestation period leading up to the end, it would be nice if Becky didn't have to suffer either."

Mike nodded his agreement, but waited for someone else with knowledge to speak up.

"The actual pregnancy went very smoothly, Shukri," Luke volunteered. "Jen's only complication was a placental abruption which put the twins in danger, and her life at risk too. We had to move her c-section up, but everything turned out well. She definitely had an easier time than the rest of the ladies, excluding her abduction."

"We recognize it was due to Yasir's interference," Caleb added. "But I'm curious if it was only the introduction of the gene which did it, or if he took other action besides."

"There are some things I was not aware of at the time," Shukri replied. "I did not know, for instance, that the young ones had been manipulated in any way. I am glad their enhancements did not prove detrimental, even if Charlotte's presents her with such a challenge in daily life."

"I'd like to discuss her energy more in depth while we have you here too," Don said, then turned to Michelangelo. "But let's focus where we are. First...you understand we can't guarantee anything 100%?"

Mike could tell his brother hated delivering the words. "We don't want a miracle, Donny. Only asking for another chance."

"You deserve it," Caleb told him. "We'll apply all of our knowledge to help you, even if it means some implantation. That part went smoothly on Jenna's case too."

"I think we'd rather try natural means first," Becky replied. "But I'm not opposed to more help if it's necessary. I'd like to get pregnant again before I'm too old to even dream about it."

Mike stretched an arm around her shoulder. "We're down for whatever you guys say, as long as it's safe for Rebecca."

"We wouldn't do anything to hurt her," Marcus reassured him quietly.

"We trust you," the woman affirmed. "But please go ahead and eat. It's okay to do one thing at a time."

"Some of us can multi-task," Julie reminded her.

Luke groaned. "Are we having this discussion again? Can we at least get through lunch first?"

The woman smiled sweetly. "I'm only saying that it's possible to eat _and_ strategize."

Mike grinned between the two. "It also serves as entertainment. If you guys wanna fight it out, be my guest."

* * *

Michelangelo had butterflies in his stomach, though there didn't seem to be a reason for them. Having blood drawn was a regular occurrence, and not something he would have stuck around for on a normal day. _Unless Becky wanted me to, and right now, I can tell she does._

"What are you hoping to get from my blood?" the woman asked Shukri.

"At the moment, I am only trying to determine your level of health, and the opportune time for you to conceive," the elohim explained. "This is for...what would you say? Information gathering?"

Luke nodded and gave Rebecca an encouraging glance. "Definitely nothing to worry about."

"I've got Jen's old case loaded," Donny called from another terminal. "I'm going to catch up on some of this while you guys are handling that."

"Caleb, do you think it would be more effective to _start_ with implanting an embryo?" Rebecca called to the man.

"I wouldn't necessarily begin there," the geneticist returned. "We went through a number of methods with Jenna before taking that approach."

"Yeah, but I'm old," Becky said impishly. "It probably makes a difference too."

"I don't want you to stress out," Caleb ordered. "It won't help you to enjoy the experience, and that's one of the goals, believe it or not."

Mike automatically reached for the woman's hand and laced fingers through hers.

Rebecca sighed. "I know I'm acting a little crazy already, but I don't want to waste any more time."

When her voice broke, he squeezed her hand tighter. "It's okay."

"I'm sorry. I don't understand why I'm so emotional already. I guess that's how badly I want this for us."

"Breathe, honey," Julie advised gently. "Even trying is an emotional experience. No one in the room is judging you. You're allowed to be excited."

Rebecca caught Mike's gaze again. "I don't want to be excited until I know if it'll work."

Michelangelo swallowed hard as fear suddenly overtook him. He'd been caught up in possibilities, and not thought everything through, such as whether the pregnancy would even take. He squashed the anxiety and gave her another smile. "No reason to be scared. We're all in it together, either way."

When he glanced away from the woman, he noticed Caleb huddled beside Shukri. The two were exchanging words Mike couldn't hear, so he ignored their conference to look at Marcus.

"You guys sure you don't wanna take another break to watch our field day, Marc? It's gonna be great, especially if Ghyath and Bahri agree to play more than a couple things."

"I'm sure we'll have a few minutes somewhere, Mike," Marcus agreed. "But don't try to wrangle me into anything."

"Well, you can't use asthma as an excuse anymore, huh?" the turtle teased.

"No, I haven't had any further issues since taking that sample weeks ago in the wild. I don't know if it's permanent, but that would be amazing."

"Caleb, what about you?" Mike continued. "Your sight hasn't gone backward at all?"

The man pointed to non-existent glasses. "Not on my part. And the ophthalmologist we took Scott to was stunned. My colleague has seen him a number of times over the course of years we've been bringing him to North Carolina with us. With the internal damage he suffered in the crash, the return of Scott's sight is unprecedented."

"We gotta find some way to use dunamis," Mike asserted. "Guys, how many people could we help?"

"We're not talking about that yet," Luke answered, distracted. He was jammed in between Caleb and Shukri, gazing at the scanner.

"What are you looking at?" Donatello inserted before Mike could, going to join them.

"It's only a sample, Don, but-" Luke didn't get to finish, because the purple-masked turtle snatched his shoulder.

"Has she had any recent blood transfusions?"

Caleb shook his head rapidly, and Mike shot to his feet.

"Why would she have a blood transfusion? Is something wrong? Beck, what happened while we were gone?"

"Nothing happened to me," she insisted. "What are you guys looking at? Is there a problem?"

"Not...per say." Don's voice shook. "It's just...you're already carrying dunamis. A lot of it. The concentration is higher than when Caleb gave himself a transfusion. I don't know how that's possible, unless-"

"Unless she is already pregnant," Shukri filled in. "You have Jenna's samples pulled. Can you compare them, Donatello?"

The purple-masked turtle appeared to be in a state of mild shock. "Yeah. Only we didn't know what dunamis was then. We assumed the existence of new stem cells had something to do with Yasir, but..." He trailed off while dashing back to the other terminal.

"Do you recall when you had your last cycle?" Julia asked carefully.

Rebecca seemed stunned herself. "Um...not since... since before they initially left for Zuhur. I'd have to check. I have it written down somewhere, but I guess I _could_ be late."

Michelangelo caught her around the midsection as her body faltered, and she threw both arms around his neck. Her tears gave rise to his own, and it took several moments to remember the others were still there in the background.

He rubbed one eye while facing Shukri, Caleb, and Luke. "So I'm curious. Do we _both_ get to play the emotional card if she's pregnant?"

The normally stoic blond-haired doctor was barely holding it together. "We'll give you a pass too, Mike. Everybody gets one. We've earned it."

* * *

 ***I don't own Vanna White or Wheel of Fortune.**


	153. Scheme

Raphael heard footsteps coming down the basement stairs, and quickly peeked around the corner to confirm who was descending. He grinned upon spotting Olivia and waved for her to join him.

"Why are you acting so weird?" she asked. "I thought you were gonna make me come up with a password to enter the basement."

"I don't want the wrong person to figure out what I'm doing, that's all. They're distracted enough that it ain't likely, but I gotta be on the safe side."

Olivia surveyed his work station in the laundry room, and the four bottles of shaving cream he'd already gone through. "I feel compelled to ask questions, even though it would be better not to know. Does this have something to do with field day?"

"Yes and no. You wanna help me finish this? I'm adding the foam to a smoothie base to get it to stretch further and make the consistency hold up. Liking the results so far."

"Depends on who it's for, Dad. As long as you aren't gunning for Jake-"

"Kouen, I ain't going after your man. Shell, I _tried_ to get him for our team, but Mikey went and snapped him up too fast."

Olivia gave him an incredulous look. "Jake was far from your first priority. You were so intent on claiming Ghyath, there would have been a blood bath if the others tried to take him."

"He's gonna come in handy for a lot of reasons."

"You know the Elohim might not play along."

"When Ghyath gets a little taste of winning, I think he will," Raphael assured her. "You helping me?"

"There a reason you're doing this here?"

" _Privacy,_ Liv, and the ladies are already working on stuff for the free-for-all in the kitchen. It's this, or get up way earlier. Too tired for that crap."

"Are you okay?" she asked pointedly.

"Yeah, of course." He brushed off her concern. "Sleep cycle is all messed up from making those jumps on the way back, and I haven't rebounded yet. Hard to stay in bed when I'm excited to be home."

"Jake and I are taking the baby tonight," she mentioned, scooping up a can to begin adding its contents to another bowl he was mixing of strawberry smoothie base.

"You don't have to, Liv."

"No one said I did. Figured you and mom could use some time for yourselves."

"We've had a little of that."

"Well then, maybe you could get more sleep too."

"With your mama next to me? Not likely."

She pretended to gag. "No matter how old I get, I'd rather not hear it, Dad."

"You're the one trying to set us up. One little sister ain't enough?"

In the blink of an eye, the youth flipped the can and sprayed a burst of cream in his face.

"You really wanna start something with me?" he challenged, motioning to the bowl in his grip.

"Depends. Do you enjoy free babysitting, Dad?"

He set it back down with a growl. "Keep your hands to yourself then."

"Who are you gunning for?"

"You have to wake up before noon if you wanna find out."

"Dad, Jake and I don't _sleep_ until noon."

"Kouen, do ya think I wanna hear that any more than you?" He grabbed a towel to wipe off his cheek and gave her a mild glare.

"Why are you being so secretive?"

"The intrigue is half the fun, Liv. And tomorrow's gonna be a _lot_ of fun. You're lucky I got you for my team."

"I don't know. I think I could have fared well on the other," she jabbed. "You have some issue competing with me?"

"Nah. I don't like to torture you as much as other people."

"What's in your head, Dad? I know you're up to something."

"I had fate handed to me today, Liv. I'm gonna take advantage of it."

She burst out laughing. "You're so dramatic, like this is some life-changing event."

"I wouldn't go that far, but you're gonna enjoy it too. Not saying anything else for now."

"Fine. Keep your secrets – what do I care?"

"You'll catch on, Kouen."

She shook her head. "Hope you know what you're doing."

He shrugged apathetically. "Got a couple more cans to get through."

"I think you need some more color, Dad. You ought to emphasize the pink, because it already looks too white with the foam you added."

"I'm a step ahead of you." He nodded at the box of food coloring on the counter. "You can mix it if you want."

Olivia selected a bottle and went to work on one of the bowls he'd already completed. "Does Doc know you're doing this?"

"Technically, it's within the rules. I'm on a hard surface in the basement."

"You gonna pull it off down here too?"

"Got another spot picked out for that."

"The suspense is driving me a little crazy. You really won't give me any clues?"

"This stuff tends to spread when people open their mouths too soon."

"Who am I gonna tell, Dad?"

"Who are you _not_ gonna tell is a better question."

"You're not being fair."

"Ain't trying to be. Nobody in this family ever came out on top in a prank war by being fair."

"Are you trying to start one?"

"This won't be enough to do it, trust me."

"I don't see how I can when you won't tell me anything."

"Liv, look at this face." He grinned innocently. "It doesn't mean danger for ya. That's unless you decide to plot behind my back again."

"That was an act of desperation."

"Mikey twisted your arm, y' mean. Not that it takes much convincing. You always had him wrapped around your finger, and the opposite is probably true."

"I did it for _Nate_. He was so ticked at me for meeting Jake behind his back that first time, I figured it might be the one thing to get me some brownie points."

"Was selling me out worth it?"

"You had it coming, and you know it. You picked that fight with Mike and Nate."

"And he's picked way more than I have time to tell ya about. Anything that pipsqueak gets from me, he deserves it and more."

"You love this stuff as much as he does."

" _No one_ loves it like the Chucklehead. But I've learned how to get the better of him from time to time." Raphael snickered while checking the liquid consistency of his current mixture. "This is perfect. Gonna be a cold morning."

"You're so mean."

"When other people don't play fair, you gotta dish it out when the opportunity presents itself."

"I don't know what that means, and I have a feeling you won't tell me, regardless. What do you think of the color, Dad?"

He nodded approvingly at the much darker shade of pink she'd achieved, and swiftly scooped a handful to pat on top of her head. "Looks good on you anyway."

Amber eyes narrowed at him in return while he snorted and threw a towel at her.

"You had that coming for before. Don't forget we're on the same team, Liv."

She offered a thin smile. "Until we get to the free-for-all. Then anything goes."

"You got me shaking in my shell, Kouen."

"Hope you know better than to underestimate me."

"C'mon, Liv. Same team?"

Her severe expression faltered slightly. "We've got a common goal for now. But if you come after me or Jake, you're gonna regret it hugely."

A knock from the door at the top of the stairs had the older turtle spinning to hide his project, but the voice which followed made him breathe easier.

"Raphael?" The golden-eyed elohim quietly came down the steps and peered into the laundry room. "You told me to come find you close to this time. Am I too early, terrapin?"

"Nah, you're good, Ghyath."

Olivia shot him another look. "Is your strategy about to kick in?"

"Part of it," he admitted with a wicked smile. "We'll talk about this more tomorrow."

"I'm not staying in the dark forever?"

"You're on my team, Kouen. I'm gonna take care of everything."

She gave him one last hard glance before turning to leave.

Ghyath appeared utterly confused by the interaction. "Is she upset with you?"

"No. She just wanted to know more than I felt like telling her yet. I don't wanna repeat my strategy for the games a bunch of times, or more people will have the chance to find out."

"I did not realize you were this much of a planner, Raphael. I would expect the advance thought from Leonardo, but not you."

"I'm not allowed to think ahead, Ghyath?"

"No, it is not...I only meant..." The elohim was flustered, and it made the red-masked turtle laugh. "It is only a side of you that I have not seen before."

"Oh, you've seen it, Ghyath, but not in this sense. My bros and I get really competitive with each other, especially where these game days are concerned. I've got special intentions for you, man."

Ghyath was immediately wary. "I am not certain how many of these games we will want to play, Raphael."

"Ghyath, you leave it to me. I'll look after you, and you'll have a good time. You've got to trust me, okay? Everything will turn out great, and it'll be hilarious to boot."

"I cannot fathom what you expect me to contribute. I have never competed in anything like these events."

"I know how to use your strengths, Ghyath. All you gotta do is follow my lead. You won't just win – you'll dominate. Together, our team will be unbeatable. It'll be the best games ever."

* * *

Karina tousled angular waves with her fingers while heading down the hallway, and quietly going into the bedroom. It had taken longer to soothe Isabelle than usual, even with the little turtle lacking a dependable sleep schedule as of late. The woman expected the moving around from the states to Canada and then back to the US had something to do with it.

 _Missing so many family members likely left her unsettled too._

Their return was exhilarating, but also made Belle's refusal to sleep more frustrating. The addition of housing more guests left less rooms to go around, so they'd been keeping the young turtle in with them. Despite Olivia offering to take her that evening, Karina had refused to leave until the baby calmed down some.

The woman feared the worst when she found Raphael already lying down and breathing evenly. She sighed softly and peeled off her hooded sweatshirt, before carefully crawling into bed with him. Her slightest of movement on the mattress had the turtle lifting his head.

"Kari?"

"Hey. Don't get up, Raph. You're tired."

He rolled over partially to see her and glanced down at his watch. "Shell, it's only a little after 10? I dunno what's wrong with me."

"You're tired," she reiterated. "There's nothing weird about it. I'm sure you didn't get good rest on Zuhur."

"Nah. But I've felt great since getting home."

"Some of that was probably adrenaline. You don't usually fall asleep before I can get to you, Tortuga."

"Is Belle okay?"

"She's fine. Not quite back on her old schedule yet. We'll all get there."

He stretched a hand to smooth hair off her cheek. "Was looking forward to bein' with ya," he grumbled.

"Well...you are with me." She scooted closer to his side and snuggled into the crook of his arm. "I love your passion, Raph. But this isn't bad either."

"It ain't _bad_?" he echoed. "Geesh. Getting too old."

"We have an almost one-year-old, and you just got finished helping save the universe."

"Yeah. But I wanted to enjoy you too."

She twisted her head to kiss him, and reveled in the way he held onto it for as long as possible. When he started to sit up, the woman pressed both hands against his shoulders to pin him down. Karina was nowhere near strong enough to contain him, and the humor of her trying showed in his face.

"What are ya doing? Gonna have your way with me like I had to let you our first time at the cabin?"

"You loved it."

"You know I did. But it ain't up to you to take care of me now. No choice when I had those bum legs."

His words brought back the haunting aspect of their initial journey to Lotus Salvus, when they'd been forced to flee the city after the earthquake. The red-masked turtle's grievous injuries had laid him up for months, and the nerve-wracking experience of watching Michelangelo come so close to death wasn't worth reliving either.

"I'm only teasing you, Kari," Raph clarified. "You can do whatever you want, and I'll enjoy it."

"You didn't hurt my feelings, Tortuga. I'm only thinking too much."

"'bout what?"

"This family coming full circle. Becky was pregnant the _first_ time we came here."

Raphael grinned. "And now the Chucklehead has gone and made himself a dad again."

"I'm so happy for the two of them. I don't know if there's anyone in our family who wants it more. When I first learned about Isabelle, I almost lost it. Do you remember?"

"Yeah, Kari. But your pregnancy was tougher and more dangerous than what Becky's gonna go through, hopefully."

"She would have done it the hard way too," she murmured.

"Kari?" His voice drew her back to him. "Are you sad about something?"

"No. I'm reminiscing. Some of it is wonderful, but there are other things, parts I'd like to forget. How much pain you were in, the helplessness of not being able to do anything for you or Mike. At the time, I didn't know how we'd make it."

"But we did, huh?"

She nodded, relaxing once more on her side. "I get tired of the constant barrage. We go through cycles of quiet downtime, interspersed with disasters I never imagined, coming one right after another. And it doesn't seem like we'll survive it, or that things could ever be normal again. Then I turn around and you're back in our bed, falling asleep before I get here."

"Hey, I don't make a habit of that."

"I'm not complaining," she explained, leaning against his upper body. "Truthfully, I wish you'd surrender more often."

"Where's the fun in that? We love fighting too much to give it up."

"It is fun," she agreed. "But occasionally, I still want to take care of you."

"You always do," he insisted louder.

"Raph, can you be quiet for a little bit?"

The request seemed to startle him, but he merely nodded.

The Latina rested more of her weight on his frame with a deep breath. He wrapped both arms securely around her waist, and she felt like she was on the verge of falling asleep too.

"Karina?"

She opened her eyes to gaze down from her perch on his chest.

"I know that ain't comfortable," he told her.

"You don't know what it feels like," she chided.

"Don't kid yourself, chica. Cold-blooded and hard as a rock doesn't equal a comfy pillow."

"It's not about the surface. This is the most secure, safest place to be."

"Don't mean you have to sleep on top of me."

"Do you not like it, Raph?"

"Not about me. I don't want you to wake up tomorrow morning sore or anything."

"I'd rather not go to sleep at all," she admitted. "But I don't think I can help it. This baby kicks my butt sometimes. Proof that a woman of my age has additional challenges to deal with."

"Woman your age." He scoffed. "You ain't an old lady."

She gave him a weak smile. "Says the turtle who falls asleep before 10. Safe to say we could both use a caffeine jolt right about now. Are you disappointed?"

"Nah," he answered softer. "We just gotta fit in some more alone time when we aren't half-dead."

"Little easier said than done, but we'll figure it out, Raph."

"Well, sure. We made Belle, didn't we?"

The woman laughed, and then covered his mouth with hers.

"You sure _you're_ not disappointed?" he asked.

"You're here, against every odd that said you couldn't be. How can I be upset about that?"

She kissed him again to demonstrate said gratefulness, and was surprised by the sudden intensity he returned with. The small spark was all it took to make her feel wider awake and eager.

Broad arms wrapped her tighter, nearly crushing her against his frame. The correction came almost as fast when the turtle remembered his own strength.

"Sorry," he hissed in her ear.

She smiled. "I'm used to you getting carried away, Tortuga."

"Can't help myself with you. Even when I feel like passing out."

The woman rolled from his plastron onto the right side of the bed.

"Where are you going? I didn't kick you off."

"Raph, we can take things slowly. You're exhausted. Tomorrow's supposed to be a fun day, and I want you to be able to get the most out of it."

"It's gonna be great. You need to make sure you watch."

"I'll be right there to root you on," she said coyly. "Not that you need much luck."

"Not with the luck I already had." He guffawed loud enough to make her jump. "I didn't care less about being the nerdy master of whatever. Not until I found out they're the ones who get to draw all the names for events."

The smugness in his expression made her cross arms over her chest.

"You're scheming."

"Oh, I'm scheming all right, and some of it has been a long time coming."

"Are you gonna get yourself in trouble, Tortuga?"

"Would I do something like that? I'm gonna play the games a little harder than my bros planned, but it ends the same, regardless. The big free-for-all is where everyone gets satisfied. Who cares what happens beforehand?"

The woman shrugged. "It's your field day, Raph. But I think it's dangerous to tick off your opponents. Might wanna think this one through longer."

He chuckled, cupping her cheek with a large hand. "That's not the type of thinking I want to focus on. I'm too busy setting up some special pairings."

"Raph, are you talking about cheating?"

"I'm gonna call it, 'creative rearranging'."

"They'll catch you, Tortuga."

"Like I said, it ends with the big fight where it's every man for himself. Whatever aggression anyone has, they'll get the chance to spend it. I ain't afraid of my brothers, Kari."

She shook her head with a sinking feeling. "All right. I won't try to talk you out of it, but I hope you realize what you're doing."

"Sure I do, chica. We invested all this time, energy and planning into having a great set of games, and I'll make sure everyone has a day to remember."

Karina bit her lip to keep from warning him again. _Sometimes he has to learn the hard way. I hope this isn't one of those occasions._


	154. Moderation

Shukri felt a little embarrassed for the amount of food he'd consumed, but still had a hard time not finishing the second helping of eggs. He caught Donatello staring at him from across the table, and pushed his plate away. "I am going to have to stop myself."

"There's nothing wrong with enjoying a good breakfast, Shukri. All things in moderation."

A snort in the background startled the elohim, even as the raven-haired woman bumped the terrapin's shell. "He acts like he knows what moderation is. For most of his life, this guy went through two coffee pots every day by himself."

Donatello tipped his mug toward his mate. "Yes, but I've cut back a lot."

"Because you don't need the caffeine."

"I still enjoy the taste too."

When her fingers lit across the back of his head he started to chuckle, then appeared to remember Shukri was there. The awkward way the terrapin ducked made the elohim repress laughter of his own.

"I understand caffeine is fairly addictive," Shukri mentioned, casually moving on.

"I was a major addict," Donatello confessed. "Dunamis changed that for me. I'm curious to see other long term affects, and simultaneously nervous. I wish I had you on speed dial, Shukri."

"I believe the intention is to leave our link with you, Donatello."

"Anything could go wrong with that machine, and I wouldn't have the knowledge or parts to repair it."

"Would you prefer not to try?"

"No, I appreciate it, Shukri. We all do." The terrapin shook his head with an odd smile. "It's so weird having you sit here in our kitchen. This is normal, every-day life for us, and there you are."

The elohim leaned back comfortably in his chair. "I like your every-day life. I am enjoying your family, terrapin."

"Told you. I know it's a little much when we're all in one place, but they're kind of awesome."

"Kind of?" Jenna challenged.

Donatello shot a grin over his back. "That one is the best."

She nudged his shoulder. "Nice recovery. How's your coffee?"

"Don't need to be topped off yet. I'd rather make sure there's enough for the others when they decide to join us."

"Go easy on the old folks, Don," Jenna advised. "You've been keeping them up late."

A grunt of disapproval from the door made Shukri bolt upright. He turned around nervously to watch the blond doctor stalk toward them.

"Quit with the 'old' talk," Luke complained.

"I am sure she meant no offense," Shukri scrambled to fill in.

Donatello laughed and waved off the comment. "Jen's giving him a hard time, Shukri. She saw Luke coming, and knew he'd hear it."

"This is more of the teasing, like with your brothers?"

Luke grabbed the chair to his left. "It's a common past time." The man glanced up at Jenna. "I assume there's plenty of food left?"

She nodded. "There's even coffee."

Donatello gave her a flick to the side. "Plenty of everything. I never let you run on empty, even at my worst."

"I don't miss your caffeine addiction," Luke told him, then turned to Shukri. "There's a benefit to being the early risers around here. Don't have to fight for a place at the breakfast table. Did you get enough to eat?"

"I feel as if I ate too much, but it was hard not to continue. It is rare for me to take a second helping of something, but those," Shukri paused to indicate the remnants of scrambled eggs. "Are delicious. I do not know what it is exactly, but I am starting to understand this concept you speak of...Addiction?"

Luke leaned closer like he would tell him a secret. "It's the cheese."

Shukri cocked his head. "Which comes _from_ an animal, but is not like eating the flesh."

"Right. It's produced from their milk. In the US, that's cows for the most part," Donatello explained. "Although, most mammals have the ability."

"It is like nothing I have encountered before."

Luke folded his arms with a smile. "You're being spoiled. How are you going to go home after this?"

"I am positive I will miss several aspects of your food, but more accurately, the company."

"Let's save that conversation," Donatello suggested.

The plate which Jenna brought over for the blond doctor included the same savory scent Donatello's had possessed, but the meaty chunks looked different.

Luke chuckled when he found him contemplating the food. "You're not getting tempted by sausage, are you?"

"I am only curious. There is so much to learn about your way of life, I cannot take it all in. It is quite overwhelming."

Donatello nodded. "We're on the same page, but I really appreciate you trying, Shukri." He switched to nod at Luke. "Have you heard from Caleb, Marc or Julie yet? We could get started on a different chapter without them. Let the others catch up on some rest."

"They won't be long, Donny. None of us can sleep very much. Too excited."

Shukri looked between both friends. "It is exciting for me too, especially the prospect of Rebecca's pregnancy. I wish I could see this through in its entirety."

Donatello scooted his chair back partially. "I wish you could too. I'll try to communicate, okay?"

Silence reigned at the table for several moments, and Shukri lamented saying anything of the kind. _Addressing it right now will not improve anyone's moods._

Luke shifted uneasily, but then called out to Jenna. "Is that considered real food, or is it part of their dumb games?"

The woman looked over from her work at the counter. "Honestly, it passes for both. The pudding was on my list to make last night, but it came out too thin. It seems a lot better on this attempt."

Shukri glanced at the bowl she displayed for the doctor. "What kind of game will they play with it?"

The question brought a laugh from the terrapin. "We're going to miss the majority of them, but that's probably for the free-for-all. It's most people's favorite part. You have to see the insanity to believe it."

Luke made a scoffing sound. "It's ridiculous is what it is."

"Would you feel better if I save you some banana pudding, Luke?" Jenna offered.

"No one's is as good as my mom's was, but yours isn't bad," the man allowed. "I'll take some now if you don't care."

"If it improves your mood? You can have all you want. You wanna try some, Shukri?"

He peered at the yellow concoction. "Does it taste like the banana?"

"If you liked the fruit, there's a good chance you'll enjoy this, Shukri," she assured him. "I'll only give you a little for starters."

"You don't have vanilla wafers?" The doctor seemed irritated.

She shook her head. "I haven't dug them out yet. You're so needy this morning."

"Vanilla wafers?" Shukri repeated.

"They're an integral part of the construction of the dish," Luke said. "They're mild, so you'll probably like them too. Can't believe she'd offer it without them."

"You _are_ in a mood today," Donatello retorted.

"It's those stupid field games, Don. I'm going to be fighting to keep the mess out of the house this entire time, I just know it."

"We respect your rules, Doc. You'd better cheer up before I have to-" The terrapin hesitated when his phone rang, and glanced down at the screen. "Huh. We're not the only early risers apparently. Excuse me."

Donatello hit the button to answer it. "Do you realize what time it is? Didn't think I'd hear from you until...You're what? Uh, no. You're not. I haven't had the chance to tune it up! I built that four-wheeler, and you're not taking it out-" The terrapin cut himself off with a scowl and lunged to his feet.

"Don, what's up?" Luke demanded.

"I have to go kill my brother."

"Which one?" The man didn't sound too concerned.

"The one trying to take _my_ four-wheeler without permission."

Shukri exchanged a look with Luke while the terrapin stomped out of the kitchen. "He seems angry."

"He's just going to lay down the law. They'll be fine. You never experienced siblings, huh, Shukri? They can drive you absolutely crazy. Don doesn't generally have a short fuse, but you don't want to push him too hard."

"I have seen the best he has to offer too many times to attempt that."

As concern waned, Shukri reached for a spoon to try his pudding. Luke watched carefully while he did.

"What do you think? No pressure, just because it's one of the quintessential southern desserts. You're not gonna hurt my-"

A crash from the other side of the window made Shukri jump to his feet. "What was _that_?"

The shout which followed had Luke rising too. "Aw, crap. It's happening already?"

"But what is happening?"

The man cursed instead of answering and headed for the Great Room. Shukri trailed after him, picking up speed when Luke went out the front door. The elohim had to pull up short when the doctor halted with a loud groan.

He looked over Luke's shoulder at the shocking sight of the surrounding porch covered in an odd pink foam, and his unfortunate terrapin friend sprawled in the middle of it. The man grunted another surprising curse when a second figure walked into view.

"Morning, brainiacs," Raphael greeted smugly, and laughed at the glare his colorful brother sent him. "Had to get it in early since ya don't have time for us, Genius."

"Are you serious?" Luke spoke up. "Your stupid field games are in a few hours, and you have to pull something right now? When's it going to be enough?"

"If someone doesn't give you a fair shot at them, sometimes you gotta take a cheap one," the red-masked terrapin retorted indifferently.

"I'll show you a cheap shot!" Donatello declared, wrestling to his feet.

He'd already lunged toward his brother, when Raphael produced something else from behind his back. A plate full of even thicker white foam stopped the purple-masked terrapin in his tracks.

"Would you quit?" the doctor nearly yelled. "Donny hasn't even done anything-"

"I've got him, Luke!" Jenna rapidly squirmed by the elohim to get out the door.

The red-masked terrapin made his own attempt to run when he saw her coming, but only made it about a foot before being tackled around the knees by his brother and flipped onto his shell. There Donatello pinned him by his midsection until Jenna dumped her pudding all over Raphael's head. The entire scene played out in less than thirty seconds, and left the elohim bewildered.

"Your girl made your point for ya, Donny!"

"You think this is over?" The purple-masked terrapin stood, shaking. "Not even close. You won't know when, you won't know where, you won't know how, but you're _going_ to pay. That's a promise."

Jenna's own anger faded to sympathy while taking his arm. "Leave him, Don. I'll grab some towels."

"Take them to the basement," Luke instructed. "I'll get the rec room open."

Donatello was taken by another tremor, and this time Shukri realized he was cold.

"I'll start some water," the doctor continued, and fixed Raphael with a stern look. " _You_ can start cleaning up. Don't set one foot in my house until it's done."

The red-masked terrapin still managed a grin. "You guys are no fun. Today is all about games, and this is only the beginning."

"You should be afraid, Raph," Donatello warned. "Very afraid."

Raphael's chuckle told Shukri that he wasn't.

"C'mon, Donny." Luke interrupted him from going back for his brother. "Ignore him. Go around to the basement, and I'll let you in."

Shukri chased after the doctor when he returned through the door, and reached for his shoulder while descended the stairs to the lower level.

"Is this...are they actually playing? Donatello seems genuinely angry."

"He is. And Don is the last one of these boys you want to tick off, believe me."

"I would have thought Raphael held that honor."

Luke sent him a swift glance before ducking into the bathroom. "I think you remember better than that."

Shukri heard the sound of water beginning to flow, and then Luke came back out.

"We all heard the story about the two of you being locked into Yasir's lab."

The elohim laughed. "That was a special circumstance."

"It's not safe to goad him the way Raph did either."

"I was told they often enjoy these pranks. Why does it make him mad if it is done on a regular basis?"

"Sometimes it's about the timing, or the actual level of mess itself. Any of them can get angry when they're caught off guard, but Donny...He doesn't hit back the same way. He responds with patience and extreme methodology. Donatello is the guy you never want gunning for you.

"Honestly, he doesn't get into it much, with the exception of their birthday tradition. Donny never starts it – he only retaliates."

"I did not know they take it this seriously."

"It's stupid," Luke affirmed. "They're worse than the kids. They really are."

He trotted across the room to unlock the walk out door, and waved the terrapin inside.

"Doc, I could rinse off with the hose first," Donatello offered. "I don't want to make a mess."

"Don, that water is too cold this early, and you look like you're already freezing."

"I am," he acknowledged.

"Then let's save that privilege for Raph, and you get in here."

Donatello shuffled through the door and sent Shukri a chagrined glance. "Welcome to our world."

"Are you all right, Donatello? I confess that did not look enjoyable."

He shook his head. "It wasn't. But he'll go down; probably a little sooner than usual with the attitude he copped."

"Keep the pranks out of the house, Donny," the doctor commanded. "Other than that, do what you want with him."

The sound of pounding feet down the stairs made Shukri turn around to see the orange-masked terrapin. Michelangelo's brow furrowed in confusion while he came toward them.

"I heard something went down. Who happened to you, Donny?"

"Take a wild guess." All of the purple-masked turtle's irritation came out with the answer.

Michelangelo was unfazed by his anger and chose to dab some of the pink foam still covering his form. "What is it?"

"Shaving cream was involved, for sure. Tasted that from a mile away. I'm getting a shower."

The orange-masked terrapin whistled while his brother retreated. "Wow. Raph's gonna get it. Really strange that he'd pull something this morning. I have a bad feeling about him winning that position in the games. He's gonna take advantage of it somehow."

"Don't let him, Mikey," Luke offered. "Give him hell for Don."

"I'll do my best, Doc. Did you guys get to eat already?"

The doctor opened and shut his mouth. "Shukri did. I was only getting started when Raph rudely interrupted."

"Does Donatello require any more assistance?" Shukri wondered.

"He'll be all right now," Luke answered. "Needs to clean up and get warm."

Michelangelo rubbed his hands together. "I could pull a treat together for Raphie real quick."

"Save it, Mike," Luke ordered. "Jen already took some action on his part. Bring it in the field games, okay?"

"I intend to. Do you wanna finish breakfast?"

"Kind of lost my appetite," Luke muttered.

"There is still your pudding," Shukri said.

"Oh, yes. Good thing I got some before Jenna gave the rest to Raph."

Mike smirked. "Is that what she did? He got off easy. Pudding tastes way better than the crap he covered Donny in. He has to go down _today_."

"Please don't start a prank war before lunch," Luke pleaded. "I know how much fun you have plotting and carrying them out. I'm not even saying he doesn't deserve it, but-"

"You don't like 'em, I know, Doc. We all got the memo."

"I'm not trying to be a killjoy," the doctor went on. "But I don't get the appeal. Isn't it like telling the same joke over and over? At some point, doesn't it stop being funny?"

The orange-masked terrapin seemed to consider it, then gave him a bright smile. "Hasn't yet. We're not that bad, Doc. I mean sure, we go after each other regularly, but we're not at our brothers' throats every day. Maybe it's still more often than you like, but we show some restraint. We even have rules that we follow, for the most part."

Shukri was strangely fascinated. "Rules? What kind of rules?"

"They're just, uh...guidelines for the way pranks should go, and areas that are off limits, like Don's lab. I learned that one the hard way a long time ago. They're designed to keep us from going overboard."

"If you show restraint now, I can only imagine how bad your pranks must have been as children," Shukri offered.

"Nah. When we were young kids, we'd never waste food by throwing it at each other. We barely scraped up enough to eat in those days."

The casual statement made Shukri freeze up. "You had difficulty finding food?"

"Well...our Sensei couldn't wander into a grocery store. And even if he could, he didn't have real money. Only the little bit he might find in the street. Master Splinter had to forage for about everything we needed."

Shukri tried to remember what he knew for certain about New York City. There wasn't much. "Do very many things grow wild there?"

The terrapin chuckled. "Not really, with the exception of trees in Central Park, and some people's gardens. Our Sensei took food wherever he could get it. He'd collect it from the plates left behind on restaurants with patios, or actually pick off the to-go boxes if he couldn't get enough.

"He'd sneak into food pantries and shelters sometimes too. I know he hated doing it, because that stuff was supposed to be for the needy and homeless but...we were hungry." Michelangelo paused. "Then there was dumpster diving, but that came with problems of its own."

"Dumpster diving?" Shukri couldn't fathom what he meant.

"Uh huh. Dumpsters are like these giant trash cans that restaurants, businesses and apartment buildings use for the junk they throw away. And you wouldn't believe how much food is wasted. So when someone goes through the trash, it's called dumpster diving. It wasn't pretty, but we always got by somehow. Depending on the season, sometimes it was easier than others."

Shukri swallowed, both horrified and intrigued by the terrapin's frankness. "When was it the worst? Were your winters very bad?"

"Temperature wise, winter always sucked. Made it the hardest time of year to forage. But we used to get sick more often in the summer."

"Why is that, terrapin?"

"Because of the way stuff spoiled on us. We ended up with food poisoning frequently that time of year. Splinter would hit the church food pantries more often in the summer than the winter. After we'd gotten sick enough times, he didn't wanna take the risk with questionable food. 'Course, I didn't understand a lot of this back as a kid..." The terrapin trailed off, motioning to Luke.

"Don't look at me like that, Doc. You've heard all of this before."

Shukri peeked at the human to find him staring bleakly at Michelangelo.

"No one ever put it quite like that, Mike."

"What does it matter? It's over. Don eventually got income, and Splinter could take food from warehouses without guilt, 'cause he technically left behind money to pay for it. When April came in, our options became almost endless. So everything worked out, and no one needs to feel bad about it. Okay? Me and my bros don't. We enjoy what we've got, probably even more because we didn't have an easy start."

Shukri nodded. "An appreciation for good food makes perfect sense to me, terrapin."

There was still a great deal of sadness in the doctor's eyes, despite the way he smiled. "I guess there are worse things than acting like overgrown kids." He tapped Michelangelo's shoulder fondly. "Have fun at your games today, but keep the mess outside."

The terrapin shot him a thumbs up. "You ought to come by and check us out a little, Shukri. You'll probably never see anything else like it."

"I think that's a good thing," Luke added wryly. "But for whatever strange enjoyment you guys get from your field games, I guess you deserve it."

Michelangelo laughed in a low tone. "Gonna make sure Raph gets what he deserves."

"Try to include Donny somehow, will you? I think he'll be less distracted if he gets retaliation over with."

"I'll let you tell him that. We should head upstairs though. You've gotta finish eating, Doc, and I need to get ready for my big day."


	155. Overzealous

Michelangelo emerged from the mud pit for the fourth time in as many rounds, spitting out the grunge he'd inhaled _again_ before attempting to get it out of his eyes. He was prepared for laughter and squared his shoulders against it.

The game had been one of his own designs, and he didn't mind entertaining everyone. However, the chances of "randomly" being pitted against Ghyath that many times were nil, and the unfairness of the arrangement stung the orange-masked turtle while he crawled out.

Mike was tempted to shoot an evil eye at his red-masked brother laughing the loudest, but refrained. _He would probably just enjoy that. This was his plan all along– I'm sure of it. But I'll deal with_ him _later._

"Michelangelo, I am sorry." The elohim's apology was sincere, but it was impossible for him to entirely mask his amusement. "I may have been a bit...overzealous."

A smile crept up on the orange-masked turtle as an idea formed in his mind. "Oh, it's okay, Ghyath. It's only a game, and you didn't cheat...unlike some people."

"Don't be a sore loser, Chucklehead," Raph teased. "Everyone's having fun like you wanted."

It was easier for Mike to grin at his brother since he had a plan of his own. "Yup, and the day's not over, so there's _lots_ more time for fun." He was interrupted from rubbing his eye with the cleanest part of the back of his hand by Leonardo darting up on his right.

"You okay?"

Mike nodded, but gratefully accepted a towel from him. "Yeah. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

Leo scowled in the direction of the departing red-masked turtle, who was pulling Ghyath along with him. "He's been cheating on the draws this entire time. It wasn't as obvious before, but this...Mike, why'd you go through with it? You had to know it was a set up."

"Course I knew – Ghyath did too. But it's been so hard to get him and Bahri to play some of the games, I didn't want to jinx it. Besides, there was a chance I coulda taken him, right?"

"Sure, Mikey, you could have." Leo kept a straight face for all of three seconds. "The odds are _slightly_ in his favor when it comes to a one-on-one in tug of war."

"I kept hoping Raph would offer himself up, at least once."

"Oh, he'll pay," the blue-masked turtle insisted. "You wait."

"Leo, don't make a big deal out of it, okay? Everyone is having a good time."

"He's _still_ gonna get it for this. Can't believe he made me pop all of those balloons."

Mike successfully withheld a snort for his oldest brother's sake. Leonardo's aversion to purposefully breaking balloons was well known by the family, and Raphael had taken serious advantage of it earlier.

"Sounds good to me, Leo, but right now, I need your help with something else. You think you could come up with a project to keep most of our people busy inside for a few minutes?"

"I'm sure I can think of an excuse, but what are you up to? I want to take Raph on _with_ you."

"No, Leo, this isn't for Raphie-boy. It's his partner in crime. Truth is, Bahri needs to pay up on a promise too."

His brother gave him a wary look. "What are you going to do?"

"First, I'm gonna hose off before I harden up like a statue. Then...I want to introduce our alien friends to one of the greatest joys in life."

"Be gentle, Mike. They're new at everything."

"Ghyath wasn't gentle with _me_ , but I know what to do. Will you help a brother out? Please?"

Leonardo snuck a glance over his shoulder in the direction of the golden-eyed elohim. "I don't know about this, Mike. I can't tell how he'll react."

"I have it under control, bro. Catch up with you later...and we'll plan Raph's demise."

* * *

Mike could see confusion in both Elohims' eyes when he met them on the side porch about fifteen minutes later. "Hey, guys. Thanks for waiting."

"It is no trouble, terrapin," Bahri answered. "But what do you need? Your wife said you wanted to talk to us?"

Michelangelo nodded eagerly. "I wanna give you a sneak peek of what's coming up next."

"A sneak peek?" Ghyath repeated.

"Oh, yes!" Bahri exclaimed. "He means...well, it is like an early look, right, Michelangelo? On Earth, it is usually an honor to be exposed to something before the rest of their general public."

The turtle grinned. "Yeah. Exactly. Come with me."

He led them over the wrap-around porch, and showed them into the back yard. Several long tables had been set up by their wives over the last hour for everything dessert related they needed for the last blow out "game".

"The ladies got us ready for the free-for-all," Mike said matter-of-factly.

Ghyath stopped in his tracks. "I believe this is another game where Bahri and I will have to observe."

Michelangelo offered the blue-eyed elohim a sly smile. "The thing is, Bahri and I had an agreement, didn't we?"

Bahri took a half step backwards, but then nodded with resignation. "Yes...we did."

"What agreement?" Ghyath was utterly clueless.

"Bahri promised me if we got through it all and he came back to hang out, he would give the experience a chance. You gonna keep your word?"

The wilting alien held out his hands. "You are right, Michelangelo. I told you I would, so, you may do as you please."

"But, Bahri-" Ghyath tried to intervene, and Mike stepped in front of the other alien first.

"A deal is a deal, Ghyath. It's not like I'm gonna hurt him."

The golden-eyed elohim stood back stoically while the turtle selected an overflowing pastry from the nearest table. "It's not as bad as you're making this out to be. Relax. You might even enjoy yourself! How can you know without trying?"

"Please get it over with, terrapin."

Mike complied, applying his signature smear technique of the pie to Bahri's face. For his part, the elohim took it without flinching, and barely reacted.

"Not too horrible, right?" Michelangelo suggested.

If anything, the alien only seemed perplexed. "I suppose not." He rubbed his eyes to break apart the beautiful remaining crust. "Is that all there is?"

"Not exactly. You get to have a turn too."

"A turn for what?"

Mike motioned to the table. "Choose something. You can take anything you want."

"I am supposed to use it on someone else?"

"That's the idea, Bahri. Go for it." He gave the alien an encouraging smile, which only grew when the elohim made a selection.

"I am not sure I can do it."

"Of course ya can. It's no big deal, Bahri."

Uncertain eyes flicked between Mike and Ghyath. "Very well. I will try."

The turtle _thought_ he knew what was coming, but he was stunned Bahri turned the missile on his alien counterpart instead, and he wasn't the only one. Mike guffawed behind his hand when the pie met Ghyath's face, even though Bahri's general timidity ended in only half of it sticking to his friend's forehead. It was hysterical nonetheless.

The elohim's shock didn't allow him to speak at once, so Mike jumped on the opportunity.

"Y'know, that wasn't bad, Bahri, but can I give you a couple tips maybe? I'm sort of an expert where this is concerned." He retrieved the remnant of leftover pie to use as a teaching tool.

"All right, terrapin," he replied guardedly. "I will learn from you."

Mike extended an arm around Ghyath to guide him to a chair, and motioned Bahri to join them. "Okay, so check this out. Do you see how you lost half your filling on that hit? That's practically a cardinal sin. You don't ever want to waste it – understand? Sometimes that happens when your ingredients are too cold, but these have been sitting out to come up to temperature.

"It's not a complete loss though. There are a ton of good ways to recycle a used one." The turtle hefted Bahri's first partial tin, and pressed it on top of Ghyath's head. "One good way to reduce waste."

Bahri appeared genuinely intrigued. "That makes some sense."

The widening of golden eyes reminded Michelangelo that the elohim's dumbfounded condition wouldn't last forever, and he needed to move along.

"The only reason this pie kinda failed is because you were scared of it. It's not a deadly weapon, Bahri. You don't have to take someone's head off to deliver a worthwhile blow either. You can be firm without being ruthless. As long as you're thorough, you don't have to apply a lot of force."

Michelangelo reached around the table to select two of his own creations, a peanut butter and jelly filled pie topped with marshmallow fluff. "Now, I want you to pay attention."

Bahri cringed when he closed in that time, but Mike turned at the last moment to make a sandwich out of the pastries on Ghyath's face. The elohim's gasp while he carefully deposited every ounce of filling over his head made all the trips to the mud pit worth it.

"You see, Bahri? I didn't even hit him. Completely gentle, yet still effective. You also don't have to settle for the obvious." Mike selected a couple more of the closest cream pies for their potential splatter. "Almost anything can be a target. And the spot they're _not_ expecting can be the most fun."

He applied the first to the back of Ghyath's neck, and dropped the other down his tunic before tapping it firmly so the pastry would explode underneath.

English escaped the alien completely, but the terse words he uttered in his own language sounded dangerous. Still, it was hard to be intimidated by someone covered in peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.

"Then there's the finishing touch," the turtle continued, reaching for a pitcher. He usually like to take his time with such endeavors, but the likelihood of being able to contain Ghyath much longer was small. Instead he dumped chocolate syrup over his head rapidly, and released the container like he was performing a mike drop.

The golden-eyed elohim lunged to his feet with a growl, and Michelangelo sidestepped him while he rubbed his eyes.

"Would you like to try again, Bahri?" Mike invited before Ghyath could do anything.

The alien's eyes brightened. "Yes, I would."

"Be my guest."

Bahri picked out a bigger pie that time, and the turtle braced for the inevitable, only to watch him turn on his best friend for the second time. The new missile smashed with a much more satisfying result, and Mike found it too hard to hide his elation.

"Better, Bahri! Much better!"

"May I have another?" the elohim requested.

"You can take whatever you want." He _knew_ it had to be coming for him, but grinned even as banana cream blew up in his face.

Bahri finished by topping the rest of the crust on his head. "Is that right?"

"It's perfect." Michelangelo laughed and slugged Ghyath's massive shoulder. "How about that, dude? I guess you're in after all...Unless you still wanna sit out. You totally can."

The alien fixed him with a glare. "I think it is too late for that, terrapin."

"Yeah, probably. But at least it tastes a lot better than mud. We can all be overzealous from time to time, huh?"

Ghyath's frame immediately sagged in defeat. "Oh. I guess...I deserved it."

Mike gave him a hopeful smirk. "Maybe a little. Doesn't mean you can't have any fun with us."

"What are you talking about, Michelangelo?"

"Technically, if you're playing, it's your turn, Ghyath."

"It is?"

"You really think I wouldn't give ya a chance to respond? C'mon and play with us, Ghyath. You know you want to."

He nodded at once. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Ghyath's eagerness was so overpowering, he didn't take long to pick a blueberry-laden custard treat. Mike had the distinct privilege of watching him take on Bahri, and hearing the Elohims' first shared laughter. The orange-masked turtle took pride in the perfectly intact crust, which didn't even break until Bahri went to clear his eyes.

"You're a natural, Ghyath," Mike told him.

"I am not through," he answered warningly.

"I figured. Have at it."

This time, the elohim was more strategic in his selection. "I can take anything?"

"If it's on the table, it's yours."

"What about...under?" The elohim pawed at a neatly lined row of buckets, and retrieved one filled nearly to the brim with Mike's signature custard/cake mix recipe dyed an electric yellow. "That is an interesting color."

"Do you like it, Ghyath?"

"I hope _you_ do." He overturned the pail to send a cascade of thick batter all over the turtle.

Mike shook his head. "I knew you'd be good at this."

"You still need something."

Beneath the yellow curtain he didn't have a chance to see what was coming, and got to be surprised by the weight of an entire sheet cake and an avalanche of buttercream. Mike automatically caught the cake board as it fell, and raked a free hand over his eyes with the other.

"That was great, Ghyath." He glanced down, and a half grin emerged. "But there's a problem." Michelangelo hefted the board and sent remnants of shattered cake and frosting back at the unsuspecting elohim. "You still wasted it."

The elohim's shoulders shook with a laugh that nearly doubled him over. "You would not miss a _crumb_ , would you?"

"No way! It tastes too good."

Ghyath nodded his agreement. "I do like that one. What do you call it? This is different from the others?"

"We've got a nice variety," Mike told him. "What you're tasting now is buttercream – classic stuff you'll find on cake."

"The first two were very sticky. I would not prefer that kind."

"Marshmallow is a bit overwhelming, but mixing it with peanut butter actually helps it come off easier, believe it or not. Something to do with the oil, I think."

"And that one?" Bahri pointed to an intact pastry on the table.

"Ah. That is whipped cream...the crème de la crème of all throwing pies. Problem is, whipped cream has a short life span. Deflates really quickly, and becomes a watery, useless mess. We have to employ stabilizers to get it to set up for any length of time."

Ghyath shrugged in confusion. "Terrapin, I have no idea what you are talking about."

"That's okay, Ghyath. Important thing is, you had _fun_ , right?"

After a moment of contemplation he nodded, then made eye contact with Bahri. "This proves we are not boring, does it not?"

"For the record, I never called you boring. But it's sure more interesting than standing back to watch, huh?"

The golden-eyed elohim shifted, embarrassed. "I recognized that Raphael was cheating by the end. I apologize for going along with him. He assured me it was only for fun, but I can see how it was not appropriate."

"Not completely, but you also paid for it." Mike winked at the elohim. "So we're square. You don't have to be sorry."

"Ghyath? Bahri?" Shukri's call from a couple of yards away had Michelangelo swiveling to see the approaching elohim. The Banrif hesitated when he got a better look of them, but then came towards the group faster. "What are you doing?"

The other two Elohim shared a quick glance.

"We are learning from Michelangelo," Ghyath explained calmly. "Would you like him to teach you too?"

Shukri was baffled by the entire situation. "Are you well?"

The golden-eyed elohim smiled disarmingly. "Do we look injured, brother?"

"No, but I do not understand what is happening. Can you explain any of it?"

Ghyath nodded. "I could, but it would be easier to show you. Bahri?"

At the Rynn's word, Bahri shoved one of the whipped cream pies into Shukri's face from behind him. Mike was impressed with the elohim's balance of effort and grace, which succeeded in causing filling to stick without hitting him viciously.

"You're getting pretty good now, Bahri."

Ghyath followed it up with a chocolate cake of his own, laughing while depositing the remnants on his shocked friend's head. "I need more practice too."

"You'll get a lot more practice before the day is over," Mike encouraged. "You alive in there, Shukri?"

It took several moments for the Banrif to find words. There was confusion in his eyes once they were cleared."Why are you doing this?"

"I was curious," Bahri admitted. "I rather still am. It is not a terrible experience, is it, Shukri?"

"I feel very strange."

"That's natural," Mike told him. "You're brand new at this, and you've got a ton of inhibitions. But you can still enjoy it with everyone else, if you want. If you'd like to get someone, I can be a no pressure target."

Shukri seemed to consider the offer. "To be absolutely truthful, if I was going to 'get' someone, I would rather it be Raphael. His unprovoked attack of your brother this morning warrants a response."

"Shukri, that's a long line to stand in," Mike retorted. "Unless...the line moves a lot faster if everyone goes at the same time."

Bahri's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Michelangelo?"

Ghyath returned with a smug smile. "I believe I know what he intends."

"You want in, Ghyath? You kinda got roped into this cheating thing, didn't you?"

"I think I would enjoy it, terrapin."

"Awesome, because I've already got a wicked idea, but it needs to wait. We have to get through the free-for-all, and let things settle back down. Then we can address it like one happy family. You guys with me?"

Shukri shook his head. "I still do not understand what you are doing."

"You're gonna get a shot at Raph; you and everyone else he screwed over today. Are you with us?"

When the Banrif met his counterparts' gazes, his uncertainty faded. "I have a lot to learn in a short amount of time, so you must teach me."

* * *

Raphael kept a snort to himself while creeping through the darkness of the path leading to the barn. He was relieved not to be able to hear the golden-eyed elohim behind him, though he could just make out his form.

"Will we be soon enough?" Ghyath hissed.

"Yeah. Mikey won't be out for a few more minutes." The red-masked turtle grinned. "He thinks he's so smart, setting something up on the same day as one of our blowouts. Guy can't keep a secret to save his life."

"I confess, I did not see the danger in his invitation to the barn."

"That's because ya don't know the Shellhead like I do. I've been on the receiving end of his pranks my whole life, and I can feel it when he's scheming."

Raphael shifted the bag on his shoulder, glorying in the paint-filled balloons he'd spent over an hour preparing. _Won't do nothing permanent. Doc would kill me, even if it only effected the barn. Little elbow grease, it'll wash right off. Probably take me a week, but it's gonna be worth it._

He nodded at the similar bag Ghyath toted. "You're not nervous about this, are you? We're not gonna hurt him."

"I know that it is not the point, Raphael. But I do not understand why you chose to upset him to begin with."

"Because Mikey picks on me all the time – way more than anyone else. I didn't mean for you to suffer because of it," he admitted. "I figured you Elohim were untouchable. That's what made it so darn funny. You could do whatever you wanted, and he'd just have to take it since ya were off limits."

"He came out very hard against me, Raphael."

"I get it, and I'm sorry, okay? We're gonna make it right. Together?"

Ghyath nodded firmly. "Oh, absolutely together."

Raphael flashed a smile and kept moving. "This is gonna be totally different than what he did, since we've got the real element of surprise. Not gonna be like the free-for-all either, Ghyath. In this situation, we've got the upper hand of a sneak attack. Best kind too, because it's a matter of getting him before he can get _me_."

He slipped through the open door, and clicked on his flashlight once inside. "Okay. He'll be here soon. In the meantime, we only gotta cool our jets and wait."

Ghyath's shadowy outline switched his bag to the other shoulder. "You are quite certain we are not overdoing it?"

"No such thing where Mikey is concerned. Make yourself comfortable for a little while. Payoff is coming."

"Yes, I imagine it is."

"I'm gonna scout for the right spot. You ought to look around too."

Raphael headed straight for the ladder, with every intention of climbing to the loft. He had one hand on a rung when something bounced hard off his shell. The red-masked turtle jerked on reflex, spinning in time to receive three missiles to the plastron, and a fourth which shattered in his face. It took a moment to realize he was being pummeled with his own weapons.

"Ghyath-"

The word hardly escaped before his bag was wrenched away from him. Raphael tried to hold on, but the strap slipped through his fingers. The turtle furiously rubbed paint from his eyes, even as someone forcibly pulled him the opposite direction of the ladder. He could sense several figures crowding around, despite not being able to see them. A growl escaped while he fought to escape the hostile circle.

"Why don't you take it easy, Raph?" Leo's calm tone had the opposite effect on the red-masked turtle.

He forcefully tried to break through the ring a second time, only to have multiple hands land on his shell.

"Bro, can you take a seat like a civilized person, or do we need to sit on you?" the blue-masked turtle suggested.

"This ain't fair-"

"We can talk about 'fairness' in a minute, bro. First, you're going to get off your feet and listen to what we have to say."

Since the option was to sit of his own volition or be flattened by combined brothers, he allowed unseen figures to guide him into a chair. He was grateful for the towel thrust into his face, but still scowled up at the older turtle dangling _his_ bag.

"What do you have here, Raph?" Leo pulled out one of the palm-sized balloons and gazed at the object curiously. "You know...you might have gotten me over my weird thing about popping them." He unceremoniously broke the balloon on top of his head, splattering more paint down the sides of his face. "I sure hope that stuff is washable, or it sucks to be you."

Raphael glared at his brothers darkly. "This many against one ain't fair. What'd you do with Ghyath?"

"They did nothing," the elohim volunteered, wandering into the semicircle. "I found it more beneficial to cooperate."

"You sold me out, man? What'd I ever do to you?"

Leonardo cleared his throat. "A better question is, what did we do to _you?_ "

Raphael surveyed the others, pausing at the dangerous look on his purple-masked brother's face. "This ain't like you, Donny, getting all hasty on me. You're gonna ruin your reputation."

He detected swift movement, but barely saw the object coming before it collided to his face with the full fury of the genius' wrath. Raphael was instantly overcome by the younger turtle's favored blend of cream of wheat with molasses, and groaned at the amount of punishment which was on the way.

"We brought our own ammo, Raph, but we're happy you provided more," Don told him.

The red-masked turtle struggled to clear his vision with fingers already covered in paint. "Why do we gotta talk about it first? You're here to torture, so get on with it."

"We're here to teach and enforce," Leo corrected. "We have a proposition for you, Raph."

"A...a what?"

"You ticked off our entire team, as well as several unrelated allies today, Raph. Might be a record. And everyone wants a piece of you." Leonardo nodded toward the surrounding shadows in the room, and Raphael took notice of several figures doing nothing but waiting.

 _Oh shell. No getting out of it._

Still, he folded his arms defiantly in the face of his nerves. "You're all here. What are ya waiting for? Everybody's gonna go after the guy who's helpless to defend himself."

"Helpless." Mike snorted with word. "That's rich. You've picked on people all day, and intentionally sabotaged one of our most sacred events in your favor. How's that fair, Raph?"

"It was all for fun, Mikey!" he protested. "Nobody got hurt, and everyone was messed up in the end, including me. So why make a big deal, huh? Did I hurt your feelings that bad?"

"No, you cheated, and broke the rules. For that, you're gonna pay, big time," Michelangelo informed him. "But for once, you get to choose how."

"I get to choose? What are you sayin'?"

"We won't force you to go through with this, Raph," Leonardo answered. "We're all adults here. You can choose to accept retaliation and take your punishment in full tonight, or, you can walk away."

"You'd let me walk? Bull."

"Oh, you could," Don inserted. "But then, we'd have to come for you another time. And another, and another...Do you get the picture? We could drag this on for weeks. Months. And you'd never know when or how it's coming. Repeatedly."

"Yeah, it's like this," Mike took over. "We can finish up in one big session with everyone involved, or at multiple times of their own choosing. Do you wanna think about it?"

Raphael sagged in the chair with another growl. "No. Just get it over with."

Leonardo backed up a couple steps. "We figured you'd say that. Decided we would let our guests have first crack at you."

The red-masked turtle stared in disbelief at the three Elohim who filtered in between his brothers.

"It's special for Shukri, 'cause you get to be his first shot ever," Mike announced. "How lucky this that?"

Raphael didn't bother replying; he merely shut his eyes and considered covering his ears so he wouldn't hear anything else from his youngest brother. The following cold cascade over his head had him ducking forward, and then cringing when the orange-masked turtle offered his instructions.

"Slow down, Shukri. Drag it out. It's so much more satisfying when you let him savor it."

Raphael shook his head violently, flinging off the dripping mess.

His orange-masked brother caught him by the chin. "Are you cooperating, or are we finished here?"

Raphael wanted to rail, but he knew it would only make him laugh. Instead, he resigned himself to letting them have their way.

"Good, Raphie. Because when it's done, we're gonna pay a visit to the mud pit. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

The red-masked turtle crossed his arms, and prayed it would all somehow end faster.


	156. Same

Kamryn looked over her shoulder, just in time to catch the purple-masked female dashing into the clearing seconds behind her.

Charlotte grinned while coming alongside her. "All right, Kamryn. It's safe to say you're faster than me."

"Are you really trying?" the woman challenged.

Olivia arrived at the right moment to hear the accusation. "None of us like to lose, Kamryn. Charlie has been known to hold back on occasion, but it's usually pretty obvious to me when she does."

Kamryn glanced between the girls uncertainly. "I can only run that way for short bursts. I'm positive you'd beat me in a long race."

"You're a beast," Liv retorted. "Embrace it."

"I'm a...what?"

Charlotte looked alarmed by the red-masked turtle's choice of words. "She doesn't mean that you're an animal," she explained quickly. "Used in that sense, the term means something different."

"Isn't that what you sometimes call Jayden?"

"He _is_ a beast," Olivia acknowledged. "But in this case, I was only pointing out how awesome you are. The title can apply to someone who's extremely talented, and physically domineering."

"Domineering?"

Charlotte offered another smile. "Liv is complimenting you. That's all you need to know."

But the praise wasn't something Kamryn expected or wanted. "You and your kin are much more skilled than I."

"Don't sell yourself short," Liv urged. "It's a good thing, Kamryn. You still want to be officially trained, don't you?"

"I think about it constantly," Kamryn admitted. "But it's important to me for it to be done the right way. To rely on unnatural abilities for the small advantages they afford, it seems inappropriate."

The older turtle's brow creased. "Why is it inappropriate? Because you're better than us at something?"

"I was not born with it," she answered weakly. "I didn't have to work for any of these 'gifts'."

"Chica, you work for it every day," Olivia insisted. "Controlling the urges and instincts isn't automatic. You've had to fight to coexist with your powers for decades."

"It's not as hard as it was in the beginning," the woman mused. "When I was first transformed, I wanted to pretend nothing had changed. Like if I ignored the battle going on inside me, it would eventually go away."

The purple-masked turtle snorted. "Ignoring it never works. There was a time when I imagined that mind over matter could conquer my own issues. Didn't come close to being effective. I ended up trying to hide it from the others when I realized my energy couldn't be repressed, but it was pointless."

Charlotte gave her cousin a wistful look. "I don't like being 'better' than anyone else either."

Olivia's grin was relaxed in comparison. "Well, the rest of us peasants are catching up, since you were kind enough to share your DNA. But you're still gotta accept having more endurance than anyone else, Charlie."

The younger turtle broke eye contact to gaze at the surrounding trees. "It is what it is. I know I can't change this."

"You don't need to change it," Liv corrected. "There are extremely difficult aspects that come with this. But worrying about what _we_ think of you doesn't need to be one of them."

Kamryn found herself studying the purple-masked turtle a little too closely, and felt awkward when Charlotte turned toward her.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry," the woman stated quickly. "But I've never met someone that...I think we have a lot in common. There were others who Yasir experimented with, but most were failures that ended in death, and the rest, I was never exposed to directly."

"I was one of those experiments," Charlotte pointed out. "And we both pay a price for it, that we can't avoid."

Kamryn shook her head. "Why do you find yourself uncomfortable about the additional skills?"

"I hate that I can't ever turn it off. And like you, I recognize that it's unnatural, and it doesn't seem like a level playing field. The um...competitive nature of my family members mean they don't always appreciate the fact either."

Olivia folded her arms. "To translate, some of us are complete shellheads when it comes to losing. I can totally cop to it.""

"I never said that, Liv."

"I did, so you wouldn't have to. Everyone knows a couple people tend to have a chip on their shoulder, Charlie. But I've come to terms with the idea that we're all different, and have unique strengths. I mean, look at the guns I'm blessed with."

Charlotte laughed over the way the older turtle flexed, and Kamryn covered her mouth to contain a snort. "You work hard for your muscles, Liv," the purple-masked turtle verified. "You may as well enjoy them."

"I know, right? You're not intimidated by them. And I'm gonna try not to be irritated by your ability to outlast me, or the fact that Kamryn can leave all of us in the dust."

"You sure you won't get mad about it?" Charlotte wheedled.

"Charlie, how long have you known me?" Olivia scoffed. "I can't promise to never get annoyed, but I'll work at having a better attitude. That's the most I can offer."

The red-masked turtle took a deep breath and exhaled. "It's nice doing this with just the girls. We'll have to get out more often."

The flash of nerves which struck Charlotte's face baffled Kamryn, but the expression was gone as suddenly as it had appeared.

"It's quiet," the woman mentioned. "I feel more aware of our surroundings." She eyed Charlotte again, wanting to ask if she was all right.

The young turtle spoke up before she could. "What does it smell like, compared to where you came from?"

Kamryn considered the question and the atmosphere in which they resided. "Some things are similar, but others, like different animals and their sounds...they make me want to explore further from the house."

"Not gonna lose you to the wild, are we?" Olivia teased.

The woman was distracted by the longing gaze Charlotte sent over her shoulder from the direction they'd come, and it took a moment to respond. "I wouldn't run away from any of you."

"We could go on longer jaunts," Liv informed her. "Just have to plan for it. But if you're patient, it's not necessary to go miles from the house to see more animals."

As if on cue, the light trilling of what sounded very much like a bird announced itself quietly in the background.

"Like that?" Kamryn suggested.

"What?" Olivia looked left and right. "Did you hear something?"

"Yes. It was sort of like the birds we've heard on a couple morning runs. But this one was different."

"What did it sound like?" Charlotte began glancing around too.

"I don't have anything to compare it too. It was like a song, but it sounded more...sad."

"Where is it coming from?" Liv pressed.

Kamryn slowly began moving in the direction from which the sound reported, and crept silently off the path they'd been traversing. The woman held her breath, and caught herself losing touch with the turtles in the pursuit of the melancholy, haunting song.

Fingers lightly grasping her shoulder almost startled Kamryn out of her wits.

"I heard it that time," Olivia told her. "It's some kind of owl, isn't it, Charlie?"

"I think so, but it's the wrong time of day for them to be active."

"An owl is a bird," Kamryn recalled. She remembered hearing an animal they'd described that way on her second day in the mountains, yet this one didn't sound identical. "Why is it different from the other?"

"There are several species with unique vocalizations," Charlotte filled in. "Do you smell it?"

Kamryn concentrated on singling out the unfamiliar animal from everything else surrounding them, and crossed into the thicker trees.

"You see all the branches?" Charlotte asked quietly. "This area must have taken a beating during the storms on the night we got back."

"Shh," Olivia hissed. "Kamryn, is it here?"

"It's close." She ventured forward a couple more steps, hesitating when she received a stronger sense of the new animal. Despite not seeing the bird, she was certain of the whereabouts even before it vocalized again.

The woman crouched closer to the ground and picked through the sticks and leaves littering the bottom of a large tree trunk. Upon brushing something with an unexpectedly softer texture, Kamryn withdrew her hand rapidly and stumbled backwards.

The reminder of the two turtles behind her gave the woman a little more boldness, and she dropped onto her knees by the root system for a better look of the bird. She had no idea what to expect from only hearing the creature, but the sight of a fluffy, stout body with abnormally large gold-rimmed eyes wasn't it.

"Is that...is it an owl?"

"Yes," the younger turtle whispered. "It looks like a baby. That's an eastern screech owl, Kamryn. Their call is extremely distinctive."

"Do they live on the ground?"

Charlotte stared up into the tree. "No. But their nests aren't typically well constructed, so it's not uncommon for them to fall. Usually the parents will continue feeding them, though, and you're not supposed to move a baby unless it's in immediate danger. Many times they'll either learn to fly, or manage to crawl back up into the tree.

Kamryn bent over the small bird, taking note of the flies buzzing around it. She waved a hand over a pair which persistently landed on the animal. "Will those try to hurt it?"

"Uh..." Charlotte inched closer. "Their presence suggests the baby might have an open wound of some kind. In which case...we better not leave it here."

The woman leaned back on her heels. "But it's wild, right? Should we try to move it?"

Charlotte threw a glance to Olivia, who was lingering behind them. "It won't like being disturbed. But the bird is at risk both from an injury and possible predators. I think we should take it home."

Liv nodded. "It's lucky it hadn't been eaten yet. Make a tasty little snack for some critter."

The red-masked turtle's assessment horrified Kamryn. "We can't let something attack a helpless baby."

"We won't," Charlotte assured her. "Kamryn, do you mind if I borrow your sweatshirt?"

The woman looked down at the hooded blue jacket which was on loan from Rebecca, and stripped it off for her. "It wasn't mine to begin with. What are you going to do?"

"I just want the owl to feel a little more secure, even though I'm about to scare the crap out of it."

Kamryn backed away. "You're sure it's not dangerous?"

"It'll be all right." Charlotte hesitated another moment, then scooped up the small bird with a deft hand, rolling the sweatshirt around the creature.

The woman couldn't deny feeling nervous, but also intrigued. "Will your medical people know what to do for it?"

"Hisui may have the best ideas," Olivia volunteered. "We also have the internet, if nothing else."

"There are wild life refuges in the area too," Charlotte added. "So we have several options for care, and leaving the little guy here doesn't make any sense."

"Can I see it, Charlie?" Liv requested.

The younger turtle tugged the side of the jacket, allowing a small head to pop out. Kamryn was mesmerized by eyes that seemed entirely too big for its head, but were stunningly beautiful just the same.

"We'll get help." Charlotte's confidence made Kamryn feel better about it. "With any luck, it will be able to return to the wild."

The expressive eyes made the bird look like it would talk, even though the woman understood the creature wasn't rational. _The girls seem to know what they're doing. They wouldn't bring the little one to intentional harm. I only hope someone can help it. A creature this magnificent deserves another chance at life._

* * *

Kamryn felt a little drowsy while lounging on a beat-up couch in the barn. The lovely trilling of the baby owl provided a relaxing backdrop to an already quiet space. The bird was residing in a makeshift nest which had been constructed for that purpose, resting after her eventful day.

Movement out of the corner of the woman's eye caused her to lift her head, and she watched Shunshi change positions on the other end of the couch.

"With all the years my sister has been nursing hurt animals, I have not encountered one like this," the young man said. "It is a rare thing to be so close to a wild bird."

Kamryn nodded. "I'm glad we found her before something bad happened. But she won't stay here, will she?"

"That is not the goal. Hisui says she can probably be returned to the forest. But if she cannot go back to the wild for some reason, there are sanctuaries to which we could take her."

"I understand you shouldn't keep an animal like this one as a pet."

"I believe it is against the law. But she will still have a good life, given the proper opportunity to heal."

"If we hadn't found her, would she have died?"

Shunshi shrugged. "No one can say for sure, but her chances would not have been good."

"You and your sister make a habit of this. Don says you've been saving animals and those you _thought_ were wild your whole lives."

He caught her reference to discovering the purple-masked turtle and laughed. "Hisui does the saving."

"But you're the one who found Donatello."

"I did not know what to do with him. It is a common theme in my life."

Kamryn cocked her head at the statement. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"My intentions are no more refined than my actions. Surely you have seen evidence of this."

"You mean when you showed up in Venezuela? I remember your family wasn't happy."

He leaned against the back of the couch and switched to staring at the barn's ceiling. "I have not often forced myself to take action when I do not know what to do. I usually find such ignorance paralyzing. Not only as a child, but far too many times since. I will never forget our _first_ brush with Lendano. Did anyone tell you the story?"

"Yes. You were there on the island too."

"I was the only one the turtles allowed to accompany them onto Ravensrock. I felt honored, as though it was visual proof of my growth. Then we were separated, and I was paralyzed again."

"No one described you that way. Nate said the opposite, actually. I was told you worked together to fight your way out."

"Kamryn-san, I was mostly useless. I was the oldest in our small group. Everyone looked to me first, including Nathaniel. But I could tell him nothing. Instead I forced a fourteen-year-old to guide our steps. I came in to Ravensrock under the assumption that I had advanced, and walked out with the knowledge that I still have a long way to go."

She was silent a few moments, and allowed the sound of the owl to fill up some of the emptiness. Shunshi continued before Kamryn could think of anything to add.

"I very well could have been eight years old again, knowing that extremely wicked things were taking place, but having no power to act."

"So this feeling goes back a long way," she observed. "It's an anchor within your spirit which you recognize as truth, whether it is correct or not."

Dark eyes studied her apprehensively. "Truth is something I cannot escape from, Kamryn-san."

She shifted to face him squarely. "What happened, Shunshi?"

He held her gaze, but didn't answer immediately. "You spent much of your life as a slave."

"Yes, I did."

"I imagine you were often mistreated by those Overlords. And the women would suffer differently?"

The discomfort he suffered in asking the question caused her to understand what he meant without making him be more specific. But once again, she didn't find a suitable reply before he went on.

"My father left when I was a baby, and my mother filled her life with many men to take his place. A lot of them were not good people. They shared my mother's love for alcohol and various substances. However, that was not the only activity which occupied them. Both Hisui and I were mistreated by several individuals, but my sister..."

This time he didn't continue, and she spoke up faster. "Shunshi, you don't have to tell me, okay?"

"No," he said, forceful. "I want you to understand where my truth comes from. Hisui was more opposed to my abuse than her own. When telling my mother did not help, she went out of her way to protect me. Though her personal intervention cut down on the number of times I was taken advantage of, the men did not stop. They simply switched to focus on her."

Kamryn swallowed deeply. She didn't want to ask questions. There were experiences from her own past which could have been shared, but it wasn't the right time to speak of it.

"I did not know why my abuse slowed down to begin with, not for weeks. Not until I accidentally walked in on the first monster with my sister."

She winced. "It must have made you angry."

"Furious, yes, but also helpless. Since I did not know what else to do, I told my teacher. There was an investigation ordered, but my mother simply took us somewhere else, and the boyfriend was incensed. Instead of making things better, it became worse for Hisui. That was when I decided to learn karate, though I did not have the opportunity for many months. I thought that if I was stronger, I would not be paralyzed. But it is apparently something I have never outgrown."

"You didn't freeze when you snuck into another country to go after your friends."

He shook his head. "Not one family member approved of that trip. I _know_ it was stupid. But I would rather take those risks a hundred more times, than stand the chance of losing them entirely."

"I don't know," Kamryn ventured. "I think inciting a group of universe-dominating Vagari to take me prisoner on a journey across galaxies on the small whim that I _might_ be able to help the turtles was a lot dumber. My 'family' tried to talk me out of it too."

"Yet they had enough confidence to fit you with a tracking device."

"Which I doubt they expected to use, Shunshi. Regardless, you don't have to feel stupid around me. I understand the desperation that causes someone to do ridiculous things."

"It is unlikely that we would have supported each other's errands either, had we known about them at the time, Kamryn-san."

"At least if I'd known, I would never would have attacked you."

He smiled for the first time in several minutes. "From what the others say of you, it could have been much worse."

"You realize that I'm not...The animal is kind of overwhelming, Shunshi, but it's not who I am."

The young man nodded earnestly. "It is your challenge to bear. I admire your ability to control it."

"I don't always control it well."

"But you have learned, and will continue to do so." He sat up, as though suddenly catching his own casual posture on the couch. "Forgive me for speaking this much."

"I've told you not to apologize for it."

"Yes, but it is extremely unusual for me to tell someone these things."

"It doesn't bother me, Shunshi, and you don't need to feel awkward for it. I think we have more in common than you'd believe at first glance. It's nice to know I'm not the only insane one in this place."

"Everyone is insane. That is the price of admission."

Kamryn laughed, though she didn't quite understand what he meant. _I don't have to get every detail, as long as I grasp the important ones. I have a lot to learn about everyone personally and their way of life. But I am honestly looking forward to all of it._


	157. Future

The clicking of toenails was Bahri's first indication that he was about to be joined by one of the dogs, and the elohim automatically drew his feet off the floor. He looked over his shoulder nervously at the memory of several of the canines being extremely agile.

True to his concern, a black and white blur darted over the back of the couch in a single bound, and had Bahri snatching a pillow to shield himself from the animal.

"Noah, no," Ghyath was the one to speak up firmly. "Off."

The dog lunged from the couch, and went as if to jump on the golden-eyed elohim.

"Sit!" his friend commanded.

The border collie obeyed, though his bottom half continued to wriggle excitedly on the floorboards. His "static" position held for all of five seconds, before he made another attempt on the couch. Bahri was ready with his cushion, but Ghyath stepped in front of the canine.

"Noah, off," he repeated, and scooped up the remnants of a half-eaten chew bone. Ghyath threw the treat in the opposite direction, and smiled when the border collie bolted after it.

Bahri was prepared for the persistent dog to return, but Noah simply picked out a position on the floor to enjoy the remnants of the bone.

"He is not going to hurt you, Bahri," Ghyath reminded him.

The blue-eyed elohim sent one more anxious glance to the animal. "I understand that, in theory. It will take longer in practice than I probably have to be convinced."

His friend lowered to the right side of the couch. "They are excitable, yet fairly receptive to commands, brother. You need to assert yourself."

"I would rather allow someone else to stand between me and them."

"It is all right. I will not let any of them eat you." The rare teasing quality behind Ghyath's tone made Bahri cross his arms.

"Do you plan to make fun of me regularly, Ghyath?"

"That will depend if you mean to attack me again."

His reference to the orange-masked terrapin's lesson made it difficult to repress a smile. "You were not harmed. None of us were. The experience was somewhat overwhelming, but I did not hate it. Did you?"

"I did not enjoy being given no say in whether or not to participate."

"Michelangelo was given no say in _your_ matches either," he retorted.

"That is true," Ghyath conceded. "Still, I think such games should be limited to _their_ world."

The blue-eyed elohim nodded. "No one else would take to those activities as they do."

The front door swung inward suddenly to admit one of the terrapins' allies, grasping an object Bahri recognized as a camera.

"Ms. April," Ghyath spoke up first, though both Elohim bowed their heads respectfully in greeting.

The title brought a surprising snort from the human. Since she also smiled the action didn't worry Bahri, although he was perplexed.

"How are you guys holding up?" she offered.

"We are well," Ghyath told her. "I cannot understand the silence which currently surrounds us, but intend to bask in the peace for as long as possible."

"By all means, bask away." The woman dropped into an oversized chair which seemed too large for her, and set her camera on the side table. "The turtles took their katas outside. They're back behind the barn, and I believe they're setting up to do a movie there afterward. Need to wait for it to get good and dark to watch it on the outdoor screen. That would explain your temporary reprieve here. I hope we haven't been torturing you too badly."

"No, it has not been torture," the golden-eyed elohim filled in quickly. "It is simply more stimulation than we are accustomed to. We have enjoyed every part of our visit, but this is nice as well."

April nodded. "A lot of us will take the quiet when we can get it. And if you can't find it one place, there's the option of escaping somewhere else for a bit." She patted her camera with the words.

"Were you taking photographs tonight?" Bahri asked.

"The sky is beautiful this evening. With the leaves starting to change, it's an amazing backdrop," she explained.

"Is this something you do for enjoyment, or is it related to your work?" Ghyath continued.

"I don't really 'work' anymore. I retired from being in _front_ of the camera a few years ago. Living in the public eye isn't what it's cracked up to be, especially when the most important aspect of your life has to remain hidden."

"Yes, I see how it would be difficult," Ghyath agreed.

"Taking photos never played a role in the job, either way. At least, not my own. Most people don't even know that while I majored in journalism, I also minored in photography."

"I have heard it said that something you love will never actually let go of you," Bahri offered. "Even if a favored pastime is lost briefly, you find yourself coming back to it."

"I think that's true on many levels," she said.

"What sort of subjects do you gravitate to, Ms. April?" Ghyath wondered. "Is it mostly landscape? I imagine you have much inspiration in a place like this."

Again the woman laughed, covering her mouth to stifle the sound.

The golden-eyed elohim exchanged a look with Bahri. "Forgive me, have I said something wrong?"

She shook her head at once. "No, I apologize. It's just...I've only let one friend in my life get away with addressing me so formally. It took Master Splinter over a year to call me anything but 'Miss O'Neil'. I'm not sure if it would take as long for the rest of you, but it isn't offensive. Only amusing."

"You have been in the terrapins' lives for quite a long time," Bahri recalled.

"Yes, Leonardo said you were their oldest friend," Ghyath added, much to the blue-eyed elohim's chagrin.

"He does not mean you are old," Bahri corrected immediately. "Only that you have been their friend the longest."

Ghyath turned to stare at Bahri imploringly. "What did I say now?"

"Within their culture, it is impolite to refer to a woman as 'old', Ghyath, or to request their age."

"Bahri, we are far older than she. I was not commenting on her age at all."

"And again, I'm not offended," the woman inserted with another laugh. "To answer the original question – yes, I've been around longer than anyone else. I've known the turtles since _they_ were kids."

"Shukri mentioned that you were a tremendous help to them," Bahri noted shyly. "He said Michelangelo emphasized the way you changed their lives."

The woman heaved a deep breath. "I treated them the way they deserved to be. But they're the ones who saved me, honestly."

"How did you come to enter their world?" Ghyath asked. "When they were younger, they must have been more cautious of humans. Especially when they did not know any."

"For starters, it was because I needed their help. But _entering_ their world was due to a miscommunication."

"A miscommunication?" Bahri echoed. "Shukri said Michelangelo attributed your entrance to Raphael's actions."

"Technically speaking, you can blame him. Raph has gotten enough grief for it over the years. But with a simple clarification of speech, our friendship probably wouldn't exist today. It's the best misunderstanding I've ever been involved in."

Bahri smiled hopefully, wanting her to continue. "There is more to every story, is there not?"

"Where it concerns the turtles? Always. I'm lucky I've gotten to be around for so much of it."

"To hear them tell it, they consider themselves highly blessed too," Ghyath told her.

April leaned forward in her chair, resting hands on both knees. "Look, you've known them long enough. Who are the ones that really benefit in the situation? This family is everything to us, but the turtles are the heart of it. It wouldn't have existed to begin with, if not for those boys. No matter how many years pass, my gratitude for a simple mistake never changes."

"What was the mistake?" Bahri had to ask. "How did a carelessly spoken word end with you becoming a member of their family?"

A strange smile graced the woman's face. "I think I'll save the story for later, if you're still interested. I told Karina I would assist her with some prep, and I've been gabbing away out here instead."

"We enjoy listening," Ghyath assured her. "But if you have other things to do, we will not keep you."

"I'll have that rather lengthy story on deck to tell you later, okay? Maybe we can catch up after the movie."

Bahri nodded eagerly. "We very much want to hear it, April. But why are they choosing to watch a film outside, when they have the televisions they need here?"

"Bigger is better. You ought to see the size of the screen they can erect out there. There's also something different about watching a movie outside, particularly with the right genre."

"Are you aware of what they chose? I understand it was a point of contention earlier," Bahri said with a wince.

"A lot of their contention isn't real fighting," April reassured him. "You have to read between the lines. They do get mad at each other occasionally, but not that often. They managed to get a two-thirds majority to agree on Close Encounters of the Third Kind."*

Ghyath chuckled. "How many kinds are there?"

"Too many," the woman quipped. "You're coming out, aren't you? You need to experience as much as possible. When will you have another chance?"

Bahri exchanged another quick look with Ghyath. "That is not something for which we can plan. No more than we intended to be here now."

"I'm glad you agreed to stay, and for the opportunity to get to know you," she said warmly.

"You will tell us of your own history with them?" Ghyath requested again.

"I'll get around to it. Right now, I should see what Karina wanted from me. You guys might want to go outside. Sun will be going down soon, and the next phase of entertainment will begin."

* * *

The older movie piqued Ghyath's interest, especially since those surrounding them appeared to be taking it seriously. He didn't expect their lively friends to settle down so much, but those remaining outdoors seemed more intent on watching their film than engaging in the typical banter.

The only thing distracting the elohim was how nearby Leonardo and his son were seated. Ghyath snuck a glance of the youth, trying not to accidentally give himself away. It was a pleasure to witness Tim in his home environment and appearing more comfortable than he had since meeting him.

Yet no matter how many times he witnessed Tim smile and demonstrate joy for family members, the elohim could not shake the feeling that the young terrapin was restraining himself. As much as Ghyath wanted to follow the movie, his found his thoughts consistently drifting away from the film.

He was so distracted, he didn't realize the movie was ending until the others began to stir from their extended silence. The elohim was disappointed to have not grasped the entirety of the story, but rose to stretch his feet along with the rest of the group.

Leonardo nudged his side. "What did you think? Is it weird to watch a movie about what Earthlings imagine aliens to be like?"

"I would not call it strange," Ghyath answered, grasping for a scene he recalled well enough to make it sound like he'd taken everything in. "There are far too many races scattered throughout Creation to count, Leonardo. There is bound to be one similar to that which the writers hypothesized."

"Do you think any friendly ones travel around that way?" Tim wondered. "Just go searching for people to connect with, and not because they need or want anything from them?"

Ghyath shook his head. "I cannot say, Tim. Visiting another world includes a high degree of risk, especially if they chose to reveal themselves on a large scale like the ones from the story. It is impossible to know what reception you will receive. There is a reason the majority of alien races opt to remain private, or only deal with those living nearby them."

The golden-eyed elohim noticed other members of the family huddling up in a circle, where another passionate discussion was taking shape. "What are they doing?"

"Voting on a second movie," Leonardo answered. "Are you interested in another one, or would you rather go in? It _is_ starting to get a little late."

Ghyath smiled knowingly. "It is surely not too late for one of you."

"Not technically, but it isn't what I feel like doing," the older terrapin admitted.

The elohim switched his gaze to Tim. "What would you like to do, young one?"

"Been sitting long enough. I'd kinda like to head back."

"I feel the same," Ghyath confirmed.

He fell into a pace behind the two terrapins, which had them cutting across the property much slower than usual.

"Are you glad you stayed?" Leonardo asked over his shoulder. "Or are you more glad to be going back?"

"I was never opposed to spending time with your family, terrapin. I merely fear the difficulty we will have in separating from you. The longer we are here, the harder I sense it is going to be."

"Do you wish you hadn't?" Tim spoke up blunty.

"No. I am glad your father and Donatello pushed us so hard. I would not take back these last few days. I find myself wanting it to last longer, but..." Ghyath trailed off with a soft sigh. "We must return to where we belong."

"If we tried to keep you, I bet the Nalikjan would chase us down." The lightness of the youth's tone struck Ghyath as odd, but he assumed there was a purpose behind it.

"I do wish that your world was ready for something like a friendship between our races," the elohim returned. "Watching that movie, the one scene which stands out beyond the rest for me was the part from the kitchen. When the young child was depicted as seeing the aliens for the first time, though viewers could not. He was visibly frightened to begin with, but his reaction transformed to joy. If only grown adults could be as open-minded and alert to that which does not pose them a threat. The need for our secrecy would not be so great."

"They're not ready." Leonardo sounded resigned. "The world can't handle the truth about mutant ninjas yet. The idea of throwing aliens into the mix is almost laughable."

Ghyath hesitated in his step, unwilling to reach the house and end their conversation so soon. "Do you think they will ever be 'ready' for your kind, Leonardo?"

The older terrapin glanced rapidly at his son before awkwardly shaking his head. "It's not possible to know, Ghyath. Letting one person into our inner circle is an insane risk, let alone billions of them. I don't want to say 'never', but I can't picture it."

"We don't have to be seen," Tim volunteered. "Even invisible, we're still a part of everything that happens. And Earth is a part of us. It's not the same as getting actual credit or making friends with everyone, but there's still a point for being here. The world gets to keep going. They'll continue to live, grow, learn...and we have something to do with that. Every single person had a part to play. Just because outsiders don't know it, doesn't make the actions worthless."

Ghyath remained silent, hoping the youth would continue.

"Sometimes when I can't sleep, I like to imagine the lives other people are living," Tim said. "I try to picture some of the same faces I saw snuffed out by the Vagari, and make up their new realities. All the things they're gonna do, because they weren't murdered by some crew of self-righteous space wanderers. I never make it very far into someone's alternate life before I fall asleep again."

"Do you ever picture the life you can have, Tim?" Ghyath asked carefully.

"It's easier to focus on the purpose of other people than my own," he replied. "I love to daydream about family members too. What Mike and Becky's kid will be like. The thought of Nate taking the next step with Reina. And the experience of getting to see a couple more kids grow up. I'm happy for their progress, regardless of whether I have any."

"Tim, we've talked about this." Leonardo sounded patient, but there was barely veiled anxiety in his frame. "The emotions and feelings don't equate to reality. Whether you feel hope for your own future or not, it's there."

"I accept that it's a possibility, but it's still much simpler to fix on everyone else's happiness. I can't force myself to embrace that joy for my future yet. Is it wrong to be glad things are going well for others?"

"It's wrong to believe you aren't meant for the same fulfillment you envision for everyone else," Leonardo clarified.

"But I don't need the same things," Tim countered. "Honestly, coming from where we were, it's just different for me. It's enough to see other people satisfied and whole. Even if I'm not."

"Tim, you cannot give up this way," Ghyath interjected. "It is _not_ enough to say you are merely satisfied with others being full. You are entitled to know the same joy. The one God does not intend for your life to be an exercise in perpetual martyrdom. You must believe there are great things in store for you too."

"I can't see them yet," he mumbled.

"That changes nothing." Ghyath tapped the kusarigama on Tim's back. "Why did you ask for your blade to be recast from Arsiterite?"

Tim offered a small grin. "Because it's the best material there is?"

"Arsiterite is nothing but a mineral which possesses unusual strength, Tim. It was created to endure, it seems.

"But it does not compare to the powerful spirit which consumes your entire family. I know you cannot see it right now. I understand that the resolution you hoped for has not yet appeared. But it does not change the value of everything you already are. Please do not limit yourself, young one, or assume how far you are capable of going based on how you currently feel. There _is_ more ahead for you than is possible to conceive."

* * *

 ***Close Encounters of the Third Kind was written and directed by Steven Spielberg.**


	158. Beast

Jayden rested both hands behind his head to gaze up at the brilliant blue expanse, feeling no fear of the shadow hovering over him.

"Jay, come on," Nate hissed under his breath. "Quit being so dramatic."

"I'm not being dramatic," he retorted innocently. "I'm enjoying the view. A turtle's not allowed to admire the natural beauty of our world?"

"Get _up_ ," the orange-masked turtle ordered stronger.

Jayden identified that his leader was finally irritated enough for him not to ignore. Without replying, he performed a flawless kip up, landing effortlessly on his feet.

"Are you gonna take this seriously?" Nate demanded.

The purple-masked teen shrugged. "Will that make it stop faster?"

The slight narrowing of blue-green eyes was his only warning before Nathaniel's foot hooked around his ankle, and brought Jayden down on one knee.

The larger turtle snorted without shame over successfully goading such a response from him. "What do you want from me, Nate? Up or down? You can't have it both ways."

"Would you stop messing around? We're supposed to be working."

Jayden made a point of plopping down in the grass. "Dude, nobody's making us do this. We work out all the time. What's wrong with taking it a little easier?"

"We've _been_ taking it easier," Nate answered. "But our dads have returned to strict forms, and they expect us to do the same. Would you rather go train with Jonin?"

"Nah. It's more fun to tick you off. I get that we can't quit training, Nate, but I'm not feeling it today. I think we earned a longer break. I mean, do you remember what we just went through?"

"You're acting like _you_ don't," the eighteen-year-old said tersely. "To think that the same guy who single-handedly destroyed three of their monster droids-"

"Four," Jayden corrected nonchalantly. "You were too busy to catch the last one."

"The same person who did that is letting me toss him around like a flipping rag doll. Do you have any dignity left?"

"Dignity has nothing to do with it," Jayden argued. "You want me to try as hard now as I did then, Chokkan? Not sure you or anyone else wants to see that."

"Jayden, please?" Nate motioned severely for him to rise.

"How hard do you want me to hit?" Jay repeated.

His Chokkan's even expression was no indication of the kick which was about to collide with his plastron. Jayden tumbled backwards, landing less gracefully than the times before, but still not angry enough to respond.

"Is this gonna wear you out eventually, Nate? I'm getting tired just looking at you."

The manner in which the orange-masked turtle ground his teeth demonstrated that Jayden was pushing his buttons, but he really didn't care. _I'm totally not feeling this right now. I can't understand why he's not getting the hint._

"This looks productive," Olivia announced from behind him. "You're gonna let Nate push you around, Kaiju? What's the point of that?"

"The point is, I don't want to," he answered apathetically. "And I've got nothing to prove to anyone. My muscles speak louder than words."

The red-masked turtle pretended to gag. "No self-respecting ninja is gonna roll over and let someone put them on their back. What's the matter with you?"

" _Nothing._ " He huffed, the first hint of aggravation hitting him. "I don't wanna spar. It was still a free country, the last time I checked."

"Do you realize you're drawing this out longer than it would last otherwise?" Nate challenged. "You're also doing nothing to help me. I need the work out as much as you do."

Olivia rolled her eyes and rested a hand on the pommel of her katana. "Let him be, Nate. I'll give you all the satisfaction you crave."

The orange-masked turtle sent Jayden another glare, but then nodded at Liv. "I'm coming back around for you in half an hour, Jay. If you feel like spending a lot more time on the ground, by all means, continue not to try."

"'Kay, I'll chill here until you're done playing." Jayden could tell the parting shot was testing his Chokkan's ability not to lunge at him.

When they continued walking, the purple-masked teen smirked at his retreating older counterparts. A sharp slap across the back of the head succeeded in startling Jayden; mostly because he hadn't detected Charlotte behind him.

"What the shell is wrong with you, twin? You're gonna regret ticking him off, Jay. Nate will make you pay for it."

"He doesn't scare me, Charlie. What's the worst he or Liv can do? I don't always have to jump just because they say so."

"Nate has the patience of a saint," his sister allowed. "That doesn't mean he won't inflict punishment."

"He'll sic Jonin on me. Big deal."

"Are you crazy, Jay? How is it not a big deal? Are you too much of a beast to be intimidated by anyone now?"

"I'm not that full of myself, Charlotte."

"You could have fooled me." She nodded toward the impressive clash of Arsiterite blades locking in combat. "You wanna mess with _that_ , Jayden, and still pretend there's no arrogance getting the better of you?"

"They're not going to seriously hurt me either way. Why do I have to go along with them only to make someone else happy? I'm not into it today."

Her growl wasn't an encouraging sound. "Because it's your responsibility."

"What do you care? Weren't you working with Tim? How'd you have time to notice what _I_ was doing?"

Charlotte looked back with alarm, but didn't see the blue-masked turtle. She then glanced right and left with a paranoia that suggested something could be wrong, until sharp barking drew both of them toward the back door.

Tim emerged from the house cluelessly, while simultaneously nudging the blue-heeler mix back indoors. "Sorry. Harley was trying to join the training circuit. Don't know how he got out to start with."

"You're fine, Tim," Charlotte said quickly. "Jayden and I were only...talking."

The younger turtle gazed at her for a silent beat, than gave Jayden a longer look. Jayden was tempted to issue a physical challenge to prevent him from delving too deeply, but he'd avoided sparring with Tim or his sister since they'd been reunited.

Now Tim was no longer looking at Jayden, but focused on his phone. "Guys, my mom is trying to connect with me. I'm gonna meet her for a little bit, okay? I'll catch up with everyone later."

"Tim, why are you going?" The purple-masked female pursued him.

"I'm not leaving. I'll see what my mom's up to, and be back in a few minutes. Hopefully before Nate has a chance to notice that I'm gone."

Charlotte frowned while he returned to the house, but didn't address him again. Once he was out of earshot, she whirled to face Jayden. "What's your deal? Do you honestly have a problem with the two of us working together? Because I don't think that's fair."

"I don't have a problem with you," he stated, sullen.

"You've got an issue with something. Why would you say you didn't expect me to notice?"

"Because I didn't," he replied, knowing full well how maddening the comment sounded.

She shot another glance at Nate's and Olivia's duel, but then her face strangely softened. "If it bothers you, I'd prefer to hear it."

"Why would it bother me? I'm surrounded by family and other cousins." Jayden switched to gaze at the swordplay, and whistled to divert the conversation. "I'm happy to let 'em kill each other."

"Jay, quit it. Don't try to change the subject. I want you to be tell me what your problem is."

"I don't really have one – I just wanna be left alone. I'm feeling lazy at the moment, and you were already busy. It's not like we've ever kept tabs on each other 24/7."

"Maybe not, but it's not typical to be apart for very long. Until recently."

Jayden turned his head to make _sure_ Tim was gone. "It's fine," he insisted. "I know how things are."

She shook her head while catching his bicep. "I'd rather you say what you actually mean, twin."

"I'm _okay_. Leave it alone."

"If you were really okay, I wouldn't have to. And Tim wouldn't be forced to get rid of himself."

"I didn't say a word. Not my fault you made it awkward."

"It's your fault for being a pain, and not saying what you really mean!"

"That's because I don't mean anything."

"Since when do you let someone take you down that many times? Giving up isn't your style."

"I don't mind giving up to Nate. He's not always trying to be better than me."

"That doesn't make any sense. Do you think someone else is?"

"No," he said crossly. "But Olivia's so smug and got such a big mouth, I'd never hear the end of it. Whereas Nate doesn't want to push, and feels bad when he does. Probably thinking about apologizing to me right now."

"He didn't do anything wrong," she asserted.

"Never said he did. He'll still feel bad though, because that's who he is. He doesn't like controlling all the group exercises."

"Then why make it harder on him?"

"Shell, Charlie, don't you get it? I don't feel like fighting with anyone, and that includes you. I knew if I pissed Nate off, he'd walk away eventually."

"Why don't you want to train?"

"Because I don't, all right?" He wanted to flee to the house, but he knew it wouldn't end the argument. _Probably only give more people the chance to chime in._

Running from his twin was a pointless activity since she could easily outlast him, but the urge was so strong that he dashed toward the woods anyway. Jayden ignored the fact that she was almost on top of his shell for a few minutes, having picked out one of the lesser worn paths.

He was already dreading the lecture he would sit through for leaving in the middle of training. _But Tim left too, so there will be enough discipline to go around. If they bother to correct him, which seems unlikely. He only left because of me anyway. I never had to say anything. I'm sure he felt our tension from a mile away._

Jayden couldn't hear his twin, yet knew she was still trotting behind him. _Which is better than running beside me, but not by much._ He finally lagged in his stride since there was no escaping her, and saving the energy made more sense.

When he sent another glance backward, his distraction resulted in nearly running into a thick tree branch. The over-correction to dive underneath caused him to trip and nearly fall on his face.

"Having a hard time staying off the ground today." There was no humor in his sister's voice.

"Yeah, what's new?" he shot back. "I've always been a giant klutz."

"I don't think that's the right word for it. Jayden?" Her tug on his belt brought him up short with an annoyed huff.

"You're not going anywhere," she said matter-of-factly. "If you wanted to escape, you can't do it right in front of me. So what's really going on with you? Why don't you want to fight? I mean, I understand a little. Tim's been extra sensitive lately, and I know you're nervous with me too. But what's your malfunction with Nate? You've worked with him for years."

"What's your issue with Olivia?" he countered.

"I don't have an issue with her."

"You _have_ had one. You went through your own stint where you didn't want to partner with her at all."

"Jay, you know exactly what I was struggling with. I couldn't handle the way my energy used to tick her off. I took it personally like she was angry with me, but Liv wasn't. She's just competitive and hates losing in general."

"You don't remember her hamstring?"

The way she stiffened made Jayden regret the challenge.

"I took responsibility for Liv's injury, even though I didn't inflict it on her," Charlotte returned, tone lowering. "She was only trying to keep up with me. Why throw it back at me now? Just to be mean? If that's how it is, you can keep running and I'll go home."

"I'm not mean." He was finally indignant. "You're the one who insisted on knowing why I don't want to fight."

"Olivia's leg has something to do with that?"

" _Hurting_ someone has everything to do with it."

"Jay, what are you saying?" She stopped, giving him the choice to keep going or leave her behind.

His jaw clenched when he halted, standing still though he wanted to continue.

"You've never hurt anyone," she went on. "Why is this an issue today?"

"You don't get it," he murmured, turning away.

"When? When have you seriously harmed one of your training opponents? I've known you my whole life, Jay, and never seen it happen. Accidents occur in spars, but you've barely ever drawn blood."

"You don't watch me and Raph. None of you ever do."

"What, are you beating up on him behind our backs?" She sounded so much like her normal self, Jayden nearly went with the joke.

He had a self-assured reply ready, but looked at the ground instead. "Nah. He kicks my shell 90% of the time. But occasionally, it's a lot more intense."

"Intense how?"

He shrugged, hesitating to say the truth, despite how close he'd come.

"Why is it intense?"

"Because Raph makes me go harder occasionally, and I've hurt 'im. First time was only a black eye, which I wrote off. He was supposed to block something, and didn't move fast enough. He _told_ me to do it."

"Okay..."

"That was like three years ago, but then a few months after, I was the one who broke two of his fingers. Only escaping from a choke-hold. Then I dislocated his shoulder performing my own pin a couple weeks later."

"That's not terribly unusual. Things are bound to happen when strong guys go at it. Ojisan is the one pushing you, right? And you've never hurt him on purpose."

"But that's the point," he told her. "They were only accidents. You know what wasn't? Unloading on the droids in Arcadia, and letting go in a brand new way."

"They were enemies, and we were fighting for our lives."

"Yeah, they were enemies. But Ojisan isn't."

"There's a big difference between your beast mode back there, and honest accidents in the course of a spar. From day one, you've controlled it so well-"

"Until I don't," he interrupted. "Never meant to hurt Raph. Fighting that way in Arcadia makes me feel a little...unhinged. It's hard enough to consider sparring Ojisan with it on my mind, much less one of you."

"You're that nervous about hurting somebody? Jay, how long have you felt this way? Did it only start because of the battle?"

"It's like some switch got flipped, Charlie. Just because I don't wanna hurt someone on purpose, doesn't mean it won't happen. Spars can end badly, even when you aren't dealing with my...enhancement."

"You wouldn't do it, Jay."

"I'm not sure, Charlotte. That's what scares me. Once you go that far, there's gonna be the question of what's next?

"You're still the same person," she emphasized.

"I'm kinda not," he said honestly. "But that isn't your problem."

"I've been distracted lately. Like, really out of it, I know. I'm sorry, Jayden. I wasn't trying to ignore you."

"You're not ignoring me."

"But you're hurt – I can tell."

"It isn't...I'm not hurt, Charlie. I want things to go back to the way they were, and they won't. Maybe someday it will be fun again, but in the meantime...Don't feel like you have to follow me, okay? You and Tim deal with enough."

"Am I not supposed to care about you?"

"You're free to care, Charlotte, but don't worry. I'll be okay. Probably get over the weird nerves with a little more time, or Olivia will beat me to a pulp," he added jokingly.

"You wouldn't actually let her, right?"

He snorted. "Couldn't allow her run over me, no."

"But you'd let the rest of us?"

"I don't want to deal with it today, Charlie."

"You need to talk to Jonin and Nate. They know a lot more than me."

"You're one of the smartest people there are."

"I can't help you when it comes to this."

"You don't need to help. Seriously – you've got enough on your plate. Don't add me to your short list. I'll get over it in a few more days, and go back being sort of normal. _Our_ normal, that is."

"Our normal for Lotus Salvus," she added. "I don't know how to feel about staying longer."

"Not much to go back to," he admitted dejectedly. "Yousai was totally compromised, so it's still out of the question."

"Do you miss New York?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I miss our home. North Carolina is great for a lot of reasons. It's the kind of place where we can get lost and forget reality. Which sounds awesome, until you think about everything going on in the city, and our own people whose lives are still in upheaval. Is anyone gonna be able to go back to their old jobs? Will they be stuck in the witness protection program forever?"

Charlotte broke eye contact. "I think...we've got no choice, except to build a new life where we started in Montreal. I know we're too close to winter to pull off the plans Dad drew up for the sewers though. I'm sure we won't be able to go back until the Spring."

"And live inside the dream until then." The statement felt bitter as it left his mouth.

"I don't like the isolation either," his sister said quietly. "But I think we need it."

"How much are we missing, Charlie? How many people are dying, or being hurt in the background while we're hiding?"

"I don't want to think about that. Rather be happy the planet is around at all."

"It's a plus, but it doesn't make waiting to live any easier."

"That's why the rest of us are around." Her shove was no closer to moving him than the light breeze rustling tree leaves.

"You can do a little better than that, can't you, Charlie?"

"Not sure I should. You might go postal on me."

He gave her a look when she laughed.

"Sounds ridiculous when I say it, huh? Because you would never lose it that way on one of us, Jay. There's more than one kind of beast, and you'll never be the evil variety."


	159. Offer

Donatello shut down his computer with some reluctance, and turned to meet the elohim gazing at him.

"We do not have to stop," Shukri protested. "There is so much more to say."

"If we keep going at this rate, it'll turn into an all-nighter, Shukri."

"That is true, terrapin, but we depart in nearly twenty-four hours. This is one of the final opportunities we have."

"You've given us a lot, Shukri. While I would love a few more days or weeks...this could continue to be pushed back, if we let it. You guys have to go home. There are still many repairs to make, as I recall. I feel bad that we've kept you for this long."

"The Nalikjan are not falling apart without us. I am being sincere when I say I would be happy to keep going, terrapin."

"And I appreciate that, but I'm maxed out. Every minute has been worth it, but I promised Leo we would meet the rest of them, and we're already a little late."

Shukri jumped to his feet. "We are? Why did you not say something? I am surprised Leonardo did not seek us out."

"Given a bit more time, I'm sure he would have. But it was hard to cut you off, Shukri." The purple-masked turtle rose from his chair. "Let's get downstairs before someone sends up a search party."

Don felt unnaturally spent while leading the way down the steps from the third floor. _Reminded myself over and over that this was a short visit, but it didn't seem to help._

He found the Great Room much quieter than expected, with only a handful of their allies relaxing on a set of adjacent couches. "You guys seen my brothers and the Elohim?"

Timothy nodded. "They went downstairs. Leo mentioned something about sending up a flare for you."

The turtle grinned. "And it wasn't even necessary."

Victoria shifted on the man's other side. "I hope you all got what you needed."

"As much as we could for this evening. I suppose we might fit in a little more tomorrow?" Don suggested with a sidelong glance of the elohim.

Shukri nodded his agreement. "I am sure you are tired of listening to me at this point, terrapin."

"I doubt anyone has gotten tired of you," Victoria inserted.

The alien's smile was a little shy. "I appreciate your words, Mrs. Long. But I have been rambling very much in the last few days."

"And we've been hanging on every sentence," Donny added. "However, we're also holding up the others, so we ought to go meet them."

"Old folks will head to bed soon themselves," Marcus mentioned from the other couch. "Especially if it will be another early morning?"

Donatello exchanged a look with Shukri, and it was the elohim who replied.

"No one necessarily needs to listen to any more of my speeches. Donatello has shown me how to record."

"We want you to record it," Marc said. "But it's nice to be able to ask questions while we go along. Normal time, you two?"

Don nodded sheepishly. "I guess so."

"Don't stay up all night," April advised.

"We won't. That's why I shut down the computer when I did. We'll hang out for a while with the guys, and I bet we'll call it an earlier evening too. Have a good night, everyone."

Donny pointed Shukri toward the door to the finished basement, and trotted downstairs to the lower level. He heard his orange-masked brother's laughter before touching down on the floor. It wasn't as loud as normal, but the genuine sound still made him grin.

Don waved to the circle of his brothers and their alien friends. "What's happening down here? Have we missed anything?"

"Not much. We were waiting on some geniuses to show up," Raph retorted. "You forget how to tell time or something?"

Donatello took one of the remaining chairs which had been dragged over, and Shukri ended up on his right. "No, but it was hard to pull ourselves away. I take responsibility for ignoring the clock."

He sent his oldest brother a quick glance. Leonardo hadn't told him what the meeting was for when he requested it, so Donny was ready for an explanation.

Instead of speaking, the blue-masked turtle turned to Ghyath.

"I was the one who actually asked for the seven of us to talk," the elohim spoke up. "There has been much to occupy us for these last few days, especially where our doctors and scientists are concerned."

"Technically, I don't hold either of those titles," Don offered, only to lighten the weight already building in the atmosphere.

"No official degree could sum up what it is you do, Donatello," Bahri replied quietly. "But that is not what we desired to speak about. We cannot be sure if focusing on certain aspects will make tomorrow any less complicated, but we decided to try."

"We hesitated to accept your original invitation," Ghyath continued. "But none of us would take back the time we have spent with you these last few days. They flew by much faster than I anticipated they would. While some of the things we experienced were somewhat jarring, it is a journey we would repeat many times over, if it were possible."

Mike snorted in the background. Donatello was set to admonish his brother for laughing when the Rynn was trying to say something important, but Ghyath ended up chuckling too.

"Admittedly, I was less prepared for what Michelangelo introduced us to than anything else. But it is a memory we will not forget."

"Sure, you can laugh about it," Raphael grumbled. "You get to escape from his shell."

The sudden flash of nerves in the alien's golden eyes made no sense to Donatello.

"You could escape..." Ghyath faltered. "That is, all of you have the option."

Leonardo leaned forward on his other side. "What do you mean?"

"You are faced with many uncertainties," Ghyath said slowly. "Even this day, you admitted there is nowhere truly safe for your family which you know of. But that is not really the case." The elohim met Bahri's gaze on his right, then fixed on Shukri.

That was when Donny noticed a similar anxiety in the Banrif's features, though Shukri offered nothing in addition to what Ghyath said.

"You could come with us," the Rynn finally said. "Not only your kind. Your entire family would be welcome. There would never be a necessity to hide, and everything you could ever need would be provided. You would be treated as royalty. It is what you deserve.

"None of us want to make you uncomfortable, terrapins, but neither could we walk away without making the offer."

The purple-masked turtle looked down instead of at his brothers. He had a feeling if he met any of them at that point, he wouldn't be able to contain emotions.

"It's a really good offer, Ghyath." Leonardo's voice was strained. "And I think all of us would probably like to jump at it. But um...realistically speaking, the idea of abandoning the human race for a few months while we rebuild in Montreal is hard enough, without imagining leaving them behind altogether. I wish it was feasible or that...things were different. But they're not."

Donatello glanced up when his brother's voice cracked, and Leonardo cleared his throat to continue.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I know you mean it, and your people would treat us extremely well. We love the Nalikjan, and the three of you in particular mean so much to us..." The blue-masked turtle trailed off suddenly. It seemed like he would say something else, but then he hid his eyes instead.

"You do not need to be sorry," Ghyath told him. "It is selfish to even ask it of you. Because while we prefer to do everything in our power to keep you safe, we also would rather not be separated to begin with."

Mike raised his hand and motioned to Shukri. "You gonna work on that teleportation thing we talked about?"

"Michelangelo, I still do not think the laws of physics could account for such a device to exist," the elohim replied apologetically.

"Don't destroy my dream, dude. Just tell me you'll play with the idea, and let me think we've got a chance of seeing you again."

Shukri swallowed and was another moment in responding. "In that case, I will speak to every technician I know the moment we arrive home."

"That's all I ask." The positive note in Mike's voice was forced that time, even though he grinned.

Raphael sighed deeply. "Shell. There's no good way to do this, is there? It was always gonna end the same way, and we had to go and drag it out longer."

"We are glad you did," Bahri assured him. "We _are_ , terrapins. As Ghyath said, we would gladly do it again." Then he turned to Leonardo with another worried look. "Will you be all right here?"

"It's never been a sure thing," Leo acknowledged. "For as long as we've existed, there's been the danger of exposure, and we plowed right through it. We've taken a lot of risks over the years, and been very lucky on many occasions."

"Can you be certain that these soldiers who initially held you captive will not give up your information to government powers?" Shukri asked timidly.

"No. We can't," Leo answered. "The Major is still the only one who has any knowledge about dunamis. He gave us his word to protect our secret, but that leaves twenty-three more individuals to still be concerned about. He said he'd keep an eye on them, but it's hard to imagine being able to control everything that many people report.

"On the other hand, the deaths of Doctor Ribiero and her immediate cohorts also doesn't mean that Lendano is definitely dead in the water."

Donatello's head jerked sideways at his oldest brother's assessment. "That's true..." he allowed, anxiety spiking in his gut. "But their technology was the real threat, and they lost their source from the Vagari. Hopefully, if any of them are left, they've got no reason to keep looking into us."

Silence persisted in the atmosphere for several moments.

"I don't know," Leonardo said at last. "We want to go back to New York, but we were completely exposed. They followed us to Montreal, but never found where we were based. If Lendano has information on Lotus Salvus, why didn't they try to move on it? There's a possibility no one left of them cares about us, but..."

The blue-masked turtle groaned. "It'd be safer to abandon everything."

"There are never going to be certainties, no matter where you are, Leonardo," Ghyath said unexpectedly. "It is difficult to mention since we would rather have you with us, but we cannot offer an environment free of danger either. I wish I could tell you that the hearts of everyone on Zuhur are right, but I know they are not. The Vagari's desire for you was highly publicized, and your worth well known. There could be those on our planet who would wish to take advantage of you too. I would prefer not to admit it, but listening to you consider the existing threats on Earth brought it up in my mind as well."

"So we're just...screwed," Raphael declared. "No matter how we look at it, there's a good chance of somebody trying to hurt us and our kids again."

"We don't know that," Mike countered. "We're assuming the bad guys are right around the corner, even though we can't see them."

"The way they keep popping up, it's hard not to," Raph complained.

The orange-masked turtle shook his head. "Hey, we made it this far, didn't we? We were around for decades before one stupid group with alien connections managed to track us down. And we escaped before they had the chance to catch us again!

"The evil queen is dead, and the suckiest aliens we've ever known killed each other off. For all the bad stuff that's happened in the last few weeks, those things are pretty good, huh?"

Donatello pulled off what felt like a real smile. "Yeah. It's good, Mikey. We _are_ being negative, because there are a ton of unanswered questions, and none of us know the right thing to do."

"You wanna know what I think?" Michelangelo's smirk made the red-masked turtle grunt in irritation.

"I dunno, numbskull. Do we really wanna know what you think?"

Mike seemed to pout for a second, until Leonardo held out a hand in invitation.

"What do you think, Mike?"

"Most of what happened wasn't an accident, right?"

Shukri sat up taller in his chair. "It is impossible to classify many of those events as coincidental, terrapin. I believe I know where you are going. Even in the midst of the worst attacks of our lifetime, El's hand was active within it all. And why should we expect that to change?"

Mike pumped a fist. "We were desperate to beat the Vagari and get home in one piece. Now we made it, and we're busy being scared of everything else that could go wrong?"

"Does go wrong," Raph filled in.

"Bro." The orange-masked turtle's tone turned sharp. "When are you gonna look at this another way? We should be dead, or having someone use us to kill more people than we can imagine. The Nalikjan ought to have been vaporized, and Earth should have been wiped out. But none of those things happened.

"So if the same power that prevented all of that is still looking after our shells, what's left to be afraid of? You can call it turtle luck if you want, but everyone knows the real reason we got through it. It wasn't because we're awesome ninjas who outsmarted the bad guys, and took them down with our massive strength.

"It's because there's somebody way bigger standing behind us. The minute we get that, really understand who's for us, we're gonna be a lot better off."

Donatello removed his hands from the unconscious locked position across his chest. "You're right, Mike. We're acting like we're at a complete disadvantage, when in reality, it's not that different than normal."

"Not that different?" Raph echoed. "How's it not different when we've got nowhere to go, Genius?"

"We have options," Don argued. "They're just not the one we want, which is to return to New York City. There's also no reason we eventually couldn't, to be honest."

"No reason?" The red-masked turtle was clearly stuck in a loop of repeating what someone had just said. "For a smart guy, that's a pretty dumb thing to say."

Donny refused to take offense. "I understand why we can't go back yet, because we were horribly exposed. But we also can't predict what the next few years will hold. We need to let the dust settle, and hang in there. We have to be grateful that we survived, and the chance to go on exists. Maybe we're not where we want to be, but we're a lot better off than we could have been.

"Our kids are upstairs, fairly healthy for the most part. This family will be dealing with scars for quite some time, but Mikey's right. We didn't get through everything just to live some life of terror, regret, and paranoia."

"No, we didn't," Leo reinforced. "We'll probably be in upheaval for a while yet, but things will settle down. They always do. We will work it out, Raph."

The red-masked turtle huffed. "I ain't trying to be a jerk, Fearless. But we gotta do what it takes to keep our kids and allies safe, even if that means never setting foot in New York again. It ain't worth that."

"It is not simple to return to a place which posed a threat," Ghyath said wistfully. "This will be the second time we have done it ourselves. Mentally, I am not quite ready to return to Arcadia either."

"Will you have to deal with a lot more traitors?" Leonardo asked.

"My understanding is that many of them perished in the fighting and disagreements which spilled over into the city. There was a tremendous division in the enemy's ranks concerning what to do with you terrapins," Ghyath explained. "I was told of many deaths, but also of some who surrendered out of fear."

The blue-masked turtle cringed. "This was the wrong time to steal you away, wasn't it? You've got a big mess to clean up on Zuhur."

"We do," Bahri answered. "Yet I sense we needed this: Ghyath, Shukri and myself. I believe we will be better equipped to deal with such things since we have been built up by your family."

"Sure you wanna go back?" Raphael offered. "What we lack in fancy gizmos, we make up for in food and hoards of family members."

The statement drew a laugh from the three Elohim.

"You have a piece of our hearts, terrapins," Ghyath replied. "But they also belong to our people. There is really no choice where we are concerned, any more than you can decide to leave behind the human race you love so much."

"We should work on an exchange program," Mike suggested. "Like you summer here, and we'll winter there. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like you better keep dreaming, Chucklehead." The affection in Raphael's insult made it sound comforting instead of rude.

"Returning is not out of the question," Shukri mentioned. "Only complicated and risky. But it is a journey I would make again." He gave Michelangelo a meaningful look. "Especially for the opportunity to meet another special young one."

The orange-masked turtle grinned. "You plan the trip, and we'll get your room ready, Shukri."

The way Leonardo suddenly smiled made it seem like an invisible burden had lifted. "I think the only way we'll get through this is by agreeing that it's not forever. You have to tell us that you'll come back, as far as it depends on you. I know there are circumstances you can't control. But we're also not capable of coming to you."

"No danger in your world or on ours would prevent us from trying again, Leonardo," Ghyath said firmly. "Nothing is forever, not even these lives we are living. I am determined that this will not be the end of our friendship. It is far too precious of a thing to give up."


	160. Left in the Hole

***For those of you on email alerts to Dominion, I apologize for spamming you with the last ten chapters. I have been ready to finish the story for months, and being this close to the end made it too tempting.**

 **This is both the final chapter of Dominion, and for Duckiepray. I am retiring the account, effective immediately. I'm finished with the complicated story line I erected over a decade, but not completely done writing for the site.**

 **I have created a new account, to focus exclusively on prequel material. It won't be a ton, but I'm already working on Solo. It doesn't cancel out the decades of stories I already wrote, but rather, centers on the beginning. Before romance and OC's got out of control.**

 **To those who always stood by me...thank you. Writing fan fiction changed my life, and I wouldn't have gotten to this point without you. Abandoning Duckiepray is no reflection on you, but the only way I have found to free myself from other issues. I need to start over. But that doesn't mean forgetting everything else. I truly appreciate you, and the help you have given me.**

 **Thanks for reading.**

* * *

Leonardo hesitated for a good thirty seconds at the door, before even putting a hand on the knob. He could hear the strains of voices coming from outside, but it didn't tempt him to move any faster. They'd had plenty of time to mentally prepare for their friends' departure, but it wasn't making it easier to face.

 _Because hiding will change something? Like if I stay in the house for the rest of my life, they won't have to go anywhere? Move your shell._

The blue-masked turtle crossed into the darkness on the other side of the door, and attempted to appear less awkward than he _felt_ while trotting up to join the fringe of the gathering in the backyard.

"...I am very curious to know how they explained the rapid shift in weather," Bahri was saying. "It is one thing for your government to assert that there was never an alien presence in Venezuela. What few citizens were present have no actual proof of the ships since technology was hampered. But how do these officials account for the snowstorm or tsunami?"

"I didn't ask my dad," Jazz admitted. "I don't really care what they say, to be honest. The storm and that wave would have probably gotten a lot more attention if it hadn't been trumped by the massive solar event. Between most of the electric grid being shut down, travel coming to a halt, and everyone waiting on the edge of their seats for days...A freak snowstorm in the mountains of Venezuela didn't get much world-wide media coverage."

"So it is as if we were never here," the elohim mused. "It is certainly better that way."

"Of course it is. We don't wanna share you with anyone else," Jayden offered. "If you start making more friends, you'll be less likely to come see us."

"We would not discard you so casually," Ghyath said solemnly.

Leonardo made cautious eye contact with the golden-eyed elohim. He was certain the Rynn knew that Jayden meant the statement as a joke, but the alien wasn't prepared to make light of it.

The blue-masked turtle was about to force himself to add something, when Tim suddenly appeared on his right.

"With you guys not being exposed, beyond some random hikers nobody is gonna believe, it _does_ make it easier for you to return," his son pointed out.

Ghyath moved toward the two of them. "I do not want to exchange promises tonight when there are so many uncertainties. If it is possible, we will come back. We will also attempt to maintain communication through our shared com-link, as long as it remains intact. I want to provide more assurance, but..." The elohim trailed off, fixing on Tim specifically.

"I have nothing definite to offer, young one, except for the faith I have in you. I have confidence in the warrior you are, and will continue growing to be."

The teenager merely gazed at Ghyath for several seconds, though Leo felt he wanted to say something. When the uncomfortable silence continued, Leonardo almost started to fill it himself.

Tim responded first, wrapping both arms around Ghyath's midsection, and the alien bent down to reach him better. Though the elohim physically engulfed the youth, he made secretive eye contact with Leonardo. That was all it took for the Rynn to break down.

Watching the pair cry left the blue-masked turtle with no words, even if he wanted to speak them. Leo felt like he needed to back away entirely, but couldn't move from where he mutely stood.

Tim caught the elohim's sleeve with a desperate grip. "I know you don't want to promise, but I need you to."

Ghyath nodded with a tremor. "We will. The risk means very little in the face of seeing all of you again. I could not bear to say we will not try."

The youth slowly released him and gave the older turtle a sidelong glance.

Leonardo's muscles still felt hampered, so he was relieved when the golden-eyed elohim chose to overtake him.

"It has been an honor," his friend told him. "But I fear we could tell each other goodbye a thousand times, and it would not be enough. I do not know how to leave things between us."

"I don't think a good way exists," Leo admitted. "At least, not a painless one. I'm sorry we dragged it out."

Ghyath shook his head. "We no more want this to end than you."

The alien straightened from embracing him, but kept an arm around his shell while turning to the rest of the group. "In a sense, it seems we cannot be whole without you. But we are also whole _because_ of you. Our lives were changed the moment you entered them, and I know the future is different than it would have been as well."

Ghyath paused a long beat, but then continued. "This planet is blessed, beyond any I have ever heard of. And my race is better for having known you all."

Leonardo's gaze was drawn to where Kamryn was clinging to Shukri's side, merely because Ghyath looked that direction. The moment the elohim faced her, she let go of the Banrif's tunic and started toward him.

"It is not the end for you, or us," Ghyath assured the woman. "This is a new beginning on your part. Did you visit with your _Saaleyi_ tonight?" (cloud)

"The owl ate a little more. I almost brought her out here, but she doesn't seem to enjoy crowds."

"With your care, she will grow strong again. Just as you will continue to develop in the presence of those to whom we owe so much. Our hearts will always be with you. In a way, I envy your position with them," Ghyath said honestly.

"I'm sorry." The woman sounded breathless. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Where there is separation, pain is inevitable, _hamna_. But you are not doing anything wrong."

"Ghyath, please don't let this be the last time," she pleaded. "You have to come back."

"We will go to any length to return," he said stronger, more determined. "It will _not_ be the last time."

The Rynn made no attempt to veil tears while turning her loose. "My friends. Though I have feared to make promises I am not certain I can keep, something stands out to me in this moment. We have never been alone, throughout this entire process. Neither the first time several of you were abducted by Overlords, nor this altercation with the Vagari. No matter what action our enemies took, there was nothing El was not prepared for.

"Moving forward, I know that will not change. His providence does not exist only in seasons of difficulty, but has shaped our entire lives. It can be summed up most simply in the phenomenon you refer to as turtle luck. But deep down, you understand its scope is wider than mere coincidences and good fortune.

"El's plan has not been canceled. It will endure. I honestly believe that we will see you again. That the overwhelming goodness of God will continue to be with you. No matter what challenges are ahead, you do not need to fear facing them alone, anymore than we did the rest of it on our own."

Ghyath's gaze tracked beyond their circle to the treeline. "There are so many more things I wish to say, but...it will not satisfy me. You already proclaimed it upon leaving Zuhur, Leonardo. We are all one, in spite of our differences. We always will be."

The golden-eyed elohim backed up a step. "We have kept the ship waiting nearly an hour now. Lingering will not change how anyone feels, so I think we should begin moving that direction."

"Wait," Shukri called out at once. "There is one thing which was nearly forgotten."

Leonardo turned to hear what the Banrif would say.

"It was something we meant to tell Michelangelo," the elohim explained.

His orange-masked brother looked bewildered for being singled out. "What is it, Shukri?"

The Banrif cast an arm around his shoulder in what appeared a comforting grip. "We have you to thank for many new experiences, and there is something you need to know."

Leo's brow furrowed at the silent movement _behind_ the pair; first that of his red-masked brother toward Bahri, and then the blue-eyed elohim going to join Shukri and Mike.

Before Leonardo could blink, Bahri reached over his brother's back and smashed a cake in his face. From the younger one's posture, Leo could tell he was genuinely shocked, and the blue-masked turtle hadn't expected it either.

"We enjoyed playing with you, terrapin," Bahri announced. "And I did not waste it."

The laugh that doubled Mike over had Leonardo convinced he was about to fall down. "Nah, you didn't, dude. You're a good student, Bahri. Feels like I need to say goodbye again."

Michelangelo threatened to chase down the alien, but hesitated when the elohim backpedaled. "I wouldn't mess ya up now. You're off the hook."

Raphael tossed a towel over his shoulder and clapped Mike's shell. "That's how a sneak attack is done, Bahri. You done graduated tonight. I couldn't be more proud."

Leonardo thought his youngest brother was wiping away a fake tear, but the way his face screwed up afterward convinced him otherwise.

The blue-eyed elohim extended arms toward Mike willingly.

"No, I won't do it, Bahri."

"Terrapin, I do not care," he insisted.

It was Bahri who embraced him first, and Michelangelo huddled under his arms with a combination of a laugh and a sob.

"You guys are the best," Mike managed. "Don't change _anything_."

Bahri pulled away slightly to look at everyone else. "I cannot promise that. The goal is continue growing. But we will not forget you, or the things we have learned because of you."

"It goes both ways," Leo spoke up, drawing an arm around Tim. "You say you couldn't have done it without us, but we wouldn't have made it through these last few weeks without you either. We're bound together now, and I think Ghyath is right. This isn't the end. There's a lot more to come, for all of us.

"It's not the time for fearing the unknown. This is when we have to remember what we already survived. Then we can realize beyond a shadow of any doubt, our future has been prepared for as well."

* * *

Charlotte bolted upright so hard, she nearly pitched headlong off the couch. In the disoriented state, it took a moment to recognize the walk-out basement to which she'd retreated earlier that evening. The arrangement of sharing a room with Reina and Alexis at Lotus Salvus was expected, and normally welcomed in the past.

 _That was before,_ she thought bitterly, drawing legs beneath her on the couch.

A sudden chill reminded her that she was cold, and a glimpse of her fleece blanket on the floor confirmed why. Despite being fully dressed, it wasn't enough to compensate for the temperature of the lower level.

The teen reached to retrieve her blanket and covered up again. Charlotte slowly sank onto her side, burrowing further under fleece. _You're fine. You can go back to sleep. The danger is past, the enemies are dead, and everything is going to be all right._

The purple-masked turtle closed her eyes and intentionally deepened her breathing; however the normal trick for going to sleep didn't have the effect she craved. She would usually blame excess energy for it, but the regular excuse wasn't holding up.

Leaving her seclusion in the basement seemed like the next best option. _But what if the girls aren't asleep?_ She checked her watch. It was only a little after midnight, and in all likelihood her human friends would still be up talking.

 _This isn't complicated. You only have to tell them that you got bored by yourself. They won't even question it. They'll be happy to see you. Just go upstairs._

Charlotte glanced at the steps with a sick feeling. _No. It's too obvious that there's something wrong with me. And something wrong cues awkward silence, blank stares, and the pity of friends who don't know what to do with me. Rather let Reina and Alexis enjoy each other than try to insert myself into a normal situation, when I feel anything but._

Another shudder took her while clasping arms tightly over her plastron, trying to generate more body heat. _It's not like separating does any good. It's exactly the thing I've given Tim grief for repeatedly. Yet I'd rather hide like a hypocrite than admit one word of this. I wish I could at least run._

Charlotte glanced across the room to the door that led outside. Escaping into the wilderness at night wasn't something her family members would have supported, but she wouldn't have gone, regardless. _It was hard enough to go with Olivia and Kamryn during the day. Literally anything could be out there. Let's not forget where the original abductions took place..._

Her arms clasped across her plastron tighter. _Because_ that's _what I needed to think about, idiot. This is stupid. The Overlords are long gone, Vagari are no more, and I'm cowering in the cold dungeon of a basement like I'm still a prisoner._

On impulse she rubbed her right wrist, recalling deep grooves which had been left by manacles. The marks had healed like she never wore chains, but the memory of soreness persisted. _It's a memory because the abduction is past tense._

She let go of her wrist which was neither raw nor restrained, but skin still felt cold under her fingers. Charlotte was tempted yet again to rise from the couch and go upstairs.

 _It would be so much more comfortable. There's a reason nobody sleeps down here, despite how quiet it is. I suppose if I wait long enough, I could sneak back into the room with Reina and Alexis. But I can't go until they're asleep. I bet if I hold off for another hour or so, they'll be settled down. I can last that long._

Charlotte resumed clenching arms over her chest to retain heat and relaxed against her pillow with the best plan she could conceive formulated.

A soft squeal from nearby caused her to sit up slightly. Even though it had come from beyond the basement door, paranoia made her stay buried under the blanket and pretend to be asleep. _No one has a reason to come down. They've got to be heading to bed too._

She rolled over to face the back of the couch, praying that whoever made the sound was only shutting down the Great Room for the night. The lack of multiple sets of footsteps was encouraging. _Just one person turning off lights, locking doors. No big deal. Unless you happen to be a whackjob who simultaneously craves company, while doing everything in your power to avoid it. It's so ridiculous, there are no words to explain this. Starting to understand more about where Tim is coming from._

 _Tim,_ she repeated inwardly. _I was supposed to work out another scene for him. He gave me his installment of the chapter, and I had no response. I know what Alia wants to do. It's been eating at her for days, but this is a crazy risk. There are so many things that could go wrong. Why does she need to go and make it more complicated than it already was?_

Charlotte groaned while maneuvering upright again. _I have to run this by Tim and get his thoughts before she does anything else. I liked it better when Alia was only trying to heal a dragon. I'm really sick of the Immortals. Would it be possible to abandon this story and go back to the original? I could probably write it better._

 _Tim would kill me though. He'd say we've come too far, especially since finding the Valiant. Deliverance could be in sight. That's what makes it the wrong time to bring up other things. She's going to keep it under control, and everyone will move on together. That's all she wanted from the beginning-_

The door opening at the top of the stairs made the thought freeze within her mind. The purple-masked turtle went absolutely still, forgetting to breathe while she played the charade of being asleep.

"Are we doing this again, Charlie? It's kind of pointless."

She lifted her head to meet the blue-masked turtle with a scowl. The expression fizzled when she realized Tim was hauling something down the steps.

"What are you doing?" she called softly. Subconsciously, she was still nervous that someone else would hear. "What is that?"

Tim paused by a small lamp to turn it on. "If you're going to sleep in the Arctic, you have to come prepared. I stole one of the space heaters from the lab."

"Who said I was sleeping?"

Tim ignored the question, and busied himself setting up the heater and plugging it in. When it was done, he took the couch cushion to her right and ended up staring into space without speaking.

"There _is_ no happy ending for us, is there?" Charlotte ventured after a minute. "We can't get normality back. No matter where we go, or what we do for the rest of our lives, this gene will be hanging over our shoulder. Putting us at risk. And there's absolutely nothing we can do about it."

The blue-masked turtle took a deep breath, which he then proceeded to hold a few moments. "Yeah, things have changed, Charlotte. I wish we could be innocent and clueless, but...we can't. I don't know what to say to you. We really are stuck. I wanna make it better somehow, but it's impossible. I'm glad we're all in this together, but the idea of trying to hide dunamis for our entire lives scares the crap out of me too."

She leaned heavily against the back of the couch. "Dwelling on it won't help us sleep. But the heat is a good start." Charlotte nodded appreciatively at the machine. "You've already got it feeling better down here. Thanks."

"Well, you weren't coming up, so I didn't have a choice. Reminds me of how stubborn someone else is being."

"Alia couldn't tell him about possesing the Fire element, Tim. She wanted to a bunch of times, but there were always reasons to keep her mouth shut."

"You never finished the scene. It leaves us hanging, Charlotte."

She felt herself getting red. "You know I can't control everything she thinks or feels. I'm trying not to ruin this."

"Charlie, why would you ruin it? I should have seen the Fire coming from her. Of course Alia lines up with the rest of them. It's been clear she belonged there from the beginning."

"She has a problem, Tim," she admitted. "The kind of issue which would change the entire dynamic of the family. If the wrong thing is said or done, it could have permanent consequences."

"What could be that bad?"

"You don't want to hear it."

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't."

"I'd rather you didn't ask," she said evasively.

His brow creased with concern. "And I have a feeling I still should," he replied, apologetic. "You have the right to privacy, but if this issue concerns Alia and Dante, then it seems like both of us need to look at it."

"It's not Dante's issue. This is Alia's problem, and it seems like I need more time to think it through."

"What was the point of meeting back up with him then? Why not let Dante go to the Valiant by himself? If Alia was capable of taking care of his siblings on her own, why didn't she?"

"You don't get it," she retorted sharply. "You can't."

"Not when you give me nothing except emotions to work with. I know you're scared, but not what any of it has to do with her."

"She's a fictional character, Tim. My fear has nothing to do with Alia."

"That's not exactly true. It'd be more accurate to describe her as lightning rod for your fears, insecurities and scars. All of them have been explored through her character. So what's weighing on Alia?"

Charlotte wrapped her blanket tighter like a shield against him and gazed at the ceiling. "Tim, do you get how much she needs him? Not just misses or wants Dante with her. Alia needs him like she needs oxygen."

When he didn't say anything, she sent him a wary glance. It was impossible to read the far away expression in his dark eyes.

"If you admit it, I have to tell you that she's the only thing driving Dante to get up some mornings."

Charlotte massaged her temples with another sharp breath. "Tim, they can't follow the urges. What if it messes everything up? What if nothing was the same between them? The focus has to be on Dante's siblings and surviving. They have to hide their abilities."

Tim snorted suddenly. "The way Alia tried to hide Fire? They weren't given power over the elements to never use them, Charlie. It's so obvious they have a purpose."

"That's sort of my point. Adding in other emotions on top of what they're already dealing with, it has the probability of ruining them."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

She gave him a double-take. "Tell me you don't see this, Tim. The awkward strain it could create would be second to none."

"And? Would the sun not rise when it's supposed to? Is the world gonna stop turning if one of them confesses how they feel?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Charlotte demanded. "I've got no clue what I'm doing with her."

"What's the worst thing that could happen though?" he repeated. "Would Alia hate Dante if it didn't work out?"

"She could never hate him."

"I'm not saying it wouldn't be uncomfortable," Tim allowed. "But after the other things they've been through, this feels minor in comparison."

"It's not minor."

"No, I guess that's the wrong word for it. But the possibility of the two of them being embarrassed isn't on the same level as the destruction of the planet, you have to admit,"

She shook her head. "No, it's not. But that doesn't tell me what to do with her. I'm not even totally sure how she feels, or why. Is it possible the attachment exists because of what they went through? Is it something that only happened because...they were stripped of everything they'd relied on?"

"Charlie, they were close before Immortals showed up."

"Right, but things were normal then, and now they're not. What are we supposed to do with them?"

Tim was much longer in replying than she preferred. "We don't _have_ to do anything, Charlie. There's no time limit, or impending count down. I think they should take it really slow, one tiny step followed by another. There's no reason to be under any kind of pressure."

"You think they'll figure it out if they do this slowly?"

"It's probably the only way either of them will determine what they really want. No expectations on each other. We don't need to settle all these questions tonight. The true issue of the moment is for both of us to get some sleep. Have you burned enough energy?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm awake because I was dreaming, then I came out of it cold and afraid. Did I wake you up? Be honest."

"No. I was awake too. You know I sleep better when you're around."

The innocent smile he sent prompted a tiny grin from Charlotte.

"They should get us bunk beds," she joked weakly. "I mean, if we're going to end up together anyway." After a brief pause, Charlotte sighed. "This is dumb. I should go back to the girls, and you ought to return to Jayden and Nate."

"It's not where I wanna be," he replied without missing a beat.

"The basement sucks at night, Tim."

"Not so bad with the heater, plus it's quiet."

"You don't have to do this because of me."

"Charlie, it helps me more than it does you."

"I don't think that's true anymore."

"We don't have to stay down here every night," he reasoned. "One step at a time, okay?"

She shrugged, but he was already unrolling the sleeping bag which had also made the trip downstairs with him, and stretching it out on the floor next to the couch.

"You're not gonna be comfortable there."

"I'm with you. That's better than being anywhere else."

"I don't understand why, not with how negative I feel, Tim. That ought to be weighing you down."

"Charlotte, it's not as if I'm being tremendously positive myself."

"If both of us are in the hole, how are we supposed to get out?" she wondered. "This is why you said it was necessary to do this alone, isn't it?"

"Yeah...but I've learned a couple things since then, Charlotte."

"Like what? Tell me, if we're both discouraged, how can we save ourselves? How do we get out of the hole, Tim?"

He reached up from his sleeping bag and lightly caught her fingers. "Together, okay? We'll do it by helping each other. Maybe we'll have bad days where neither of us are strong and all we can do is crawl, but we'll make it. You know why?"

"No. I really don't."

"Because giving up isn't worth it. Because the fight doesn't belong to a lone person, so _no one_ is going to stay in the hole by themselves."

She leaned over the couch to see his face. Even with the reassuring contact of his hand, she needed to check him for authenticity. "You won't shut me out?"

"I'm a work in progress, Charlie. We both are. But as long as neither of us are willing to quit, that work will continue."

Charlotte shifted to the edge of the couch, so she could still see him after lying back down. "We've got a lot to do, Tim."

He nodded. "We do. But I think doing it together will make it more effective. Are you warm enough now?"

The combination of soothing heat and his comforting grip made her eyes heavier the moment she rested on her pillow. "Yes. I'm tired, Tim."

"Close your eyes. Just breathe. Nothing's perfect, Charlie, and our ending won't be either. The important thing is that we get to go on. As someone who has spent a lot of time in the hole, I can tell you there's another side. It's there. You can't give up in the middle of it.

"The work will never really stop. But one day, you'll wake up and find the hole isn't as deep as it once was. You'll see the light coming in from the other side. No matter how you feel right now, you can take my word for it, because I know."

"Blindly trusting you is something I'm used to," she murmured sleepily.

"Go with it. Charlotte, we're gonna be okay."

She opened eyes to focus on him. "Are we?"

"We survived so far. None of that was by luck."

"No."

"Relax. Breathe. And stay with me, Charlotte. I promise it'll get better."

Believing in the intuitive blue-masked turtle was so natural, she easily obeyed the instructions. Even as she drifted off, the pressure of fingers wound around hers didn't lessen. For that time, a safe place still existed, and it was all she needed to truly rest.


End file.
